Choir Games ends on a note of diverse cultures celebrating together
Champions and winners in jazz and pop at the South Asia Pacific Championship and Grand Prix of Nations: Peshali Yapa, conductor of “The Piccolinis” receiving the award from Mano Chanmugam. Pic by Indika Handuwala
It was a triumph for host country Sri Lanka at the Asia Pacific Choir Games with their choirs winning an overall 19 medals for their performances with Indonesia following close behind with 12 medals and India (3), Iran (3) and China (2).
The 4th South Asia Pacific Choir Games bid adieu at Temple Trees on October 28 with an evening of festivity, highlighting the achievements of participating choirs and bringing together diverse cultures for one last celebration.
Amidst stiff competition the Open Competition saw 26 Gold Diplomas, 37 Silver Diplomas and 2 Bronze Diplomas being presented. The overall results in the Asia Pacific Champions Competition saw 31 Gold Medals and 11 Silver Medals won while the Grand Prix of Nations produced 19 Gold Medals and 4 Silver Medals.
Senior Artistic Director at INTERKULTUR (the world’s leading organizer of international choir competitions and festival) Prof. Dr. Ralf Eisenbeiß from Germany himself took the mic to present the awards to the participating choirs.
It was a nail biting affair as choirs took their seats for the second award ceremony to hear the results of the Open/ Asia Pacific Choir Champions/ Grand Prix of Nations in the remaining categories – Children’s choirs, Chamber Choirs/Voice Ensembles, Musica Sacra A cappella, Jazz, Pop, Show and Folkore with Accompaniment.
Among Sri Lanka’s top winners were the Methodist College Choir conducted by Sanjeev Jayaratnam who were adjudged champions and winners in the South Asia Pacific Championship and Grand Prix of Nations respectively in the category “Youth Choirs”. “The Piccolinis” conducted by Peshali Yapa also scored high winning the titles Champions and Winners at the South Asia Pacific Championship and Grand Prix of Nations in the jazz and pop category.
Filled with bubbly energy, The Piccolinis delighted the audience as they sang a medley of songs including Queen’s “We will rock you”.
Prestantia Music School Junior Choir and Prestantia Chorale were both awarded gold medals in the Asia Pacific Championship under the categories Children’s Choirs and Musica Sacra with Accompaniment respectively. Their conductor Dr. Priyeshni Pieris-Perera was elated at the success of her little music school in Moratuwa and the journey on which they had embarked to get to the Choir Games.
The Children’s choir was small in numbers – 31 choristers between 6 to 12 years of age. Priyeshni extended her thanks to the CCHT “If they had not brought this competition down we would not have had this opportunity and I would like to thank Mr. Mano Chanmugam and Dilmah for unearthing this hidden talent,” she said.
Sanjeev Jayaratnam’s choirs “Noted” were also all smiles as they emerged champions in the Asia Pacific Choir Games under the category Chamber Choirs/Vocal Ensemble. Other winning choirs shared laughs and hugs as the 4th Asia Pacific Choir Games drew to a close after an intense week of competition.
The “Festival Stage Choir” comprising Camerati (Sri Lanka), Mizo Cardinal Choir (India), Riga Orthodox Chamber Choir “Blagovest” (Latvia), The Nagaland Chamber Choir (India) and the Tonal Choir (Iran) joined hands to present a moving performance of the festival anthem “Asia Aura” going on to perform John Rutter’s “For the beauty of the earth”, “Danno Budunge” and “We are the World”.
Next year celebrating 30 years of musical competition INTERKULTUR will take the World Choir Games to Tshwane, South Africa.