One of Bengaluru’s oldest choirs, The Cecilian Choir, will perform for a fundraiser in Bengaluru. Titled Memories Are Made of This, it is a fundraiser for St. Joseph’s University Scholarship Programs. The Cecilian Choir was started in 1982 by a group of musicians under the leadership of Reverend Dr Theodore Pereira.  

This year, the concert will be held at St. Joseph’s Auditorium, and offers financial assistance to students who come from economically weaker sections of society, says Arthur B Pais, President, Cecilian Choir.

The choir, he says, has been around for 42 years. “We are probably the longest serving choir in Bengaluru and intend to keep this legacy going. All our stage performances are fundraisers.”

Arthur describes each of the choir’s fundraisers as a worthy cause and over the years Cecilian Choir has helped raised funds for Multiple Sclerosis Society, Maria Seva Sangha, Abala Ashraya Sangha, Atma Shakti Vidayala Society, The Karunashraya Hospice, St Mary’s Orphanage, Sumanahalli Leprosy Rehabilitation Centre, The Association of People with Disability and Jeevarathani Foundation.

“In fact, when Karunahsraya started, we helped raise funds for their infrastructure. The concert was held at Guru Nanak Bhavan,” recalls Arthur.

Besides these, Arthur says some of their memorable performances include the 1999 concert at the invitation of Ministry of Tourism, Israel to perform at the Sherovah Theatre in Jerusalem and at a monastery in Nazareth for the millennium celebrations; and the 2011 concert presented by Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the Bangalore School of Music (BSM); in the presence of the ex-President of India, Pratibha Patil.

“We were the only Choir to have ever sung a song in Kannada at the Rashtrapati Bhavan,” shares the chorister.

St Joseph’s University, Arthur says, help students with excellent academic records, high achievers, and differently-abled students. “The university also has study and residential scholarships, besides giving them midday meals, which most of the time, is the only meal some students get due to their financial situation. That’s who we are singing for.”

The first half of the concert, Arthur says, will feature music across eight decades. “There will be a Broadway musical medley, jazz, ballads and masterpieces, some of which, will be a cappella. The second half includes ‘Remember the Cross’ an Easter Cantata that intertwines songs from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday in a blended and contemporary setting”.

The choir will be conducted by Deirdre Fernandes-Dominic and will have Rebecca Thomas-Colaco (piano), Justin A Santosh (drums), Eric Samuel (guitar), Pearl Mukadam (bass), Darren Sherwin and Sabarish R (keyboards) and 25 choristers.

Sing in harmony, Arthur said the choir is nothing like a band performance. “We are a choir and sing in multi-part harmony, which could be either a three, four, six or eight-part. When we say ‘harmony’, I strongly believe one has to experience it to know how a voice can modulate itself and give you different tones, which leads to a fantastic experience.”

Arthur is a first tenor, and has been singing with the since 2000. “Becky, (Rebecca) has been with us since 2005. She is a reputed pianist, known world-wide and now is the director of faculty too with BSM (Bangalore School of Music).”

A self taught singer, Arthur took to music as a young boy and started singing in his church choir. “That is where you get noticed by conductors and are picked up for choral singing. For me, choral singing came naturally and I found it easy to pick it up.”

The concert is on April 26 and 27, at 3.30pm and 6.30pm at St Joseph’s University Auditorium, 36 Lalbagh Road. Donor passes/tickets on BookMyShow.

Dimple Kapadia became an overnight sensation after she debuted with Bobby (1973), opposite Rishi Kapoor. The film became a super hit and established Dimple Kapadia as a leading star. While the actress went on to have a successful career in Bollywood, many remained unaware of Dimple Kapadia’s sister Simple Kapadia’s journey in the film industry. Simple Kapadia pursued acting, following in her sister’s footsteps, and made her Bollywood debut opposite none other than Rajesh Khanna, her brother-in-law, in the 1977 film Anurodh. 

Unlike Bobby, Anurodh proved to be a flop at the box office, one of the possible reasons being the lack of chemistry between Simple Kapadia and Rajesh Khanna’s chemistry. Simple Kapadia had also once revealed how she was uncomfortable working with her ‘jiju’ Rajesh Khanna. “It is definitely not a ‘Bobby’ and can never even be compared to it. Just like I guess I can never be another Dimple. Actually, I’m quite uncomfortable working with him because when you know a person inside out it seems funny seeing him so different in front of a camera,” she told India Today in an interview. 

In the same interview, Simple Kapadia also expressed how she was nervous to be working with Rajesh Khanna because of his star status. “Before I started actual shooting with him, I had thought it would be a great moral support to have somebody known to you. But then I found I was quite nervous, probably with the thought that I was acting opposite a far more experienced actor. Kaka was very helpful, but then I sensed he too wasn’t feeling comfortable coming and telling me how to do the scene if I made a mistake,” she said.

Simple Kapadia was a part of the film world for 10 years, during which she worked with Jeetendra in Shakka and Chakravyuha and played supporting roles in Lootmaar, Zamaane Ko Dikhana Hai, Jeevan Dhaara and Dulha Bikta Hai. Her last acting gig was an item song for Parakh in 1987.

After stepping away from acting, Simple Kapadia tried her hands at costume design and worked for many actors including Sunny Deol, Tabu, Amrita Singh, Sridevi, and Priyanka Chopra. She also won a National Film Award in 1994 for Best Costume Design for Rudaali.

Simple Kapadia was diagnosed with cancer in 2006 and tragically died in November 2009, aged 51.

Hyderabad: AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi strongly condemned the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 28 lives, including two foreigners and one IB officer. Owaisi called it more condemnable than the Uri and Pulwama incidents. He further expressed solidarity with the families of the victims. Owaisi also urged the government to punish the terrorists involved in the attack.

In his first reaction on the Pahalgam terror attack, AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, “…We strongly condemn what happened in Pahalgam yesterday and we hope that the government will punish these terrorists. We stand with all the families of those who were killed by the terrorists and wish that those injured recover as soon as possible…”

In a video statement, he further said, “This incident (Pahalgam terror attack) is more condemnable than the Uri and Pulwama attacks. The terrorist targeted civilians this time. It is a massacre…” Watch video-

6 To 8 Terrorists Executed The Attack: Sources

Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-backed terror outfit, claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack. According to sources, at least six to eight terrorists executed the attack, two of whom were identified as Asif Shaikh and Adil Gauri. The sources also informed that terrorists used AK-47 and AK-56 guns in the attack to kill innocents.

PM Modi Holds Meeting With NSA, Foreign Minister

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday morning held a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar at the Delhi airport upon his arrival from Saudi Arabia, as he took stock of the situation following the terror attack in Pahalgam.