Revelations: A shared musical foundation then and now
The anticipation and excitement that members of the ‘Revelations choir’ feel as they prepare for their reunion concert, at the Bishop’s College auditorium on Sunday July 23 at 7 p.m. is no doubt shared by their many fans.
We were greeted by eight smiling faces at the Cinnamon Lakeside lobby, and founding member and choir director, Sanjeev Jayaratnam is at hand to introduce them.
Ishan De Lanerolle, now better known as one half of the De Lanerolle Brothers joined the ensemble back in 2000. “I was the youngest member at the time,” he laughs.
Winning international awards, first at the Asian Choir Games in 2007 and two titles at the Interkultur World Choir Games in Graz Austria, a year after was no easy feat, Ishan recalls. “I still remember going for the Games and telling Sanjeev, shall we turn around, because the choirs were very good. In a way, it was a case of disbelief that we could win something so prestigious,” Ishan relates.
Being on the same page with the different age groups in the choir, would have certainly been a challenge. Yet Ishan feels everyone in the ensemble complements each other and this combined with the fun they had was a binding factor. The key to this was that they all came from one foundation, he tells us.
“Even at the time we went for the World Choir Games, it was this particular lot that took part. We are all Thomians. Our foundation has been in that college chapel, learning choral music and enriching it,” he says.
For Willie Godridge, a senior member of the choir singing acapella is his addiction and that’s why he loves being part of the choir.
Willie first joined the group, just before they set off for the World Choir Games. He recalls the preparations for the games were intense, but in the end the love for acapella prevailed. “We were very surprised when we won, because we felt our competitors were better,” he says.
Willie adds that they made an impact, because their performance was very relaxed. “Sanjeev insisted that we be ourselves onstage, as opposed to being a stiff choir and that impressed the judges I feel,” he explains.
The real challenge came after the competition. And that was to maintain the same standard and level of expertise, after winning on a world stage. “We have that experience and discipline, and it just comes back,” he tells us, adding that this is what helps them to this day. Even though the choir split up, none of them ever stopped singing. This in fact led them to develop their voices more and they hope to showcase this at the upcoming concert.
It’s the strict regime of practices, coupled with the discipline, commitment and passion, which have made them perform the way they do, says Priyan De Livera, who has been managing the ensemble since the World Choir Games,. “In acapella, each person must be there, if half of them are not there, it’s not easy to put it together, because we are not being covered by an accompaniment. Revelations is essentially a group where harmonies play an integral part.”
“We are all like one family and there has been great fun and all sorts of challenges, which we have overcome and gone on to achieve what we have,” he says. And indeed it is this sense of family, which brings them together this time as they dedicate this performance to the late Mahen Peiris, a beloved member of the choir who passed away in September 2016.
A few tickets for the show – priced at Rs. 3000, 2500,2000,1500,1000 (reserved) and Rs. 750 (unreserved) (balcony) are available at the Bishop’s College auditorium office.
For further inquiries contact- 011-2391265 or 077329287 (Priyan)/ 077324425 (Enaksha).