Is it even Christmas if the carollers don’t sing? While COVID-19 is the Grinch trying to steal Christmas this year, resilient group of carollers from the city are determined to fight back and spread Yuletide cheer with their music.
All grand plans of convening in front of an appreciative, live audience had to be shelved but the show will go on. As is the norm this year, carol groups too have taken to online platforms to regale listeners with renditions of popular music synonymous with the season.
For the last 25 years, Kingslin Pon Bhabha, coordinator of Octet Cantabile, and his team members have been participating in carol performances across the country. Every time, just before they get on stage, they have a ritual of praying together. This time, however, the prayer will happen virtually.
Although Kingslin feels that virtual performances are devoid of the actual emotions of a live performance, he is happy that the avenue to do what they love is still open. “During Christmas season we perform live in at least 10 programmes across Chennai, Bengaluru, Coimbatore and cities in Kerala. This time it is just three programmes for which we sent our videos to London, Mumbai and Bengaluru. The recordings were done in our respective homes. This was a new area of exposure for us,” he adds.
Some of the carol groups admit that they were in a limbo as they waited for months trying to gauge the situation post lockdown in March. Redeemer Church Choir, Anna Nagar, which normally starts its practise in August only got around to it last month.
“By November we knew for sure a live event would not be possible. The other choir groups too were resorting to virtual shows,” says Emmanuel Ponraj, the choir director. It is the first time in 35 years, since the church began holding this annual event that its pews will be empty and the orchestra’s tunes replaced by silence.
“The church has a capacity of 500 but during our concert every year, it overflows with people. There is variety in our programme,” says Emmanuel. Keeping the situation in mind, everything is scaled down this time. The choir, which usually features 50 singers, will have only 35 singers; the piano will be the only accompanying instrument. The choristers recorded their audio bits in their homes and got together at the church to shoot the video during which they lip-synced. “Of course, physical distance was maintained,” Emmanuel says, adding, “The décor too is low profile this year.” The nearly 75-minute long concert will be launched on their YouTube channel on December 20 at 8pm.
Perhaps the most tech savvy of the lot is 24-year-old Atul Jacob Isaac, who revived the Madras Philharmonic and Choral Society (MPCS) last year with Christmas Pudding — a concert blending traditional carols and modern musicals. Unlike most other choristers and conductors, Atul is no stranger to virtual concerts. Having been part of one earlier this year, he says, “Virtually, people in the choir don’t get to listen to each other. A virtual concert is like a puzzle where each person’s recording is like pieces coming together to complete the puzzle.”
This year’s Christmas Pudding will be a 30-minute programme with five pieces done by five ensembles. All the compositions are originals. Like a few other groups, MPCS too has participants from countries like Switzerland, England and Australia. “A song is delegated to each individual. We have to string the songs together,” explains Atul. The deadline to complete it is December 20, with the actual show going live on December 23 on MPCS’s Instagram and YouTube page.
Other than the heart-warming music and the comfort it provides, the highlights of carol nights also include grand decorations at the venue: Christmas trees, tinsel and, in the case of Madras Musical Association (MMA), candles.
Their annual feature — Carols by Candlelight — is a regular fixture for many Chennaiites. Given the virtual format, it was initially a challenge to bring in this popular element into the online domain. But the team at MMA worked it out, and will now have each chorister holding a candle as they sing their lines individually from the safety of their homes.
Due to the virtual format, the choir’s conductor for eight years — the revered Augustine Paul — will be another glaring miss. “He has given us the music tracks and there will be a message from him on the day of the virtual concert,” says Mary. It will be livestreamed on December 19 at 6.30 pm on MMA’s YouTube Page.
Mary Rodrigues, president of the MMA, points out that the virtual concert has a silver lining: choir groups from all over the world can participate now. There are 30 teams: from Poland, Kuwait, Singapore, England and different parts of India this year.
“Generally, due to time constraint, we have eight to 10 teams,” says Mary. She adds, however, that she will miss watching the 1000-strong audience, of all ages and from different walks of life, join in with candles. “We stand on stage every year and see the candles light up the dark, and year on year it fills me with as much awe as the first time.”