Inspired by the Biblical verse ‘Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends,’ (John 15:13), city-based gospel choir Singspirations thrilled lovers of devotional and Western music with their charity concert at Bishop Heber College recently.
Titled ‘No Greater Love,’ the event was held to raise funds for needy cancer patients. The team performed over 20 compositions comprising of excerpts from the English oratorio ‘Messiah’, written in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, modern songs arranged by Mark Hayes, Joseph M Martin, Mary McDonald, Greg Gilpin and traditional Tamil Christian spirituals.
Featuring 75 male and female singers, the concert started off with ‘All We Like Sheep’, a chorus from ‘Messiah.’
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The composition was of added significance to Singspirations because it is the number that has earned them an invitation to perform at the Distinguished Concerts International New York City (DCINY) to showcase ‘Messiah’ at New York’s Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts on December 1 this year.
In his address, Rt. Rev. Dr. D. Chandrasekaran, Bishop of CSI Tiruchi-Thanjavur Diocese, said, “Music plays a vital role in taking one closer to God. We should appreciate the therapeutic value of singing, especially when it is done for a worthy social cause.” Retired Reverend Samuel Rayan and Reverend Alexander, presbyter of St. Peter’s Church, were among the other senior clergymen present.
Singspirations’ director B. Jonath Backia Seelan was the principal conductor and also presented the bass solo ‘Why Do The Nations’.
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The harmonies were well-etched in ‘And With His Stripes’, with an impressive string accompaniment in ‘All that They See Him’ and ‘He Trusted in God’.
The alto solos ‘Thou Art Gone Up High’ by Manisha Shankaran and ‘Un pensiero nemico di pace’ by her twin sister Maalavika, had the audience in raptures, as the young singers’ voices took flight with full-throated ease.
The Tamil songs ‘Enthan Yesuve’ and ‘Varuvai Tharunam Ithuve’ reiterated the spiritual undertone of the evening.
The concert was accompanied by a 15-member string ensemble (violins, violas, cellos and double basses) in addition to piano and percussion. Notable musicians in the line-up included violinists Prabhu George and Daniel Prakash, keyboardist Immanuel Thiyageswaran, and percussionist John William.