The choir after our yearly performance at the Festival of Festive Music '15, NCPA.
Second, it pays us zilch.
Yet, members meet every Sunday evening for half the year from all over Mumbai at Chembur. They spend time and money on fuel and travel and sacrifice they're one free Sunday evening for this. It's not like they sleep in on Sunday mornings either because there's church to attend in the morning. In a city like Mumbai that never sleeps and everybody pushes everyone else around ruthlessly to get where they want to get, forty-odd people meet in a shadily located church every week, to just sing, expecting nothing in return.
Yet, members meet every Sunday evening for half the year from all over Mumbai at Chembur. They spend time and money on fuel and travel and sacrifice they're one free Sunday evening for this. It's not like they sleep in on Sunday mornings either because there's church to attend in the morning. In a city like Mumbai that never sleeps and everybody pushes everyone else around ruthlessly to get where they want to get, forty-odd people meet in a shadily located church every week, to just sing, expecting nothing in return.
Third, we survive solely on donations. How the choir survived more than a decade is a miracle. We don't associate with a particular church nor do we do shows like professional choirs. Everything from break-time chai, occasional lunches to the tailor and cloth for our costumes: earrings to shoes, is funded by present and veteran choir members. It is with great grace that the choir is able to even give subsidies to non-working members.
Fourth, there is zero politics. By that I mean there is only positive energy and love. There is no malice, no Ill will, nothing. This is important because with most institutions it is unfortunate how often it crops up, whether it's a large corporate organisation or a small band of friends. We end every practice with a prayer where we thank the Lord for our voices and pray for those who couldn't make it to practice that day for whatsoever personal reason. We pray for our sponsors and as for shelter and shield till we meet again the following week. It is possible that in my soft corner of lame jokes and friendly jabs at fellow members, away from the clockwork that runs this ship, I'm shielded by the shit that some of our seniors deal with. In which case, I have all the more respect for our crew captains.
Fifth, harmonies make me happy. Being in a closed off church with a high ceiling, let's you have just the right acoustic setting to embrace all four harmonies in splendid reverberation. It fills the room, and the soul.
Because I'm short, I'm positioned dead centre where I'm sandwiched between all four parts- a sweet spot. Plus it's cozy and i can converse with so many more people. Complan-my ass.
Six. You also learn skills like teamwork and dealing with different people of different age groups. You learn patience, punctuality and obedience. There are also lessons in music of course, like learning to follow your instructor and controlling your voice so it doesn't stand out from the rest, trusting your voice to hit the right notes even without being able to hear yourself during performance. Listening to your fellow singers and learning to blend. And my favourite, bonding with them without verbal conversations but over simple glances while singing together.
