Drakensberg Boys' Choir School

The Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School (“DBCS,” and its choir affectionately known as the “Drakies”) is a truly unique boarding school for boys, set on a 100-acre estate in the Champagne Valley near Winterton, at the foot of the Central Drakensberg mountains in KwaZulu-Natal. Founded in 1967 by John Tungay – who personally financed it by selling his home, farm and business – and opening with 21 boys, it is the only choir school in Africa and one of only a handful of its kind in the world: a school that uses choral music as a significant vehicle for holistic education. It enrols around 120 boys aged 9 to 15, spanning Grades 4 to 9, and serves as a “middle school” that bridges primary and high school before boys move on for their senior years.

The school’s mission is to prepare boys for life and leadership through excellence in music, academics, sport and social enrichment within a Christian environment. Boys are carefully selected for both musical potential and academic ability, and a dedicated academic, music and boarding staff nurtures the whole child, cultivating critical thinking, communication, time-management and a lifelong love of learning.

The world-renowned Drakensberg Boys’ Choir has toured across the USA, Europe, the Far East and Africa since 1971, performing everything from Western classical works to pop and rich indigenous South African repertoire, complete with gumboot dancing. The school holds celebrated weekly concerts in its 600-seat auditorium amid breathtaking mountain scenery. Full fee and admissions details are available directly from the school.