Awe-inspiring choir

Ishara JAYAWARDANE

“Vinodh, Rohan!, Ishan!, the torch is now in your hands sons!” is what the famous Russell Bartholomeusz would have said to his three most promising students in whose hands the choir now rests.

The power of S. Thomas’ has always been the Chapel of Transfiguration. It is the Heart and the Spirit of S. Thomas’. True, S. Thomas is a school that boasts of beautiful buildings, but S. Thomas’ is also spirit, and it is one with the teachings of the Church. It cannot be parted from the teachings of the church. S.Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia has inaugurated “The Canon Roy Yin Choir Fund” in aid of the choir of the College’s Chapel of Transfiguration. Canon Roy Yin served as Chaplain of S. Thomas’ from 1947-1962. His service to the college has moved beyond his death in the form of his students who carry on his work. And it was a young Russell Bartholomeusz who came to the forefront.

S.Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia has inaugurated “The Canon Roy Yin Choir Fund” in aid of the choir of the College’s Chapel of Transfiguration. Canon Roy Yin served as Chaplain of S. Thomas’ from 1947-1962

This work is now carried on by one of Mr. Bartholomeusz’s protégés Vinodh Senadheera. The first activity to raise funds will take place when the Thomian Choir Collaborates with the De Lanerolle Brothers, Rohan and Ishan (having themselves been two former choristers) at a festival of Choral Music at 6pm on Sunday 16 September 2012 at the Chapel of Transfiguration.

This festival will be a collection of well known anthems and hymns traditionally sung in the College Chapel interspersed with readings from the Holy Scriptures. “It is always a pleasure to be back in College and great to do something for college,” said Ishan De Lanerolle.

The primary purpose of this choir fund for the immediate future is to raise the necessary funds to enable the Thomian Chapel choir to look at musical horizons beyond the shores of Sri Lanka.

“The choir has been here for a very long time. But for some reason they have never gone abroad,” said Rohan De Lanerolle. The awe inspiring Chapel of the Transfiguration of S. Thomas’ with its equally inspiring Mural by David Paynter towers over the rest of the school.

The Thomian Choir is one of the oldest and most reputed boy’s school choirs in the country and is one of the oldest institutions of the college and actually made its debut on St. Matthew’s Day, September 21st 1854 at the dedication of the Christ Church Cathedral that served as the school chapel till 1918. “We have always wanted to do a service like this,” said Vinodh Senadheera who maintains the highest standards of Anglican choral music in the liturgical worship of the chapel. The Thomian Choir is perhaps the only one that sings without a conductor and is also affiliated to the Royal School of Church Music in the UK.

Entrance will be by program priced Rs. 750/- which will be available at Commons Café. Park Street Mews and the STCML OBA Secretariat, Mount Lavinia. Donations can be chanelled to the Choir Fund by cheque in favor of ‘The Warden, S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia’ with a covering letter clearly stipulating the object of the donation.