There is music in the air. As stars come down to earth to twinkle in many households in the city and plum cakes fill up the space in bakeries, evenings come alive with evergreen songs. Ushering in the festive mood are church choirs in the city with their repertoire of evergreen and traditional Christmas hymns that evoke the joy of the season.
Hectic work schedules do not prevent choristers, young and old, from squeezing in time to practice singing Christmas carols. “There are many of us who literally dash from our work place for practice because I enjoy this time of the year when we learn many new songs,” says techie Sumy Raja, a member of CSI Mateer Memorial Church choir. She even switched her job to keep singing in the choir and says leaving the choir is unthinkable. Fellow chorister Stanley Wilson, who works with an insurance company, says “more than singing, the choir is about finding fellowship.”
The first programme of the Christmas calendar for the city choirs is the musical evening organised by Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) on the first Sunday of December.
An event which is getting bigger every year, says Cherian Oommen, choirmaster of YMCA choir, who also teaches the choir at Salem Marthoma Church.
“During the late 1960s, when there weren’t many church choirs, YMCA started Christmas programmes featuring inter-denominational choir groups.
“By the late 80s, more church choir groups came on board and instead of interdenominational groups, the event became a platform exclusively for church choir groups. We had 15 choirs participating this year,” he says.
Diversity is the hallmark of the celebration, with each group singing a Malayalam and an English song, some of which they have composed. “Pure Western songs, traditional Christmas songs, contemporary church songs, Malayalam traditional church songs, new compositions… the sheer variety makes it an experience to remember.
“Nowadays, the groups also make it visually appealing by turning up in colour-coordinated attire, which lends a different feel to the whole event,” Cherian says.
In most churches, the practice for Christmas season starts months in advance, in some cases as early as July. And once it begins, the singers and musicians are expected to report regularly for the sessions.
“Of course, there is a certain amount of discipline, because the structure of a choir is such that it generally has four parts of harmony singing. So, practising in full strength is very important,” says Mesfin Abraham, a chorister with CSI Christ Church, Palayam.
It is not just the classics such as ‘Silent Night’, ‘Jingle Bells’ or ‘Joy to the world’ which ring in the Christmas, there are umpteen new compositions and carols that these choirs warble with fervour.
“In fact, most of the choirs have their own compositions now, both in English and Malayalam. Songs based on Carnatic ragas are common these days. There are groups that take up classical Western songs. For instance, we will be singing George Frideric Handel’s ‘Messiah’ (1741) for our Christmas event,” says Mathew Thomas, who balances his job as senior consultant and head, Department of Medicine, KIMS Hospital and choir director of St Thomas Marthoma Church, Pattoor.
Dr. Mathew, who was part of the first choir of the church formed in 1965, adds: “What is most gratifying for us as a choir is that every year we sing for patients at TB Hospital, Pulayanarkotta.”
Amidst the 20 to 30-member strong choirs, there are small choirs such as the English choir of St. Theresa of Lisieux Catholic Church, Vellayambalam. Anne Kristenne Moreira a.k.a. Tina, Anna Soumya and Louise Martin (who plays keyboard and guitar) are the musicians.
The nearly 17-year-old choir is going strong and guides the church’s newly-formed children’s choir.
“We are quite a freaky choir, taking up all genres of songs for our regular mass, but for Christmas we go for traditional songs and sometimes get more members,” says Louie.
The choristers chorus that it is spreading the joy of the season that really enthuse them.
