Mirror Magazine

Mirror Magazine

The joy of Christmas carols
By Smriti Daniel
I must confess to being one of those terribly organised people, who does in fact have a little Christmas checklist. However, considering how often I lose/misplace/tear up my list, having such a list does me very little good. Fortunately, there are a few things one does not forget. There’s the tree in all its finery; then there’s the gifts and the lights, and the cookies, and oh yes, the carols.

Sometimes it seems that all that’s best about Christmas comes neatly sung in the Christmas carol – all the joy, the wonder, the peace and the spiritual glow on everything – all that is Christmas in a simple song. This Christmas, three exceptional choirs are going to remind us why this is indeed the season to be jolly. So This Is Christmas will feature the student choir of the American National College, The St. Joseph’s Choir, along with the well-known ensemble, Soul Sounds.

The event, organised by the committee of Performing Arts at ANC, will mark something of a debut, with the group stepping onto stage together for the very first time. So This Is Christmas is meant to raise funds for children affected by the tsunami, and complements the spirit of the season perfectly. “It’s been quite challenging,” says Anuruddha Lihinikaduwa, the director of this youthful choir, adding that though the group almost entirely newcomers, they are a musically gifted bunch and quite up to the test.

They’ve chosen to do some of the timeless classics such as “Joy To The World”, “Away In A Manger” and “Silent Night”, as well as some of the lesser known carols like “Toy Train” and “Mistletoe And Wine”. Nadini Perera and Dinali Wijeysinghe are amongst their soloists, while Tishan Wickramanayaka will be accompanying them on the guitar. Shiyani Saranapala will have them all literally putting their best foot forward, with her choreography. All in all, as Nadini puts it, this is one performance that is going to be “great fun.”

Also on this musical menu are the all-female ensemble, Soul Sounds. Soul Sounds has flourished under the inspired music direction of Soundarie David and the artistic direction of Jerome de Silva, having in the process garnered much international and local recognition. Offering a mixed platter of carols that include traditional pieces like “O Holy Night” (an original arrangement), they are also serving up a number of jazz and pop inspired songs. Dinushka Jayawickrama and Shehara Liyanage, who are amongst the group’s notable soloists, will also be doing a beautiful duet together.

The selection was made keeping in mind the “real spirit” of Christmas, says Soundarie, adding that this set would have a mellow mood compared to their previous concert Celebrating Wales. Neranjan de Silva who is the sound engineer/keyboardist, and Christopher Prins who is the drummer/percussionist will be accompanying the girls. Of interest to fans of this choir is their recently released CD titled ‘Soul Of Christmas’, which features many of the choir’s own arrangements and fantastic vocals. Funds raised from the sales will be directed to the choir itself, enabling them to compete in an international competition.

Adding the final dash of talent and verve to the show will be the boys of St. Joseph’s College, under the music direction of Mr. Almeida. The St. Joseph’s choir is also of a superior calibre, and is well known for their Latin music and their Gregorian chanting in particular. Accompanied by students on everything from the flutes to the drums, this choir will perform pieces by the likes of Mozart, in a display of skill. Mr. Almeida explains that the music was chosen with special care to the lyrics. The solo “Don’t You Know It’s Christmas time” sung by Sachitha Dias, for instance, is meant to draw attention to the suffering that still exits in the world. The St. Joseph’s choir, which has been much in demand all through the season, already possesses a reputation for being one of the best choirs in the country.

Come this Friday, the three choirs together are bound to put up quite a show. Their combined performances may very well prove to be the highlight of the evening, with numbers such as “So This Is Christmas” bringing them together for a grand finale. A dancing troupe is all set to accompany them on that one, and so are we. So come on and sing with me “’tis the season to be jolly! fa la la la la la la la la…”

So This Is Christmas will be held at the Lionel Wendt on December 22, from 7.30 p.m. onwards. Tickets are priced at Rs.500/-, Rs.400/-, Rs.300 and for the balcony Rs.150/-.

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