Madras Guild of Performing Arts gears up to perform recognisable English hits on September 5

Atul Isaac Jacob, the conductor of the Madras Guild of Performing Arts (MGPA), says that the Shortz or the children’s wing of their choir cannot be messed with. It is why he has entrusted the choreography of their upcoming concert This Is Why We Sing on September 5 at Egmore’s Museum Theatre unto six-year-old Pratishta Raj.

“She is a born star who joined us when she was pretty young. Like her, we have singers of different faiths, backgrounds, years of experience, and skill set, all together coming forward to engage with the joy of music. It is why we meet every Thursday. There’s nothing more complex about it,” he says.

On September 5, the choir performs with Jaideep Vivekanand, Gerard Joseph, Anish Chacko, and Rahul Gopal. The MGPA, which has perfected pitches over the three years since they began, will ensure that ‘The Lion Sleeps Tonight’ echoes through the walls of this iconic performance venue. The song from The Lion King is only one among the 26 songs on their set list. Atul promises several other crowd pleasers including hits by Elvis Presley, Coldplay, and Pentatonix. They will be interspersing this mix with some songs from The Sound of Music and a Gaither Vocal Band-style rendition of ‘Hallelujah’. There’s also a Hindustani classical fusion that one can look forward to with an interesting arrangement, the conductor and pianist adds.

Atul is intent on commanding the audience’s dwindling attention spans. It is why he is keeping his set dynamic and tight with several costume changes and a variety of tunes. He hopes to take the audience on a journey. “The children will captivate you with their little number called the Disney silly sing-along, but there are also seasoned singers who are as old as 72 with voices of many different kinds. We prepare for months, knowing that every performance must outdo the last.,” he adds.

Atul’s experience of conducting, however, extends beyond the country’s boundaries. In December last year, he was recognised as only the third Indian to have conducted a concert at the Musikverein in Vienna, a renowned concert hall considered the sacred temple of Western classical music. “I spent time working with many child prodigies from around the world there. It was quite the honour to have conducted at one of the world’s most prestigious concert halls,” he said.

At a performance by the Madras Guild of Performing Arts (MGPA)
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Back home in Chennai, he hopes that the MGPA continues to keep making mellifluous music. Since they tend to associate with a cause, proceeds from the event will go towards Soulfree INSPIRE Centre, providing personalised, holistic treatment for people with life-altering spinal cord injuries.

“We want each concert to be better than the previous one. We want each performance to stand out,” he concludes.

This Is Why We Sing is on September 5 at the Government Museum Theatre, Egmore. Tickets are priced at ₹500 and can be booked on mdnd.in