Young voices coming together in song
When James Jayawardena first got out of school, he wanted to learn to play the guitar and improve his voice. He had always been shy and that’s why he never took part in any musical activity in school. But one day, while he was on Youtube, James came across an Elvis Presley video. After watching it, he realized that he wanted make music a part of his life. He was a fast learner and in a month he learnt to play the guitar which also taught him how to pitch, he recalls. Sooner, he joined ‘The Voice,’ by Ishan De Lanerolle.
Amanda
Aanya
James
After a few practices, James mustered the courage to take part in TNL onstage 2016. Thereafter he also went on to perform a solo at the first edition of ‘Different Voices’ last year.
Just like James, Ishan’s other students had their own story to share. We met them as they were finishing a practice session at the Sooriya Village Colombo. We had just managed to make it in time, to catch a glimpse of their upcoming concert, the second edition of ‘Different Voices’, which will be showcased on June 1 and 2 at the Bishop’s College Auditorium.
Aptly named the show will feature solo performances by all the senior members of ‘The Voice’. The junior and intermediate members will also be showcasing their talent up on stage.
A bubbly Aanya Sanjaytiwari (12) was next to meet us. She shares that she finds solace in music, especially when she goes through different emotions in life. “Sometimes when I’m down, I’d sing and I’d choke and cry a bit, but after that I wouldn’t feel bad, because my head would be cleared. The music keeps me strong and together,” she says.
Aanya is one of the youngest members of the senior lineup. However this does not hold her back. Although she is admittedly a little nervous for the show, the music helps her express herself better.
A cheery voice behind me says “Hello” introducing himself as Aaron Pathinather (18). Aaron initially started singing in his school choir for the fun of it. However, now he just can’t seem to let it go. He explains, the song he will be performing at ‘Different Voices’ is an original and it is this fact, which makes him quite nervous. He also recalls being extremely impressed, when he first heard some of the other voices and shares that he cannot wait for the audience to hear them sing.
We had first seen Eksath De Alwis (21) perform at ‘Musica Perpetua.’ His grace and confidence on stage, gave one the impression that he had probably been doing this for some time. And we were indeed surprised to find that the show was his first.
Rachel
Kiara. Pix by Indika Handuwala
After Musica Perpetua, he started practicing with Ishan, who has been fine tuning his voice. Eksath believes that he has improved tremendously since then, which has also in turn given him more confidence to perform on stage.
We are introduced to Rachel Brohier (20) and Kiara Samarasinha (11), who share their own experience with music. Rachel first started singing at the age of three and “my first solo was so embarrassing at the time,” she recalls. But it was in that moment where she realized that singing was what she wanted to do. ‘Different Voices’ will be the first time, since then, where Rachel will be performing a solo. She explains that she is trying to find her own voice and as a former chorister, this will be the first time, where she will not be depending on a choir to back her.
On the other hand, when Kiara first got on stage to perform a solo, her mind was racing. She kept wondering about all the things that could go wrong and what the audience might think about her. “Everything moved really slowly in that moment,” she recalls. However, Kiara has been building up her confidence and hopes to add her own personal touch to a classic hit, ‘Hallelujah’.
‘Different Voices,’ promises to showcase a variety of voices, each of them with their own story to relate. The audience will be able to witness a plethora of songs ranging from Pop to Rock and roll and also much of the modern music. Aside from this, the show also aims at building the confidence of these students to go out and perform as soloist, which is just what ‘The Voice’ is all about.
The show is directed and produced by Ishan De Lanerolle with choreography by Michelle Mortier. For tickets contact 0771872251. They are also available at the Bishop’s College Auditorium.