45 years and Lylie’s ‘boys’still sing together

Music without the accompaniment of an instrument… this is known as ‘a cappella’ which is an Italian term. The idea is certainly not new and in fact, it was not new for the Lylie Godridge Singers when on Tuesday May 15, 1962, they began singing together for the first time.

The group who gathered on that day at the home of Lylie Godridge, then just 34, were members of the YMCA choir, which had been disbanded. They had no clear idea as to why they were gathered there in the first place, but were soon to find out…

The plan seemed simple. The idea was that an all-male choir was to be formed with their affiliation only to God and their purpose to serve through song. Since this first Tuesday this bunch of men, have been getting together almost every Tuesday and three of the founder members are still singing with the group to this day!

Willie Godridge (Lylie’s eldest son) describes the group as being “like a boys’ club – We mostly have fun.” Members come from varied professions and backgrounds. They perform for the public around six to seven times a year, mostly during the Christmas season.

The group has travelled to Galle, Jaffna, Batticaloa and the hill country and on a few occasions even to India. Their repertoire consists of sacred and spiritual choral music, all arranged for four -part male voices. They include spirituals, hymns, carols, psalms and anthems, also barbershop, plantation, folk, children’s and humorous songs, from around the world. Why ‘a cappella’? “We are known for this kind of music,” was Willie’s answer, adding that, “it’s an art – when you don’t have accompaniment you don’t have something to rely on” and listening to them what I gathered was that in fact, all you rely on, are the voices in harmony complimenting each other to bring out the music and the song.

Since Lylie’s death in 1998, Willie has been directing the choir. His first concert as director was on March 4, 1999 at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour in Colombo -a memorial for his father’s 71st birthday.

This year, to celebrate their 45th anniversary, the LG Singers will present “The Magic of Harmony – Celebrating 45 years of ‘a cappella’ choral music,” on Saturday, July 7, at 7 p.m at the auditorium of the British School in Colombo. The music will mostly be of old American and British numbers which they have enjoyed singing through the years, such as ‘When the Saints go marching in’, ‘Shenandoah’, ‘Old Man River’, ‘I’m forever blowing bubbles,’, not forgetting one of their favourites, ‘Mosquito’s.’

The concert will be around 90 minutes without an interval. The net proceeds will go to the Colombo Centre for Special Education (CCSE). The group request that the audience be in their seats a few minutes early as it is “tradition” to start on time.

For further information or the purchase of programmes please contact Eshantha on 077 775 0832 or the British School auditorium on 532 9329 ext. 534 or 209.