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Dalene Hoogenhout is the Conductor and Trainer of the Wits Choir — the official choir of the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in Johannesburg.  This will be her 15th year as conductor since being appointed to reconstitute the Choir as an independent and representative ensemble of high musical standard.  The Wits Choir sings at all official University ceremonies, graduations, inaugurations and visits by dignitaries.  Under her direction, the Choir has undertaken many local and overseas tours, including Kenya, the Czech Republic and Argentina.
Dalene studied music at Wits, where she received her BMus(Ed) degree.  After teaching at various schools and colleges, she pursued her studies further and completed her BEd degree cum laude at the Rand Afrikaans University (now University of Johannesburg).
Dalene conducted her first choir at the age of 18 and has since worked with many choirs over the years; among them the Kingsmead Girls’ Choir, the Raucall Choir, The Duke of Cornwall Singers and Boys’ College Choir of St Stithians College, the Standard Bank Gallery Singers and the Johannesburg Chamber Choir.  She has often been invited to adjudicate at choir festivals and competitions, present workshops and master classes, and has conducted many massed choirs as guest conductor.
In order to gain more knowledge and keep up with world trends in the field of choral music, Dalene has attended numerous courses on choral conducting, both nationally and abroad.
She lectures part-time at the Music Department at the Wits School of Arts, and is currently working towards her Master’s degree.
Dalene compiles, presents and produces a weekly radio programme called The Choir Adventure on Radio Today, where she exposes listeners to a wide variety of choral music to foster an interest in this genre.  This new challenge is proving to be a source of great fascination and joy to Dalene and her listeners.