Ep #36: Lhente-Mari Pitout: What South African Choirs Can Teach Us About Culture, Movement and Community

An 80-voice rehearsal room can change a life, especially when you walk in thinking you don’t belong. Russell Scott sits down with Lhente-Mari Pitout, Artistic Director of the University of Pretoria Youth Choir, to explore what it really takes to bring young singers from different schools, languages, and backgrounds onto the rehearsal stage and onto the international stage with confidence.

We talk through Lhente's journey from a small-town musical upbringing to the World Youth Choir, and how that global exposure reshaped her view of culture, opportunity, and what choral music can do in a society coming out of apartheid. Along the way, we dig into what makes South African choral music so compelling today, from oral tradition and folk roots to a growing wave of young conductors and composers publishing new work that carries their stories forward.

For choir directors and conductors looking for practical rehearsal tools, Lente shares how she thinks about repertoire planning for festivals and competitions, why touring and shared concerts drive rapid development, and how she tackles diction across accents and languages including teaching Mandarin with the help of online resources. We also get honest about movement in singing, how it supports musicianship and self-awareness, and why belonging and mental health are not optional extras when you lead teenagers.

The conversation closes with Lente’s vision for supporting singers after they graduate, including her Youth Development Foundation that helps alumni step into real professional opportunities. Subscribe for more conversations like this, share it with a fellow choir director, and leave a rating and review so more conductors can find the show.

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More about Lhente:

Website: https://upyouthchoir.com/
Instagram: @lhente

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