Stellenbosch University
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#SUyouthday: 'Collaborate, don't compete'
Author: Sonika Lamprecht / Photo: Stefan Els
Published: 09/06/2021

​​​​Final year BCom Mathematical Sciences student Tré Delange feels strongly that the youth should collaborate more and not compete with each other. “The choir is a personified testimony that we are better TOGETHER."

During Youth Month, we put the spotlight on eight members of the Stellenbosch University (SU) Choir – one from each voice group. Together with more than 100 other individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures and fields of study, and under the leadership of conductor André van der Merwe, they inspire and transport audiences across the world with their unique sound. ​Visit the SU Choir's YouTube channel​ to listen to their songs.​

Tré took a moment to answer a couple of questions about himself:

Tell us about yourself, and how it came about that you joined the choir.

My name is Tré Juan Delange, I'm a 21-year-old creative from the town of Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. I am passionate about music, art, fashion and visual media. I also work as a digital content creator where I've been fortunate enough to collaborate with brands on both a national and international scale through my social media platform. Currently, I'm in the final year of my undergraduate studies doing a BCom Mathematical Sciences degree with triple majors in Operations Research, Business Analytics and Mathematical Statistics.

I was always aware of the prestigious Stellenbosch University Choir (SUC); it was one of the main reasons that I opted to study at the University. However, I didn't audition until the end of my second year in 2019, mostly due to my own self-doubt and thinking that I wouldn't have what it takes to get in. Needless to say, I was poorly mistaken, my audition went well, and André told me on the very same day that I have been accepted into the choir. It was such a surreal feeling, and one that I don't think I'll ever forget. I also had a few friends in the choir at the time who encouraged me to audition, and I can't thank them enough for it. I am now a proud Bass 1 of the SUC!

What do you enjoy most about being in the choir? 

My favourite thing about the choir is the fact that it feels like such a safe and welcoming environment. It's a place where people are accepting of each other whilst unapologetically being their raw, authentic selves. I feel like it's so contrastingly different to what many of us experience daily in the real world, in the sense that there's no judgement, prejudice or discrimination. It's just a group of young adults coming together, despite our different backgrounds, histories and cultures, to create something beautiful and inspiring. The choir provides me with a sense of family and community.

With Youth Day in mind, what is your message of hope for other young people?

My message to the youth would be this: Collaborate, don't compete! I feel that we fall all too often under the impression that we must do everything by ourselves in order to validate our personal struggles or to feel accomplished, and I want to dismantle that misconception. The choir is a personified testimony that we are better TOGETHER. Let's normalise helping each other out and building a safer, more inclusive community. The future is in our hands.

What is your favourite song at the moment?

It is pretty hard for me to pinpoint just one song at the moment because of my broad taste in music from various artists and genres. However, some honourable mentions that I constantly find making an appearance on my playlists are: “Wait a minute" by Willow, “Why Don't You" by Cleo Sol, “Pink + White" by Frank Ocean, “Supermodel" by SZA, and “Sandstorm" by Mereba. If you don't know any of these songs, I would highly recommend checking them out.