After Coronation concert Soul Sounds Academy sets eyes on Bali
View(s):- Fundraiser concert I’m Yours… to help them be the first group from Sri Lanka to
sing at Bali International Choir Festival
By Shannon Salgadoe
Soul Sounds first competed at the Llangollen International Music Eistedfodd in Wales in 2004 and afterwards at the 2006 and 2008 World Choir Games held in China and Austria respectively. They have also toured many countries such as Australia, the USA, France, India, and South Africa to name a few.
Spreading their wings: The Soul Sounds Academy Choir with director Soundarie David Rodrigo (centre)
The Soul Sounds Academy Choir, since its formation in 2010 has also had success in international competitions and festivals, starting with the Llangollen International Music Eistedfodd in Wales in 2010 and at the 2017 Asia Pacific Choir Games that were held in Colombo.
Since the tail-end of last year, the choir which consists of 30 young voices, has been busy working toward yet another competition that is set to take place in Bali, Indonesia this July. The concert, I’m Yours…, which will be held on June 23 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre will be a fundraiser to help collect funds for this effort.
“We have had many come forward to help us, but our biggest challenge has been finding funds for the trip and we remain grateful to all those who helped in the many ways we made available they could help us – including the fundraiser show,” says Soundarie David Rodrigo, founder and music director of the Soul Sounds Academy.
The 12th Bali International Choir Festival was first held in 2000 with the goal of creating a vibrant music scene for local choirs in Bali with an array of festivals, workshops and concerts and later grew to include choirs from all over the world. The Soul Sounds Academy Choir will be the first choir from Sri Lanka to sing at this festival.
“I was really keen on making the Soul Sounds Academy Choir one of the leading mixed choirs in the country and this can only come with experience and in my opinion, competitions, which make you stronger as a choir,” says Soundarie.
I’m Yours… will bring something very different to what everyone is used to hearing with the choir performing a selection of classical choral works and pop songs that have a heavy focus on jazz. Soul Sounds will also add to the evening with some crowd-pleasing favourites from gospel to pop with a few local numbers thrown in. The concert will also mark the debut of the Soul Sounds Academy Children’s Choir, consisting of 50 young singers.
Piyal Perera of ‘The Gypsies’ will also make a special guest appearance performing an all-time favourite from the musical, Evita.
The choir was very recently part of a historic occasion when they were invited to join in a virtual choral item for the special concert for Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla the day after the coronation. The choir was amongst many from Commonwealth countries invited to participate in the concert that was broadcast live by BBC London. Having only three days to learn, record, and film the song – a modern twist on Stevie Winwood’s ‘Higher Love’ – they more than managed to pull it off because as Soundarie says, “Soul Sounds and the Academy choirs seem to work best under pressure … and all singers gave their very best.”
At the Bali International Choral Festival, the Soul Sounds Academy Choir will be participating in the Mixed Choir category as well as the Pop and Jazz category. They will also be attending various workshops and performing at friendship concerts during the six-day event. As usual, the choir will be directed by Soundarie and conducted by Shivanthi Subramaniam. A leading member of the choir, baritone Shenuk Wijesinghe will also participate in the Solo category for Classical Music.
I’m Yours… presented by the Soul Sounds Academy Choir is a fundraiser to enable the choir’s participation at the 12th Bali International Choral Festival 2023. The concert will take place on Friday, June 23 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre at 7.30 p.m.
Tickets are priced at Rs. 5000, 3500, 2500, 1500, and 1000 (Balcony).
For reservations contact Manoj 072 212 7988 or Pradeep
072 198 4111
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