UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA CHAMBER CHOIR
The UP Chamber Choir (previously known as the Tuks Choir) was officially established on 20 March 1968 and views it as its mission to make a contribution towards the cultural development of the student corps and the cultural enrichment of the community by means of choral singing, as well as to promote a worthy image of the University of Pretoria through striving towards the highest possible artistic standards together with a code of conduct that meets the highest requirements of companionship.
In addition to regular concerts on the campus, the choir also views it as part of its task to participate in church services. Foreign concert tours have been undertaken to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Namibia, the Republic of China, Russia, Singapore, South America, Sweden and Zimbabwe.
In 1989 as well as 1993 the choir received first prize for Mixed Choirs at the local Intemational Roodepoort Eisteddfod. The choir was one of four that went through to the Grand Prix concert of the international Tallinn '94 Choir Festival held in Estonia. There they were awarded first prize in the category Mixed Choirs as well as the prize for the best rendition of a prescribed work.
As a result of this achievement, the choir was invited to represent South Africa at the Fourth International Symposium on Choral Music which was held in Sydney, Australia, in August 1996. During this symposium the choir presented a workshop on the musics of Southern Africa, participated in St Andrew'Cathedral as part of the official symposium service and performed in the Sydney Town Hall and Opera House.
In December 1999 the Tuks Choir was awarded first prize for Mixed Choirs during the Intemational Choir Competition forAdvent and Christmas Music in Prague, Czech Republic, and also received the prize as overall winner of the competition.
Works of scope that have been performed by the choir include Missa Criolla (Ramirez), Messiah (Händel), Weihnachtsoratorium (Bach), Missa Solemnis (Mozart), ein deutsches Requiem (Brahms), Cantus Missae (Rheinberger) and Mass in E minor (Bruckner).
The choir operates under the auspices of the Department of Music of the University of Pretoria. The well-known prof. Petru Gräbe conducted the choir for 20 years from 1979 to 1998. After his retirement, Mr Johann van der Sandt, previously the conductor of the Rand Afrikaans University and East Rand Youth Choirs and himself an internationally acclaimed conductor, was appointed musical director of the Tuks Choir. Werner Dyer and Bennie Robinson are the choir's managers. The choir consists of 54 members and has the following motto (from Augustinus):

Cantate cordibus, Cantate oribus, Cantate moribus - Sing with the heart, sing with the mouth, sing with life -