Jesse, 11, hits school high note

[caption id="attachment_108380" align="alignright" width="400"] ANGELIC VOICE: Westering Primary School pupil Jesse Bath, 11, of Morningside, is the newest addition to the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir. His family – father Cecil, mother Nicolé and sister Nicole – are thrilled with his acceptance.Picture: FREDLIN ADRIAAN[/caption]

Westering pupil chosen for place at Drakensberg choir academy

HE actually wants to be a palaeontologist – but from singing along to TV cartoon character Barney at the age of two to joining his school choir two years ago, a Westering Primary School pupil has been accepted into the exclusive Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School.

Next year, Jesse Bath, 11, of Morningside, will join only two other Eastern Cape boys who are already at the famous KwaZulu-Natal school.

Zwai and Loyiso Bala, of TK Zee fame, and their younger brother, Phelo, all attended the school, near the small town of Winterton in the heart of the Drakensberg.

Jesse’s father, Cecil, said the school had extended an invitation in August for Jesse to join after a singing audition and academic assessments.

“We are very excited, but we have some mixed emotions about him going to school so far away,” he said.

“It is difficult for any parent to let go, but we know that he has to pursue his own life.

“He is excited and he wants to go, so we cannot stand in his way,” Cecil said.

Jesse, who is in Grade 5 and has an older sister, Nicole, 19, said he was very excited.

“I can’t wait. I am a little nervous, but I think I will be OK,” he said. “Some of my friends are a little jealous because I am going to a new school, but they are wishing me luck as well.”

-Lee-Anne Butler