With Christmas around the corner, the YMCA stage came to life once again with some dulcet carolling by The Madras String Ensemble and many singers from the city. The swing of the conductor’s hands, the dance of violinists’ fingers and the lilt of the flute were all in tune. The orchestra caught up with well-known western classicals like ‘Suite of Carols’, ‘Divertimento’, ‘ Jesu Joy’ and ‘Eine Kleine’ , leaving the audience rapt with devotion and music.
Amirtha Varshini, a teenage flautist captivated the crowd with her effortless solo rendition of Luigi Boccherini. Legato, an A cappella group of youngsters started a year ago, sang a medley of melodies. It was a melange of popular Tamil and English Christmas carols. The famous Tamil carol Piranthar Piranthar was the icing on the cake.
The Madras String Ensemble, a three-year-old orchestra group, led by the conductor Augustine Paul, has grown from a team of 15 to more than 30 now, mainly youngsters.
“Usually, when elder persons play, only older people come to watch. But when youngsters perform, it attracts both their peers and the elderly. This is a great way to promote western classical,” says Paul.
“Classical music is something that should be cherished by all. But due to a lack of exposure to western classicals, it is less celebrated. The media too delivers news that a big crowd expects rather than giving equal attention to all forms of music. Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of western classical music who has won national and international accolades for music. Yet, many here are not even aware of the maestro,” he opines.
A warm connect
Great excitement rose when the orchestra performed the Tamil carol Aar Ivar Aararo , arranged by Clement Sastriyar, the principal violinist and the orchestra leader. The familiarity of the songs and the visible composure of the singers, Roshni Sharon and Ebenezer Arunkumar, only helped in spreading a warm connect.
Sharon, the conductor of Mellow Circle who has been part of the Madras Musical Association choir for a decade now, says, “We focus on classics, but we also add a contemporary feel depending on the programmes we do. It’s been tough getting people to respond to classics. But I see a lot of changes in how they pursue it. They are able to relate to classical music, especially down South.”
A Christmas event would be incomplete without the congregation joining the performers in singing, and, the audience too became a part of the concert with ‘Joy to the World’, ‘While Shepherds... as the day ended with the classic ‘Silent Night’.
