Jordan congratulates Soweto Choir on Grammy award

The Soweto Gospel Choir won the award for Best Traditional World Music Album

Pallo Jordan, the arts and culture minister, today congratulated the Soweto Gospel Choir for winning a Grammy Award for their album Blessed.

"Their achievement demonstrates that South African talent not only has the potential to raise its voice, compete with its international counterparts, but is of world class," Jordan said.

The choir was awarded the Best Traditional World Music Grammy for its second album at the 49th annual Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles yesterday.

Jordan said South African choral music had won wide recognition in the past because it resonated with the hearts and souls of humankind and the Soweto Gospel Choir was firmly rooted in that tradition. "This award is shared by millions of choristers, conductors and composers who have gone unrecognised over the decades. Their belief in choral music has been vindicated by this award."

Jordan said the lyrical content of the music was cosmopolitan and universal and told the story of "one human family under one heaven". - Sapa