When in 1997, a group of past Josephians formed the Old Joes Choir, they embarked on a journey of new experiences, experimenting and a lot of fun.
Their success so far may have spanned a relatively short period of ten years, but they have proved that, as the name of their latest concert would suggest, the success they have achieved both musically and as individuals, is timeless.
They promised us "A unique event, involving diversity in sound and style, in celebration of a ten year old journey."
And that is definitely what we got at Timeless Echoes, held on August 30 and 31 at The British School Auditorium.
True to form, the choir of 27 members opened the show with a devotional number – "We Adore Thee Oh Christ." The song lacked some of the life and vibrancy that is usually expected of an opening item, but the song, as a well executed and rich blend of harmony, set the tone for the concert - that of thanksgiving for a great ten years.
And then the fun began, with the choir performing a few more lively numbers with soloists Rukshan Aponso and Gehan Gunatilleke. An interesting choice of song was "Long Train Running" by the Doobie Brothers. It was performed acapella, with Heshan Thambimuttu setting things off with some catchy beat boxing. There was also a rock and roll number with the choir doing a playful enacting of a jamming session with make-believe guitars.
"Moon River" and "The World in Union" (with soloist Dayan Gunatilleke) were two more noteworthy performances, with a smooth and pleasant balance of harmony and good conducting by Geethika Cooray.
One of the items that stood out from the rest was the medley from Evita, with solos performed by Dilhan De Silva, Shanaka Cooray and guest performer Safra Deen. The choreography of the medley as it opened could have been a little slicker, but the singing made up for it, with two stunning performances by Safra Deen who stood out as the best vocalist of the night. She portrayed Eva Peron to perfection with a compelling and heartfelt performance.
The second half of the show consisted of more up tempo numbers – the jungle medley with soloists Shemal Fernando and Shehan Wijemanne. These were the more entertaining performances. Although there was a tendency here for the choir to get a little too over enthusiastic, the audience enjoyed it immensely.
They wowed the audience with well done renditions of "Ordinary World" and "Kiss from a Rose," followed by "All Night Long" which a very enthusiastic response from the audience.
All in all, it could safely be said that the audience had a great time at Timeless Echoes. Apart from a few slip ups and technical problems with stage lights being shone on the audience, the show had a nice mix of songs, from lightly classical to contemporary. Their passion for music, as well as that of experimenting with new things, came through clearly. And most importantly, they all had fun and communicated that same sense of fun to the audience.
The success of Timeless Echoes, in a sense echoed the ten year success of the Old Josephians, and here is waiting for their next concert of celebration!
|
E-mail