The music of Christmas: Carol services and concerts
Continuing our round-up of carol services this Christmas, here’s what you can catch from December 12 -23
St. Bridget’s Convent (Colombo 7)
- Date: December 10 (Sunday)
- Time: 5.30 p.m.
- Venue: St. Bridget’s Convent Auditorium
Priyanthi Seneviratne Vandort is putting faith into her theme for the St. Bridget’s carol service this year – “Emmanuel has come”. “With all the turmoil, strife and hatred, the world needs a saviour to intervene,” she explains. “As a Catholic school choir I believe our voices are carrying out the mission and messages of angels.”
Royal College (Colombo)
- Date: December 12 (Tuesday)
- Time: 6 p.m.
- Venue: Royal College Main Hall
“We do a variation of the nine lessons,” choir director Sureka Amerasinghe says, adding, “what makes it unique is the various denominations that come together to plan and sing the carols.” The use of the main hall too reflects the ambiance of their service with sayings from religions etched across the hall. “That’s what Royal is about,” she adds – “tolerance and growing up together in harmony.”
Having received a gold in the recetly held Asia Pacific Choir Games competition in the Youth Choirs category Sureka shares that in terms of the music she likes to keep it original and capture their spirit,making arrangements that keep the boys motivated. Even the sermons are memorable. Sureka recalls last year’s sermon at the carol service when former Bishop of Colombo Duleep de Chickera recalled his schooldays at Royal and made it “applicable to the boys”.
“There’s always something transcending about choral music; regardless of your belief it helps you cope with life,” she says. The choir is accompanied by an orchestra.
Ave Maria Convent (Negombo)
- Date: December 12 (Tuesday)
- Time: 6 p.m.
- Venue: Ave Maria Auditorium
The senior choir will take the lead with performances by the primary choir and Past Pupils choir in between. “Chorus Angelorum” (The Angelic Choir) the theme of the carol service paints an ethereal picture of a host of angels singing to baby Jesus – a stimulating visual of the sweetness in the music that can be expected from this choir.
Holy Family Convent (Bambalapitiya)
- Date: December 14 (Thursday)
- Time: 6 p.m.
- Venue: Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya (Auditorium)
Under the direction of Dilini Perera, the choir of Holy Family Convent Bambalapitiya will be taking on the theme “And all the angels in heaven shall sing”. “The choir is known to sing like angels,” laughs Choral Director Dilini Perera attributing it to the training done by her predecessor Rapti Fernando. “It’s been a tough year for the country and angels are messengers of joy and hope,” Dilini says adding “It’s an apt title for our carol service.”
St. Andrews Scots Kirk (Colombo 3)
- Date: December 15 (Friday)
- Time: 6.30 p.m.
- Venue: St. Andrews Scots Kirk (Colombo 3)
Under the direction of Denham Pereira, the St. Andrews Scots Kirk choir, “Voice of Praise” will present carols such as ‘The Sussex carol’, ‘In dulci jubilo’, “In the bleak mid-winter” and ‘Good King Wenceslaus’ in their carefully chosen programme.
St. Joseph’s Church (Nugegoda)
- Date: December 16 (Saturday)
- Time: 6.30 p.m.
- Venue: St. Joseph’s Church (Nugegoda)
This 6.30 p.m. service will see a combination of English and Sinhala Youth Choirs. “We always have our carol service one week before Christmas,” English youth choir director Dmitri Gunatilake says. “The entire parish and congregation come together that one day!”
“It’s not a very technical service” in terms of musical arrangements she shares, however it resonates well for those looking for “a homely welcoming family oriented atmosphere.” One of their key features is their beloved Santa medley which the choir sings when Santa comes and hands out his treats for the little ones.
Maris Stella College (Negombo)
- Date: December 17 (Sunday)
- Time: 6.30 p.m.
- Venue: The College playground adjoining the school
What’s special about this carol service is the venue – the boys of Maris Stella will be singing in an open playground to accommodate the congregation and their fellow participating choirs. The senior choir will be joined by the primary choir, Speranza (past pupils from Ave Maria Convent and Maris Stella College), and other invited schools choirs. Maris Stella which started their carol services 10 years ago have come a long way from hosting carols in a small chapel back in 2007.
Dmitri Gunatilake featuring Devin Randeniya (Colombo)
- Date: December 20 (Wednesday)
- Time: 7.30 p.m.
- Venue: Sooriya Village
This Christmas show was put together to “jam to the spirit of Christmas” Dmitri shares. Together with the help of various musicians like Devin Randeniya, Ruwindu Wanniarachchi (Organ), Miuru Jayasinghe (Guitar) Shalintha Rodrigo (Bass) and Previn Wirakoon (Drums) the show will have a personal take on songs that will allow “audiences to connect with the concert as well,” Dmitri shares. “I’m a classical singer and Devin is a pop artist but we will be bringing out these diverse styles in a ‘Christmas way,’” she adds.
St. Benedict’s College (Colombo)
- Date: December 23 (Saturday)
- Time: 7 p.m.
- Venue: St Lucia’s Cathedral (Kotahena)
“Our carol service has been known as a green Christmas for some years now,” says choir director Krishan Rodrigo. The main reason behind the name are the school’s colours and their significance to Christmas. From the school’s inception in 1865 the “music environment has been quite strong,” Krishan shares.
The choir also focuses on the different selection of music and “unusual arrangements”. The director sources scores from countries like the US, UK and even Russia to make their service memorable.This year the choir will be accompanied with a pipe organ and percussion and brass accompaniment.
Also participating is the old boys choral group “Choro Benedicte”. “We seal the year with our carol service and we humbly would like to call it an offering from the St. Ben’s community to the public celebrating the birth of Christ,”he adds.