Let’s get physical: Voice Print Music Academy kids in body percussion act
The Voice Print Music Academy, with music directors, Dilan Irugalbandara and Matheesha Udawatte, recently launched Sri Lanka’s first acapella and body percussion production done by kids. Their cover of Rachel Platten’s ‘Fight Song’ premiered on YouTube on August 6.
Formed in 2017 with just 10 students, the Voice Print Academy now has over 200 students.
The three-minute video opens with young Joanna Hector, attempting a cartwheel but stumbling on the landing in front of her peers. The music begins to swell as the other children approach her, harmonies growing in volume and a beat taking form as they stamp their feet to the rhythm and launch into an acapella and body percussion rendition of ‘Fight Song’. Joanna attempts the athletic feat again, this time accomplishing it with a flourish.
The original idea for the video centred on one of the students learning to ride a bicycle but they decided to proceed with the cartwheel instead on the day of the shoot. Matheesha remarked on the children’s commitment – how Joanna performed the cartwheel over 25 times, without complaint or the benefit of any padding to soften the intentionally botched landing, just to get it right for the video.
Neshni Perera who joined the academy two years ago recalls the experience. “We were all friends together just singing for fun, climbing trees, falling down, running, taking photos – that was a great experience. Voice Print Academy is that – it’s not just another class, it’s a family.”
A student since 2020, Joel Hector says being part of the Academy has helped him gain confidence.
Matheesha was brainstorming new ideas when she came across body percussion. They initially considered the percussion style as an addition for their upcoming concert in November but decided to combine it with acapella for a solo video production instead. The video was filmed at Trace City in Maradana over seven hours with 98 students, many of whom were involved in the decision-making process.
With students in Galle, Kandy and even Australia, the Academy also released an alternative version of the ‘Fight Song’ cover showcasing the talents of the students who couldn’t physically attend the shoot. With the help of their parents, students in Australia were able to record their footage on their phones and through drone footage in Melbourne.
Plans for upcoming productions include a Sinhala language video. Dilan believes the process will help the students long term “because they will have the full experience of doing a video, how to record, how to harmonise and do adlibs - they will be more creative in terms of releasing their own music”.
Follow the Voice Print Music Academy on Facebook: Voice.Print Music Academy and Instagram: @voice.print_academy and watch their rendition of ‘Fight Song’ also available on their YouTube channel: Voice Print Academy.
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