Shillong Choir To Sing in Bangalore Soon

By Francis Sundar Singh

Bangalore, Nov 15 : “I hope we have done justice to our country,” says Damon M Lyndem, coordinator and member of the Shillong Chamber Choir, who were given a chance to perform before US President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle at a banquet hosted by President Pratibha Patil at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan during their recent visit to India.

Performing at a VVIP banquet is no easy task, especially in the presence of several dignitaries, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and other leaders.

The 16-member choir from Meghalaya sang three pieces, including a Khasi opera, composed by its choirmaster Neil Nongkynrih; a tribute to their motherland.

“The entire evening was just fabulous. It was a proud moment for us to sing for President Obama, and we are glad we could sing in our native language, Khasi,” Lyndem said.

“The Khasi opera was composed as a tribute to our beloved motherland. Khasi is one of the dying languages of the world. We thought it right to perform this opera before President Obama and also showcase our tradition,” added Lyndem.
The choir sang My tribute, an American song composed by songwriter Andrae Crouch and a medley of Hindi songs that ended with Ye dosti hum nahin todenge — the evergreen number from Sholay.

My Tribute was the icing on the cake during the evening as it was an apt song for the visiting dignitaries and also has a direct connect with the American world, said Lyndem.

The performance comes at a time when the entire North-East region is dealing with several violence-related issues. However, Lyndem said that the performance is not just for their region, but the entire country. “Our performance is not only for the North-East, but for the entire country to show the world that we are also a major power. Our choir itself is happy that it got an opportunity to present India to the world,” he said.

Though the members of the choir were not able to meet the Obamas in person, they did get a positive vibe from Sonia Gandhi.

“The evening would not have been complete without you,” the Congress president was quoted as saying, said Lyndem.

Congress scion Rahul Gandhi is said to have appreciated the choir from Shillong.

“We feel ecstatic. I had been to the Rashtrapathi Bhavan many times for performances, but this was a totally different experience,” said Neil Nongkynrih, without whose guidance, the choir wouldn’t have performed so well.

The Shillong Chamber Choir is now setting its sights on performing in Bangalore, if the opportunity comes through.

“We have been performing in several places both in India and abroad. But, we would love to perform in Bangalore since the city has got a good music-loving crowd. We are just waiting for the right time and opportunity,” Lyndem added.

The choir will now be performing in Malaysia, Kuwait and Chennai over the next few months.