Renowned Catholic choir Christus Regnat on Sunday, November 3, held its second edition of "I Bweranganzo" concert, drawing hundreds of worshipers who gathered not only to enjoy uplifting soul music but to also support their worthy cause.
Held at Lemigo Hotel, the special edition embraced a charitable mission through the #DusangireLunch campaign, a government initiative encouraging parents and communities to contribute to school feeding program, ensuring no child goes hungry while at school.
With their sights set on community impact, the choir aims to continue growing spiritually with social responsibility, bringing light and hope to Rwandans, especially those who ae underprivileged.
Starting at exactly 6:05 PM, the concert opened with a range of songs that evoked both worship and reflection. English, French, and Kinyarwanda speaking audience felt equally treated during the concert.
The choir officially opened the concert singing "Twigishe Gusenga," and carried on with "Shimirwa Mukiza", and "Ndi Umushumba Mwiza", creating an atmosphere of devotion and unity among attendees. Songs like "Come Let Us Sing" and "Trouver Dans Ma Vie" also brought another hype while displaying the choir's versatility, which was visible in mixing traditional hymns with modern worship hits.
The second segment commenced at 7:20 PM, featuring songs such as "Urahirwa Bikiramariya", "Igicumbi cy'Uburere", and "Rwanda Rwa Gasabo". A rendition of "Hallelujah Amen" added another vibe while "O Fortuna" and "Turakuramutsa" showcased the choir's range and technical skill both on the keyboard and vocals.
Christus Regnat choir's president Jean Paul Mbarushimana told concert goers that their mission goes beyond just a musical celebration as they can also use their melodies to impact people's lives in a way or another.
"We're happy that the concert is finally here. We used to hold concerts and praise God for our own joy and fulfilment. But we realised that this was not enough. We wanted to set a new purpose and that's to remember those less fortunate and bring them joy as well," he said.
Christus Regnat started staging "I Bweranganzo" annually since 2023, and the second edition of the concert series has served as a special occasion for the choir to join hands in contributing to national initiatives. The #DusangireLunch campaign marks the first of many community-centred causes at the choir aspires to get involved in, he said.
The choir has not announced yet the amount raised during the concert but it will be donated to Ecole Secondaire Saint Joseph le Travailleur (ESSJT), which is home of their day-to-day rehearsals. While similar support from future concerts will be extended to other schools.
One of the evening's best touching moments came when eight-year-old Magnificat Ntore Bebeto, a student at Balymus Music School, took the stage.
Performing "Gusaakaara" by the late Yvan Buravan, Ntore's voice captivated the audience, evoking emotional feeling among concert goers including Father Innocent Consolateur who represented Archbishop of Kigali Cardinal Antoine Kambanda at the concert.
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Father Consolateur praised the choir's initiative and pledged to advocate for the establishment of a Christus Regnat Academy, a program that he argued that it would nurture young singers who could carry on the choir's legacy.
He also commended the choir's dedication, noting that it is more than a concert but a service to humanity. "We urge everyone to support such initiatives for the sake of those in need," he said.
The final part of the concert began at 8:50 PM, with the choir performing fan-favourites like "Uri Isoko y'Urukundo", "Paradizo", and "Amakombe y'U Rwanda". Songs like "Uracyandagiye" and "Kuzwa Iteka" brought the evening to a close on an uplifting note, leaving the audience inspired and filled with joy.
