Members of Philadelphia Boys, Madras Musical Affiliation, and Madras MBS collectively on stage
| Picture Credit score: Particular Association
Chennai, a metropolis steeped in Indian musical custom, just lately performed host to a worldwide collaboration The Museum Theatre, a hallowed area for performances, witnessed a convergence of three distinct choral ensembles — Philadelphia Boys, Madras Musical Affiliation, and Madras MBS. It resulted in a live performance that transcended geographical and cultural boundaries. It was organised by Classical Actions, a live performance tour firm that has created significant music experiences throughout 147 international locations.
The night started with the Philadelphia Boys Choir & Chorale (PBCC), a cohort of younger virtuosos, heralding their arrival with a resplendent rendition of ‘America the Stunning’. Their voices, recent and crystalline, carried the spirit of the American plains. The following efficiency of Leonard Bernstein’s ‘Missa brevis’ was a testomony to their versatility. The Kyrie, Gloria, and Sanctus have been sung with a religious depth that belied their age, remodeling the live performance corridor right into a sacred area.
The Madras Musical Affiliation choir
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association
The efficiency then launched into a journey by means of Indian and Western classical music traditions. A collaborative efficiency of ‘Anondoloke’, a Bengali poem written by Rabindranath Tagore with a choral association by M.B. Srinivasan, that includes the Philadelphia Boys and the Madras MBS choir. The latter, taking centre stage, offered a powerful choice of Tamil and Kannada compositions. Their neat execution and emotional depth have been evident of their renditions of Bharati’s ‘Mazhai’ and RN Jayagopal’s ‘Jile Jile.’ The inclusion of Bharati’s masterpiece, ‘Aachamillai,’ composed and performed by D. Ramachandran, added a vibrant contact to the efficiency.
The Madras MBS choir
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association
The night’s crescendo arrived by means of the seasoned voices of the Madras Musical Affiliation (MMA) choir. Their efficiency of Josef Rheinberger’s ‘Abendlied’, created a second of profound religious join. Their rendition of classical items was a symphony of feelings, every be aware carrying the load of historical past. The ultimate performances have been a Disney medley taking us to the world of Aladdin, Pinnochio, Magnificence and The Beast and Snow White to call a couple of, a playful interlude that introduced smiles to the faces of younger and outdated alike and a tear of nostalgia. The inclusion of A.R. Rahman’s ‘Yeh jo des hai tera’ by the PBCC was a pleasant shock.
The joint efficiency by the three teams was a masterclass in musical synergy that targeted on the musical type of every.
“Once we go to different international locations, we wish to carry out songs of their native languages. Tonight, we sang in Hindi and Bengali. We do have a couple of issues in frequent however it’s the variations in our cultures that’s vital. Even musically, the harmonies are totally different and coming collectively to discover and create lovely music is the bond that we share,” stated Jeffrey R Smith, inventive director and conductor, PBCC.
The three choirs celebrated the fantastic thing about Indian and Western music traditions
| Picture Credit score:
Particular Association
“What brings us collectively is choral music,” stated Augustine Paul, music director, MMA. Whereas S. Ram, secretary, Madras MBS, referring to the choir founder M.B. Srinivasan, stated, “pioneered the idea of arranging Indian music for choir singing.”
As the ultimate notes of ‘When the saints go marching in’ reverberated by means of the corridor, it was a reminder that in a world typically divided, music is the common language that unites us all.
