Mystical musical journey with St. Cecilia’s Choir of St. Joseph’s College

Amalshan Gunerathne

St. Cecilia’s Choir of St. Joseph’s College delivered a melodious musical experience with the Musical Mystique extravaganza which unraveled last week at the school’s auditorium. The tunes, varied from Mozart’s masterpieces to modern pop beats. The creative prowess and talents were displayed in abundance, as Joes entertained the audience with their mesmeric skills. The day was indeed a one that would linger on the hearts of many who attended.

Specialized in classical and sacred music, the St. Cecilia’s Choir wrapped the audience in harmony as they began the event with harmonious classics of Mozart. The maestro’s classical pieces were performed to perfection, leaving the audience in utmost awe. The divine mystique that surrounded the event was heart-cleansing. The talented bunch captured the spiritual essence of the great maestro’s music to leave the audience in great harmony. They performed Mozart’s masterpieces such as Requiem, Kyrie, Dies Irae and Ave Verum with precise expertise. The Choral Director Frances D’ Almeda, an ardent fan of the great musician, has a high regard for the soothing effect that Mozart’s music has on development of young minds, newborns and even unborn babies.

The event also featured a guest appearance by the ‘Old Joes Choir’. Consist with past choral leaders and past choristers, the ‘Old Joes Choir’ lightened up the spirits of the audience with great uplifting tunes.

The evening had great variety. Showcasing their versatile talents, the choir turned the evening in to a very jovial one as they unleashed a sequence of modern pop beats which included Jason’s Mraz’s hit single I am yours, Billy Joel’s Uptown girl and Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror.

The tunes of Clarence Wijewardana were sung to bring back nostalgic fragrance of grand seventies.

The ethnic segment of the concert featured a string of oriental tunes varying from Hindhi songs to Maestro Rohana Weerasinghe’s classical Sinhala musical compositions. Some compositions that were played in evening were adapted to suit the occasion with great expertise.

Another major performance that captured the audience in sheer wonderment was Shenuka Jayasinghe’s piano performance. He delivered a very arresting set of piano tunes to which soothed the hearts of the audience.

The choir encompassed a very vibrant and energetic young bunch, the age limit varying from eighteen year olds to eleven year olds. The event was organized by the Rev, Fr. Anthony Lakshman.