Alabama Studentegeselskap

Alabama Studentegeselskap (Alabama Student Company) was a student choir at the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (now North-West University) (1943-2007).

History

The admired Alabama Student Company, who brought equal recognition to their hometown of Potchefstroom and the North-West University began with only 30 members in 1943 but quickly grew to 40 a few years later (which included a technical crew of 10 individuals). The path that led them to widespread recognition lasting a total of 65 years and really took off in 1967 when the current revue style was implemented by Johan van Rensburg of Noot vir Noot-fame, then musical director of Alabama.

The Alabama Student Company achieved such immense success that it has yet to be rivaled by another student group! Of the Company's directors, noteworthy individuals such as Louis Drummond van Rensburg (1973), Jans Jonker (1980) and Pieter de Bruin (1988) were involved in leading the outstanding group whilst some students (now quite famous) as members of the Alabama Student Company included Rina Hugo, Johan van Rensburg, Karin Hougaard, Danie Niehaus, Christa Steyn, Chante Hinds and many more.

The Company also made an immense contribution to the South African and Afrikaans music industry: their output include 31 albums, 14 CD's and 1 double CD, which were heard daily on national radio. These recordings have also been nominated for a number of awards, one being the Mini -Sarie award in 1969.

Since 1976 there a total of 23 television broadcasts have been presented on The Alabama Student Company, such as on the highly viewed programmes "Pasella" and "geraas". The group also delivered approximately 60 shows from April through to October throughout South Africa every year that they were active. An estimated 80 000 people saw the 2006 and 2007 productions, just before the group was sadly disbanded.