Meet our Terrific Tenor: Casper Labuschagné #Vox_Tribe
Q: What is your day job?
A: My passion is creating and capturing beautiful imagery that tells a story, informs or when the right moment arises, mystifies or inspires. I paint with light and shape with sound. I am blessed to carry the title of digital media producer for a prestigious tertiary educational institution named Akademia.
Q: How many years have you been singing in a choir?
A: Making a very important life changing decision on June 24th 2019, every aspect of living and the very meaning of it has changed for the better, which brought me to getting involved in something requiring a talent I always believed I possessed. I got introduced into the choir scene via my place of work. Any prestigious educational institution needs a choir, right? I auditioned for the Akademia-choir led by Franco Prinsloo and got in. Two lovely years of musical discovery has passed which brought me to audition for the Vox Chamber choir. Here I am. Quite different to my musical background, being a guitarist and backing vocalist in a progressive rock band named Chidori back in 2007 to 2011.
Q: What has been your most memorable experience with Vox to date?
A: I remember the very first Vox performance I attended as an audience member in the Voortrekker Monument. The experience of hearing numerous voices becoming one is something you can truly feel within your being. Now, as one of the numerous voices, it is often a very emotionally positive experience. To answer the question, there are quite a few memorable experiences, but what stands out is the feeling of family and unity that I experienced among the existing members at my very first Vox choir camp. I look forward to the journey that lies ahead with this dynamic, eccentrically interesting group of loving, kind hearted and very interesting people.
Q: What do you enjoy the most about being part of Vox?
A: As a person who appreciates sights, sounds, and all things beautiful, it feels overwhelmingly meaningful to form part of a group whose purpose is to collectively create the most beautiful sounds. Sounds with the power to change hearts. Sounds with the power to awaken one’s spirit. Sounds with the power to enrich one’s being. Other than sound, the visual identity of Voxies also that of stature, elegance and acquire artistic preference.
Q: Which piece is your favourite that you have performed with Vox Chamber Choir?
A: Having a very deep rooted liking in metal music, a genre I believe to be extremely inviting to musical brilliance, technicality, dynamic and the requirement of extraordinary skill, my favourite has to be the 13th movement of Kruis van Liefde: "XIII. Resitatief: Een van die misdadigers wat daar gehang het". It is heavy, stormy and dramatic, yet it softly lands in anticipation of the good news Kruis van Liefde in its entirety has to bring to the listener. Listen to it here:
Q: What do you look forward to the most with Vox ChamberChoir?
A: Learning, bonding, creating art and making an impact. Character and skills development happens naturally and I am very excited to see where it collectively takes all of us.
Q: In which Vox-Tet (our octets) are you?
A: The talking merlin wizard hat has spoken. It made the decision to put me in the team marked by my favourite colour, blue. We are called "Team Sabastian in the Sky with Diamonds". Two great references in one. The hat chose well.💙
Q: If you could have a superpower, what would it be? A: Telekenesis. A power that would or could not necessarily disrupt the natural laws and parameters of the four dimensions, we as sojourners of the physical realm, are bound to. Alas, always consider and respect the following quote:“With great power, comes great responsibility.” – Benjamin RichardParker
Q: What are you reading/binge watching at the moment:
1. Reading – I read the living Word. The truth. The very words sent through time by our loving Creator. Another one I enjoy paging through on rare, quiet occasions, is a little poetry book that is very dear tome called ‘Verlatenkloof’ by Ané Kotze. I can also recommend ‘A Million Little Pieces’ by James Frey which is intensely gripping.
2. Watching – Recently watched masterpieces I thoroughly enjoyed was Better Call Saul and let us not forget the classic Breaking Bad. Other than that, anything inspiring, life changing or obscure.
Q: Name another hobby/interest you participate in?
A: Music production, capturing moments in the form of images or video and creating visual pieces when the opportunity arises. Other than that, calisthenics, yoga and other fitness related activities. Cooking. Because food, staying alive and being good at it.
Q: Name a section in "Kruis van Liefde" that gives you goosebumps every time:
A: The 25th movement of Kruis van Liefde: "XXV. Paasbelydenis". The music truly provides the feeling of the love our Saviour has for us. The finale of Kruis van Liefde closes off the entire dramatic performance and leaves you with the realisation that the Creator of the universe has manifested Himself, through human birth in human form, making Himself susceptible to fleshly weakness and conquering it so that we can be saved. The only true act of pure LOVE.
Get your tickets for tomorrow, 15 March, Kruis van Liefde, live at NG Universiteitsoord, Pretoria here. You do not want to miss this magical choral experience. Click here to get your tickets now!
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
A: Norway.
Photo Credit: The beyond amazing, Yolandi Jacobsz - Loci Photography
Conductor and Composer of the Vox Chamber Choir: Franco Prinsloo Composer/Conductor