ALL those who can carry a tune without man, woman, dog and cat scurrying for shelter must know that there’s singing beyond the shower curtain. Throw in Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock, a couple of carols and you think you’re ready to cut an album. But have you ever heard of Panis Angelicus? I haven’t either. The first time I encountered this piece of Western classical music, was when I walked into a Mumbai-based Cantata choir rehearsal. Since it was the final rehearsal for a programme the next day, the prospect of me singing along was as appealing as inviting a blind bee into the choir. For one, I didn’t understand what the conductor was doing with her hands. By the end of two pieces I realised, that if she brought her right fist in a quick sweep to her chest, the rendition should stop and gave myself 10 points for observation. Minor details such as not being able to read music or sing a Western classical piece came later. Completely crushed when I was asked to back off till the choir did some serious rehearsing, I decided to spend time mentally analysing the music. After a few seconds, I instead chose to analyse the clothes. I realised that the only girl close to my age was someone in a Simpsons Tee. I tried to make friends, while she breezed through Panis Angelicus, hoping she’d also teach me a bar or two, but my blinding stare killed all hopes. With nothing better to do I took a liking to the word soprano. It’s nothing to do with what it means, but just the way my tongue rolls around it. So when I was asked to be a part of the over-30 section of sopranos, I was mighty thrilled. Besides the only under-18 singer in the choir was singing tenor. Having sung exactly 30 seconds of Hallelujah, a popular hymn that I learnt way back in school, I’ve realised that it sounds better behind the shower curtain. No one’s shooting daggers if I lose my breath and I’m my own conductor. Now if only I had mastered those moves too. BARS ‘N’ BATONS • The Cantata Choir was established in October 1973 under the baton of Joachim Buehler. Olga Collaco has been conducting the choir since 1988. • The choir has been performing in Mumbai, Delhi and Pune for the past three decades, including in its repertoire works by Bach, Haydn, Handel, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Rossini, Orff, Mendelssohn, Weber, Pergolesi, Puccini and Schubert. • It has also made a mark with its carol concerts under Collaco.
