Finding their place in the musical sphere
View(s):Contempo Choir members speak to the Mirror Magazine about their upcoming show ‘Viva La Diva’
For the ladies of the Contempo choir, touching the soul with music is almost second nature. Spending their time at school singing in the chapel and the hallowed halls of St. Bridget’s convent, these ladies have forged a trust from the one thing they all had in common – enchanting voices.
Members of Contempo. Pix by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
“The choir was formed in 2001, when a section of girls who had just left school, took part in a school production called ‘Story Tunes’ (2001). This led to a small group of die-hard Bridgetians deciding to form a choir which has now grown into a large group of committed and fun-loving singers reliving their school days putting a great deal of hard work in the process,” says Mel Gunasekara, member of Contempo.
Having sung for many school events, teamed up with other choirs, organising a joint show with St. Benedict’s College and even singing with the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka, the Contempo family is starting to find their place in the musical sphere.
The Contempo repertoire includes soulful spirituals, jazz, ethnic Sri Lankan music, semi-classics, pop and rock. As the name of the choir suggests, the group enjoys infusing a contemporary twist, to original songs that surprises and delights audience with unusual arrangements ranging from four to six-part harmonies.
The choir is a mix-bag of the young and the younger, as they would like to put it. “We are perhaps decades apart but young at heart,” Mel adds. “We’ve all grown together as a group and somehow, even the newest member becomes part of the family. Actually a lot of the members sing with different choirs and still they all find the time to commit to this choir. I guess we all have the same love for our school and maybe we can’t let go of that musical background. It’s a passion,” says Nadeeka Perera and Nadine Corera, Co-directresses of Contempo. Versatile and accomplished musician Eshantha Peiris is Contempo’s music director. He is largely credited with dreaming up unusual arrangements with subtle harmonies and rhythms. For this concert, he shares the vocal direction with Dilini Perera, another versatile Contempo member. An award winning soloist, Dilini’s training styles and musical interpretations have kept Contempo on their toes these past months.
‘Viva La Diva’ is a showcase of all the wonderful things about powerful and iconic female artistes that we have come to know, idolise and emulate since our youngest years,” says Dilini Perera who helped in the choral training with Eshantha Peiris.
‘Diva’ used to be a word reserved for female opera stars, but singers from the pop industry have captured the public imagination over the last 50 years, explains Eshantha. “Diva’ has come to refer to celebrity women who personify vocal talent, attitude and empowerment in today’s pop culture,” Contempo is highly enthusiastic about bestowing the best in the divas to the audiences, and they hope the audience will love in indulging in some diva behaviour as well.
‘Viva la diva’ will be held at the Russian Cultural Centre in Colombo, on the June 7 and 8.
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