After a successful debut in a programme organised by Distinguished Concerts International New York City (DCINY) to showcase the English oratorio ‘Messiah’ at the Carnegie Hall in 2019, Tiruchi-based gospel choir group Singspirations is off to the United States again this year, to perform the music of American composer and conductor Eric Whitacre in a black tie event on April 17.
“We are one of 11 groups invited to be part of ‘The Music of Eric Whitacre’ concert programme, and the news is still sinking in,” says B. Jonath Backia Seelan, the conductor of Singspirations. “The fact that Eric Whitacre himself will be conducting us, has heightened our expectations and nervousness.”
Singspirations was formed in 2005 as a mixed voice choir of over 70 singers, from the age of 12 and upwards. Jonath, who was a chorister and organist for 20 years at St. Thomas Church in Srivilliputtur, gave up his job in the insurance sector to become a full-time music teacher and conductor of the Singspirations in Tiruchi.
The group is part of a growing number of Western music choirs in Tamil Nadu’s smaller cities, where amateur singers get a platform to perform both sacred Christian and secular music.
“Individual choir groups have been active in Tamil Nadu for nearly 25 years. I grew up listening to the Chennai-based Lutheran Men’s Voice choir (founded by Prabhu G.J Dorairaj in 1975). But unlike today, where the Internet has made it easier for people to showcase their musical talent to a wider audience, they were not very well-known in public,” says Jonath.
A learning curve
The upcoming concert, where Singspirations will present ninesongs, will be nerve-wracking, admits Jonath, because of the formidable oeuvre of the Grammy-winning composer. Currently a visiting composer at Pembroke College in Cambridge, Eric recently completed his second term as artist-in-residence with the Los Angeles Master Chorale. His long-form work ‘The Sacred Veil’ (2018), a reflective composition on love, life and loss, has been lauded for its spiritual sensitivity, and will be part of the April 17 programme.
Eric’s style is described as ‘aleatoric’ (where certain liberties are taken with regard to the sequencing and repetition of parts) and ‘indeterminate’ (when some aspects of a musical work are left open to chance or to the interpreter’s free choice).
Its very novelty was rather intimidating for Singspirations at first.
“We were not very familiar with Eric’s music before we got the invitation from DCINY to audition, because it was so different to the classical music we were used to,” says Jonath.
Understanding how to present the composer’s work was a learning curve in itself. “It was chaotic and quite mixed up for a while. But slowly fell into place beautifully. Now we have to see how we fare in front of an international audience, under the composer’s baton,” says Jonath.
The team sent a recording of Eric Whitacre’s ‘The Seal Lullaby’ (based on Rudyard Kipling’s book The White Seal) as their audition sample.
“The entire concert was done without music, so we had to memorise the lyrics. The organisers wanted to see how singers use the score, with and without sheet music. When you know the lyrics well, you will sing more confidently, and even experiment frequently,” says Jonath.
Innovative approach to music
Due to visa constraints, only 13 team members will be part of the New York programme this time. The Tiruchi contingent will be rehearsing at the church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York on April 15 and 16, ahead of the Monday evening presentation.
Amrita Kaviri, one of the younger members, knows she will have major fangirl moments when she meets Eric Whitacre in person. “I can’t wait to sing in front of him. I have actually been following his music for a while.”
Says Latina Sharon Nivatha, who has been with Singspirations for over 12 years, “There is an undeniable bond you create when travelling with your choir. Participating in international concerts makes us feel that we are well-suited for this than we thought,”
Singer Hannah Pushpa Paulraj will be listening closely to the harmony. “As a choir, we work together many times, so we know how our team members’ voices sound. But this time we are going to be singing with strangers, and for this kind of singing, you need to observe the singer of the other parts also. It will be interesting to see how the diverse voices come together,” she says.
The global exposure has changed many things intrinsically for the choir group, says Jonath. “It has helped Singspirations to grow, with a contemporary and innovative approach to music.”
Members of the Coimbatore Chamber Chorale
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Pushing the boundaries of sacred music
Western music groups in Tamil Nadu’s smaller cities have been widening their repertoire from traditional Christian compositions to secular songs.
“Since the choir tradition is so closely linked to the church, invariably most groups end up performing the same kind of songs, around Christmas or Easter. Anything new tends to raise eyebrows,” says Faith Ragland, founder and artistic director of Coimbatore Chamber Chorale.
Singspirations decided to opt out of Christmas season performances completely. “It was getting difficult for choristers with different groups to coordinate. And we were beginning to sound repetitive. Having an independent schedule allows us more creative freedom. We can choose the causes we want to work with,” says B. Jonath Backia Seelan.
Collaborations with other groups, both within India and abroad are helpful too.
Faith Ragland conducts assignments with Kuwait Chamber Chorale, an expatriate choir that collaborates with foreign orchestras, and also works with maestro Vijay Upadhyaya, who conducts the Vienna University Choir and Orchestra. A team from CCC will be travelling to Vienna this June to participate in their programmes. “These projects keep us updated with trends in music,” he says.
Besides this, he is also planning to mentor Western music groups in Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi through workshops later this year.
Stepping away from sacred music will be inevitable, though the process may take time, says Christopher Sherwood, former choirmaster and academic of American College, who conducts the Madurai Choristers.
“We recently performed ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’ from the movie The Wizard of Oz and ‘My favourite Things’ from The Sound of Music at a recent college event. I have also taught choir groups in Madurai secular songs like ‘Sound of Silence’ and ‘Moonlight and Roses’, but we don’t get too many opportunities to perform them. Even sacred music is changing. Many traditional hymns are no longer heard, even in the West. As a musician one should adapt to the changing times,” Christopher says.
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