Following the gestures of conductor’s baton, an ensemble of 50 songsters crooned choral music in ten different Indian languages. With their voices ranging from high to low pitches to achieve various musical expressions, they have been showcasing an unexplored world of choral music to the capital city for the past 25 years. On an endeavour to create awareness about societal causes such as patriotism, world peace, environmental issues and communal harmony among youngsters through the mellifluous mode of music, it was the eminent music director M B Sreenivasan, who formed a Madras Youth Choir in Chennai in 1971.
MBS as he was commonly known expanded his territory to Thiruvananthapuram and started a Kerala University Choir in 1986.
“I was one of the members of the Kerala University choir MBS started and it was his idea to start a youth choir just like the one he formed in Chennai. Unfortunately, MBS died in 1988, leaving a space. However, Subrahmanya Sarma, a close associate of MBS decided to start a choir in his name and thus MBS choir started,” says John Mathai, one of the founder members of the choir.
Sarma, ONV Kurup and P Bhaskaran, close friends of MBS associated to formed MBS choir in August 7, 1988, exactly 25 years back. With 200 songs in 10 different languages, most of them composed by MBS himself, the choir has been actively working in the socio-cultural setting of the state for the past 25 years. Without any orchestra to support except a keyboard or a tabla, it is the singers’ voices that are being channeled to create the right notes. From M Jayachandran, a known name in the Malayalam celluloid music, to the young singer Anitha (o mama mama chandamama fame) MBS choir had its share of celebrities as well.
“MBS’s message was to take music everywhere, so he has even taught street children in the process. Likewise we have taken our music to about 500 stages. We have even sung in front of the Secretariat gates, when the communal riots (Babri Masjid) sprout up in 1991,” says John.
The choir, which had participated in the 1988 National Games held in Kerala, is hoping to participate in the games this year as well, as the state plays host once again after 25 years. Until a few years back, the choir members used to prepare school children during August by teaching patriotic choral songs to sing at the Independence Day function. “About 3,000 children from various schools will sing the songs in harmony. It was something which started on the 50th anniversary of Indian independence. Nonetheless, for the last 3 years we couldn’t do it as Department of General Education (DPI) had removed the system from school curriculum. We would like nothing better than to reopen it,” says Ashok Sarma, Subrahmanya Sarma’s son and one of the coordinators of the choir. The members are crossing their fingers as they are planning to bring in K J Yesudas in their silver jubilee celebrations to be held in coming October.
The choir couples western elements with the rich Indian music genres in order to find its own exceptionality. About 750 members have come and gone in the 25 years that passed by, but there are a few who still do not miss the Saturday practice session even today like John.
“Sreekumar is the teacher of our choir these days and he has been doing an exceptional job. We have children’s choir as well. Children below the age of 15 will be trained just like the senior members,” says Shaju, the treasurer and one of the singers of the band.
The choir celebrated its 25th anniversary in a function held at the P C Sukumaran Nair Hall in Press Club on Wednesday with many renowned personalities in the cultural front attending the function.
As MBS works in close association with the Madras Youth Choir, the members of the latter joins them every year to give lessons to the students here.
From August 8 Latha from Chennai will be taking a 4-day-long session for children as well as youth. The classes will be held from 10 am -5 pm. For more information contact: 0471-2727008
