Genres are only borders drawn by habit. A trumpet does not know it belongs to jazz, nor does a choir insist on classical labels. In recent years, the city’s audience has quietly begun stepping beyond their musical comfort zones — applauding fusion, welcoming experiments, and filling offbeat halls for familiar voices. This week, that openness is put to the test by an unusual pairing that promises global musicals, blues and choral harmonies in a single sweep.
For the Madras Musical Association (MMA) Choir, such crossings are part of a long-standing artistic philosophy. “Now and then, when we get nice artistes from outside the country or outside the city, we host them and collaborate with them. So at least two times a year, we bring groups like that,” says Augustine Paul, music director of the choir. The visiting artistes this time are the English Brass Collective, a five-member ensemble from the UK beginning their India tour in Chennai on January 23.
True to MMA’s collaborative spirit, the choir will not merely play host. “Every time we collaborate, we also sing with them. We’ll sing a couple of pieces with them and a couple of pieces by ourselves,” he says, adding that around 90 choristers will be on stage.
The concert, ‘A Journey across Genres’, is shaped by the inherent flexibility of brass music. “When these kinds of instruments come together, the genre is very flexible. You can play classical, you can play jazz, you can play blues,” Augustine notes. While the ensemble has chosen to keep its exact repertoire a surprise, he offers a reassuring hint to the audience. “They’ll enjoy at least 90 per cent of the concert, and they’ll know at least 60 to 70 per cent of the pieces,” he says. “From musical theatre, famous musicals, and old brass tunes, march tunes — all these pieces are there.”
Behind the seamless promise of genre-blending lies a rehearsal schedule that is anything but leisurely. With the ensemble arriving only days before the concert, there is just one shared practice session before the opening evening. “We have only one rehearsal with them, and with that, we should perfect everything,” Augustine admits. “They haven’t seen us, and we haven’t heard them before. We are just getting together to play, and this should happen on the first day itself.”
Yet it is precisely this immediacy that excites the conductor. Beyond repertoire and novelty, Augustine believes the true draw lies in the sound itself. “They will be listening to some unique sounds — a full brass ensemble playing at the Museum Theatre, we don’t need mics. You can hear the sound directly from the stage. That’s the beauty of this concert. This is a mic-less concert.”
Stuart Bower, a French horn player with the English Brass Collective, echoes the anticipation of sharing that rare acoustic intimacy in a promo video. “It’s not often that audiences here get to hear this kind of brass music, and the repertoire travels across styles and moods. Performing alongside the MMA Choir makes it even more special.”
Museum Theatre, Egmore, will raise the curtains for ‘A Journey across Genres’ on January 23, at 7 pm. Tickets, priced at Rs 400, Rs 600 and Rs1,000, are available at BookMyShow.