The voices of the Drakies will carry all the way to Scandinavia in September to make SA proud!
Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal (28 August 2025) – The Drakensberg Boys Choir will leave the mountains and head for the fjords, soon! In September, SA’s world-renowned ‘Drakies’ will head to Norway and Sweden for a two-week Scandi tour.
Across 14 days, the boys will sing on some of Scandinavia’s biggest and brightest stages, like Bergen’s Church Music Festival, Stockholm’s Immanuel Church, and Uppsala Cathedral, to name a few.
“This tour is more than a musical journey,” says Hendrik Bekker, Executive Head of the choir school. “It’s about strengthening international ties, honouring our friends in Scandinavia, and presenting South African artistry with pride and purpose.”
The Drakies’ long-haul journey to Scandinavia isn’t random.
Sweden and Norway were among the first Western nations to back South Africa during the struggle for democracy. The tour brings love back to those far-reaching ties and uses music to carry the spirit of friendship forward.
“This tour isn’t just about performance, it’s about purpose. We aim to honour South Africa’s ties with global allies who stood with it during its most difficult moments,” says Jacques Linde, Head of Choral Activity.
There’s a personal reunion on the cards too.
In Bergen, the boys will perform with conductor Håkon Matti Skrede, once a choirmaster at the Drakensberg Boys Choir School, now leading the Edvard Grieg Boys Choir.
“Skrede’s early musical roots were shaped at the very school he is now returning to collaborate with,” says the DBCS.
Along the way, they’ll team up with Scandi choirs, schools and young musicians in joint concerts and workshops. There, the boys will learn, share and grow, flying the SA flag high and deepening their already bright light.
For the boys, tours like this don’t come around often. Being so far from home, sharing culture through song, and standing shoulder to shoulder with peers from other countries is a chance to grow confidence and perspective.
“The boys pour their hearts and souls into preparing for this,” says Linde, “The combination of hard work and incredible performances makes for unforgettable experiences.”
They do need some help.
Parents cover just over half of the tour costs, but the school is still raising R685,000 to make sure every selected chorister gets to go. Businesses and individuals are invited to pitch in and make dreams come true.
The Drakies will leave South Africa next month on 14 September and return back home on 30 September with stories to share.
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