For the first time in India, the Majolly Music Trust in Bangalore is organising an All-India Western Classical Choral Competition at the Alliance Francaise. The competition is the brainchild of Neecia Majolly, founder-trustee of the Majolly Music Trust, an enterprising and dynamic musical force in the Western classical genre.
The competition, slated to be held on September 24, 26 and 28, 2012, is part of the Festival of Classical Song organised by the trust.
Says Ms. Majolly: “The objective of the competition is to encourage and offer a performance opportunity for choirs in Western classical choral music. We have made it open to choirs all over India; those who want to take part can choose from an assortment of traditional and neglected repertoire from the Western classical art music (non-gospel). We actually wanted something creative, at the same time revive interest and wonder for the repertoire, and so we came up with this unique competition.”
What it entails
Unlike many other music contests, this choral endeavour needs to be composed and prepared by the team participating. “Preparing the repertoire takes months for a recital, and choirs can procure the music from us to get an idea of the criteria to get from the quarterfinals to the finals,” says Ms. Majolly.
A concert pianist, conductor, singer and composer, Ms. Majolly has 35 years of performing behind her and is celebrating 25 years of music teaching this year. Having started her public performances at the age of six, she soon got involved with radio and television programmes in Brunei Darussalam, and thereafter, flagged off her solo performances in Malaysia, Singapore, western Australia and India in her teens. She has been a regular accompanist to Russian-American violinist Galina Heifetz in India, and is the Karnataka representative of the London College of Music Examinations.
Ms. Majolly, who is the artistic adviser to the National Philharmonic of India, made Bangalore her home two decades ago. She teaches vocal and piano privately and is the only Indian pianist to have an international Western classical piano album to her credit.
A dream
She says: “It has been my dream to take forward a choral competition of this stature where the jury will consist of Ken Henson (Bangalore Conservatory); Jonas Olsson (Western classical singer, Sweden); John Howard (Director of Exams, London College of Music). I am sure it would be a matter of pride to be a participant too.”
For details, mail mmtcompetitions@gmail.com or call 99805-06006.
