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Nine new notes

By Ruhanie Perera

Comprising two sopranos, two altos, two tenors, two basses and the accompanist each person is integral to the group and contributes to the making of beautiful music...they are Nine Lives.

Jehan Bastians, Neidra Williams, Natalie Soysa, Niranjala de Mel, Chintaka Weerasinghe, Trevina, Keish Holmes, Prishan George and accompanist Neomal de Alwis make up Nine Lives. As a group they are newcomers to the local music circles, their debut performance being in April at 'Circle of Life'. However, individually they have plenty of experience between them. Most have been singing together as smaller ensembles in their school choirs, the St. Peter's College Chorale and the Youth Choir at St. Mary's Church, Bambalapitiya. 

Forming a small choral group had always been in both Jehan and Neidra's minds. They had been approached many times to round up a small group who could sing at occasions. "That's exactly what we did," says Neidra, "We found some of our friends who fit the configuration we had in mind, which was two people for each part. And we teamed up with Neomal, who has made a name for himself as a dynamic pianist, to accompany the group."

They are not a choir, they stress. More a choral group that sings a range of music in four-part harmony. And where music is concerned they have absolutely no reservations. "We sing anything that caters to just about any taste, so long as the music suits our voices and our configuration." At this point they are focused on strengthening their repertoire and from that point onwards, they say, "it's an open road!". 

There are no passengers within the group. "Each 'life' contributes to the whole and our name is an identification of that contribution." And when their practice session begins and the room reverberates with the most beautiful of harmonies, strong and supportive, enhanced by the rich accompaniment, I see what they mean.

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