As the year draws to a close and the chill sets in, a stroll through the city shows storefronts and trees bright with lights, Bengalureans sporting red christmas hats, the odd Santa or two and if you’re in the right place at the right time, the sounds of carolers spreading festive cheer.
“It’s the highlight of my year!” says Lillian Zachariah. The Sunday before Christmas, the 155-year-old All Saints Church on Hosur Road lights up for a ‘carols by candlelight evening’. “We start off in darkness and as the choir progresses into the church, singing Silent Night, the candles placed in the side of the church are lit. It’s absolutely beautiful and we try to keep it true to tradition, following the same things our grandparents did so many years ago,” explains Zachariah, who has been the choir director and organist for 30 years, following her father’s 40-year term.
The voices of 30 singers, from age 10 to 80 will echo within the walls of the church as the congregation joins in. “I look for music throughout the year and this time, we’re doing an assortment of carols from the very old classics to newer ones, for a change. We’ve also done several Cantatas, a lot of John Peterson – Night of Miracles, Born a King, etc,” she adds.
This year, The Bangalore Men and Capella Bangalore’s conductor and founder Jonas Olsson is adding a touch of home, Sweden, to the groups’ fifth annual carolling event being held at Bangalore international centre on Saturday. “On St.Lucia’s Day we greet each other with saffron buns, ginger snaps, tea and coffee early in the morning, then get together to sing carols. It’s a very Scandinavian tradition. We are incorporating elements of it in the music, the traditional dressing and other ways that will surprise the audience!” he says, adding that the set will have elements of jazz and pop music alongside favourites like Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire and Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.
Carolling season is especially an exciting time for the children in Bengaluru’s popular choirs, “Right from November, you can hear Christmas music from every corner of the school,” notes Ketki Herlekar with a smile, the Head of Voice at The Bangalore School of Music, whose students will be performing on December 21 at 1 Sobha Mall. “There are kids who love singing newer Christmas music from artistes like Ariana Grande and Kelly Clarkson, and another group that is completely choral focused, with songs written hundreds of years ago with so many different arrangements. As a challenge for them, we’ve chosen some tough versions of popular songs – Joy to the World and Carol of the Bells. It’s really coming together now and everyone is enjoying it!”
While carolling events organised at arts venues, star hotels, malls and schools have become the norm in the city, there was once a time when carolling in old Bangalore meant something more rooted in community, remembers Maya Mascarenhas, founder-director, Bangalore Children’s Chorus, “Carol singing was a big thing and we would go for two-three days in huge groups – just walk down the road and enter anybody’s house.” As Bengaluru changed over the decades and this became scarce, Mascarenhas has tried to give her choir a taste by visiting the homes of the sick and elderly to spread Christmas cheer. “Each year, I say I can’t take more than 20 kids along but everyone wants to come, then the parents join in – it ends up being 40 people,” laughs Mascarenhas, adding, “It really shows that the spirit is still there, the kids get to understand how others celebrate while bringing their innocence and joy to the elderly. For us, it is about spreading Christmas, joy, peace, sharing and love.”