Members of the Capital City Minstrels usher in the festive cheer with their singing
| Photo Credit: Monica Chhabra
It’s a cold night in Delhi, and the hallowed corridor of Kamani auditorium is booked out. The stage is bedecked with festive gear — a Christmas tree, Santa’s sleigh, wrapped presents, and extra. A gaggle of ladies clad in elegant purple saris paired with inexperienced blouses, and males in pristine white kurtas matched with gold dupattas, open the live performance with the upbeat and joyful, ‘It’s starting to look loads like Christmas’. The temper is firmly set for ‘A Nostalgic Christmas’.
This merry present was the annual winter efficiency of the Capital City Minstrels, a western music choir that has been regaling listeners in Delhi, and some different cities in India and overseas, for 29 years. Started initially by Zohra Shaw, a fellow of Trinity College of Music, London, as a chamber ensemble of 12 singers, the group has now grown to over 70 members. Neeraj Devraj, who works in the actual property business and is the present president of the group, has been a member since 1996, when he was 15. He recollects performing largely at embassy gatherings and personal occasions in the preliminary years. Barring the Covid years, the group’s bi-annual concert events have now change into vital dates on the metropolis’s cultural calendar.
This winter, the group determined to make old style Christmas cheer its theme. And this turned amply clear as the choir breezed by means of its 18 festive items, one in all which was an intensive 12-song medley aptly named ‘The Twelve Songs of Christmas’.
The choir’s performances are an vital a part of Delhi’s cultural calendar
| Photo Credit:
Siddharth Khandelwal
The singers introduced forth vitality and good cheer by means of peppy numbers reminiscent of ‘Sleigh ride’ and ‘Jingle bells’; supplied a glimpse of their vary and depth with ‘Angels we have heard on high’ and ‘Still, still, still’; and paid ode to seasonal popular culture with ‘Fly me to the moon’, ‘Last Christmas’ and the ever-popular ‘All I want for Christmas is you.’
The choir consisting of sopranos, altos, tenors, basses and soloists by no means appeared to overlook a beat. It was ably led by conductor Nadezda Balyan from Russia, who runs a music faculty and likewise conducts the Delhi Chamber Choir. Pianist Nise Meruno, percussionist Nitesh Chadelkar and flautist Nathalie Ramirez accompanied them on stage.
“Our members include people of all ages, nationalities and walks of life – we have students, musicians, doctors, lawyers, architects, expats, diplomats, social development professionals, journalists, entrepreneurs, and more. We are people with a passion for singing, and that has remained unchanged over the years,” says Devraj.
Sixteen-year-old pupil Anya Lall, the group’s youngest member, offers this evaluation an keen stamp of approval. “Joining the Capital City Minstrels this season was the coolest thing ever,” says Anya, who went by means of a gruelling audition to make the reduce.
Journalist Reem Khokhar, who has been a part of the choir since 2011, summarises its attraction thus: “I have several memories and formed many great friendships during this time. Some of my happiest memories are from when we’ve gone on tour — Europe in 2015 and the UK in 2018. Just travelling, singing and being with the group for two weeks was an absolute blast and such a strong bonding experience.”
It appears this choir’s music is definitely the meals of affection.