Joy to the world

A rich sinful plum cake is baked, homes are decorated and the hollies are hung but the sound of Christmas is never loud enough without lilting music.

Be it the haunting Gregorian chants and Latin hymns, the classical Handel’s messiah or fun carol tunes; the choirs around the City are practising round the clock and ready to tap Bangalore’s feet.

Pallottine Youth for Jesus, PYJ,  is conducting its annual Charity Concert, ‘Noel’ on December 13, 7 pm at St Vincent Palloti Church, Banaswadi. The proceeds of the event will go towards ECHO, a juvenile home, which provides care to children in conflict with law. True to their theme, ‘He sets me free’ the Josephite choir, ‘Serenata chorale’, ‘Reverb’ and ‘Resoniq’ will also perform.

Sandra, one of the members, says that PYJ was started by a few friends who decided to give back to society through music. Braving initial challenges, like permissions and funding, Noel is now successfully in its seventh year.

‘Glorious’, one of the most noted gospel youth choirs, is ready to present signature choral tunes to the City on December 20, 6.30 pm and December 21, 3 pm and 6.30 pm at BR Ambedkar Bhavan, Millers Road. Its festival, ‘Through It All’ will comprise solos, duets and a divine four-part harmony that will recount the captivating nativity story, redefining its relevance to our times and interspersed with stories of faith.

The 40-member-choir of the East Parade Church hopes to take back the City to the stables of the yore. In tune with the theme, ‘Run to Bethlehem’, their repertoire will span from the Western Classical era to contemporary cultural tunes. The choir will perform on December 13, 6 pm, at The East Parade Church, MG Road.

If music lovers think Christmas is only about archaic tunes, The Bangalore Chamber Singers are all set to treat the audience with their songs from popular vocal music, to break out of the archaic, classical mould.

Apart from contemporary western classical pieces, they will enthrall the audience with contemporary pieces. “We are a group of 18 talented singers. For us, Christmas means a lot of warm harmonies and people coming together,” says Tanisha Herbert, the director of the choir.

Their concert will be held on December 13, 6.30 pm at Nava Spoorthi Kendra, Davis Road, Richard Park. Tiny tots will add to the season’s lively spirit too such as a pageant by the 100-voice Glorious Children's Choir, The East Parade Junior Choir consisting of 40 little cherubims and the children’s choir of PYJ.  

The Shillong Chamber Choir will be performing on December 15, 6 pm at Bishop Cotton’s Boys High school. Noted for their steller perfromances across the globe, they will enthrall the audience with famous pieces.