Arts
Soul Sounds hits a classical note with music of the night
It will be an intimate performance in the dead of the night when Soul Sounds, the award-winning all female musical ensemble takes the stage with ‘Midnight Music’ on May 11 at 11.30 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk, Kollupitiya.
Familiar setting: Soul Sounds singing at the Scots Kirk in 2014
Soul Sounds Director Soundarie David Rodrigo and joint choir leaders, Nimaya Harris and Roshie Wickramaratne shared with the Sunday Times Magazine the inspiration and work behind the scenes in preparation for this unique performance.
Concerts which burn the midnight oil are not uncommon in European countries, we learn. In fact performances like the Midnight Sun Concert held at the Arctic Cathedral of Tromso, Norway, are so popular audiences can experience the alluring sounds of choirs every night of the entire summer!
Attending one of the Norwegian midnight concerts, senior chorister Shehara Liyanage who was so taken up with the concept related her magical experience to Soul Sounds members who wanted to recreate the experience here.
“Through shows like this we can feature more choir members,” Roshie said with Nimaya adding that by tackling performances of this calibre the musical ensemble also pushes their boundaries in terms of genres and showmanship.
Nimaya says the concert is aimed at those who enjoy choral and classical music with Soundarie adding that she along with the choir handpicked a more “serious repertoire” so that people can “appreciate good music.”
The programme will include works by composers Karl Jenkins, Samuel Barber and Mozart, a Ukranian Hallelujah, and a 19th century Christian hymn by Sarah Flower Adams “Nearer, My God, to Thee” to name a few pieces. We’re mainly focusing on creating a specific mood from the music,” Nimaya shares.
The century-old St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk church is the ideal setting for these evocative sounds from the 25-member choir and backing instruments.
The setting is as important as the music being chosen. The choir is planning on using candlelight as a simple means of decoration to enhance the ambiance, says Roshie.
“It’s going to be an intimate affair,” Nimaya adds.
Soul Sounds will also offer refreshments after their performance made by the choristers themselves. Entry to the concert is free of charge with support given by Soul Sounds partners Fairway Holdings and DIMO & Mercedes-Benz.
Fitting Midnight Music into the choir’s extensive yearly musical programme also keeps the choir motivated. Having previously performed at the Fairway Galle Literary Festival in January and Cinnamon Life and Broadway Asia’s “The Sound of Music” early in February, the choir has kept busy singing at various social functions and events.
Since celebrating 10 years of Soul Sounds in 2014, the choir hasn’t performed an exclusively classical concert to date. “At present we have exhausted all the genres,” says Soundarie. The story of the Norwegian Midnight Concert was Soul Sounds’ Eureka moment with Soundarie stating “We’re always on the lookout for new ideas to do things differently.”
Soundarie David Rodrigo
Roshie Wickramaratne
Nimaya Harris
The choristers who are involved in different professions and take on diverse extracurricular activities are still ever ready to add more to their plate. Adds Roshie with a chuckle, “Unless we work towards something we become lazy.We get bored with ourselves.”
One of the main challenges of Midnight Music, Nimaya says, is that the concert is being held on a Friday, a working day. The choristers will have to take extra care with their voices to be fresh at night. “We’re already looking at practising closer to the time so that the choir has a feel of performing so late into the night,” Soundarie shares.
“We’re hoping it all goes well and that the audience, and especially our choristers, don’t fall asleep that late into the night!”
The concert will not extend beyond an hour, Soundarie affirms, and seating will be open from 11.30 p.m.
“It will connect everyone through the stirring effect of music of the night,” says Soundarie.
For more information on Midnight Music be sure to check the Soul Sounds Facebook and Instagram pages for updates on the concert.
St. Andrew’s Scots Kirk: Imposing and inspiring