CHENNAI: What happens when you love to sing, you’ve been trained to hit the high notes...but the only audience you’ve ever had is a middle-aged judge in an exam hall? “It tends to create quite a void in a voice student,” says vocal coach and opera singer Hannah Elliot. And as it turns out, there’s a large populace of music students in the city who are bursting at the seams with just that. A vocal void. Enter Magia Della Musica (or the Magic of Music in Italian) to fulfill the simple wish of close to 40 young students to get on stage!
After four months of rehearsals, and a quickie theatre workshop to send those butterflies that cause stage fright in the opposite direction, the group will put on a concert this Sunday. “And it’s a first time on stage for most of them,” Hannah reiterates, “so whether six years old or 26, they all are pretty excited!”
On the set list, folks can look forward to a liberal dose of melodies from their favorite animated flicks. Think Hakuna Matata (The Lion King), Under the Sea (The Little Mermaid) and even a track or two from High School Musical. For once, here’s a show that guarantees no expertise whatsoever. It’s about singing and feeling fabulous. “Because music is not meant for an exam hall, it’s meant to be performed,” finishes their able and motivational instructor. No stage, less magic.
So maybe wave your wand, or in this case wallet, and make this Sunday the perfect stage debut for a singer you’ve never met.
Magia Della Musica will be held at the Russian Cultural Centre, Kasturi Rangan Road at 6 pm. For donor passes, contact 9884268190.