Brethren in Christ Church (BICC) Pumula branch has emerged winners of the First Mutual Life Choral Music Competition for the Western region, beating 20 other groups to clinch the first prize of $2000 recording contract.

The show was held on Saturday at Amphitheatre.

Affectionately known as BICC, the choir cruised to victory in a tight showcase to clinch the most coveted choral prize, where other choral groups put up an equally scintillating vocal performance.

The show ran which under the theme “Unifying Countries through Music” attracted a crowd of a thousand choral music lovers who were treated to soothing sounds of Amaphimbo Amnandi.

BICC relegated St Johns Anglicans and Evangelical Church of Zimbabwe, Tshabalala branch into second and third place who won a keyboard and PA system.

BICC choir director, Clive Simango was ecstatic about the win and could not believe that his choir was going to finally record an album.

“I thought we were not good enough, but we thank the Lord that we managed to bag the award which means our choir will finally record an album,” Simango said.

Popular youthful group Family Voices from Family of God Church wowed revellers when they churned out a rendition of Vabati Vevhangeri’s Jobo to the delight of the audience.

Family Voices is currently working on an album which will be launched on a date yet to be announced, but the group has held its own in an industry with giants like Shower Power and The Conquerors.

Other groups which competed for the most prestigious Choral award in the region include Anglican Church St Andrews, BICC Hebert Chitepo, Lutheran Church Mzilikazi, and Apostolic Faith Mission Worship Centre Victoria Falls, AFM Umthombo and Presbyterian Church.