Q: What’s a good remedy for road fatigue, neck strain, and (instru)mental clutter?
A: An evening with The Choristers at the Australian High Commission foyer (or wherever they happen to be performing).
I’d been driving a good eight hours (avoiding toll highways) after visiting my dad down south, with some anxiety towards dusk that I might be late for Spring, Summer, Autumn & Flying Fish – a performance by The Choristers, arguably the most durable and outstanding acapella group in Malaysia. To my relief I only missed one song but, nonetheless, my apologies to the performers.
Led, in this instance, by Claris Chin (soprano), Yap Cheng May (alto), and Yee Choon Heng (tenor), The Choristers’ angelic voices soothed my soul and massaged my inner being with mellifluous madrigals from the 16th century (including one composed by Henry VIII). And I thought fondly of the late Hans Sallmann of Goethe Institut who drafted me into the Baroque Choristers back in the mid-1980s. I never got to perform but I enjoyed the few sessions I attended, which exposed me to the marvellous intricacies of polyphonic and choral composition.
Esoteric pieces by Thomas Weelkes (1576-1623) with titles like Thule, the Period of Cosmography and The Andalusian Merchant have such exquisite snob appeal, especially when performed with the necessary aplomb. I was impressed by The Choristers’ precision and polish (even though on opening night they seemed more intent on getting it right than having some fun with the material).
The highlight of the concert was to have been their rendition of Spring’s Ending, a dissonant and self-consciously avant-garde work by contemporary Australian composer Nigel Butterley (b. 1935). It seemed, in theory, an adventurous cross-cultural choral exercise – inspired by verses attributed to an ancient Chinese poet, translated by the composer himself, and performed by eight Malaysian Chinese singers with largely western cultural backgrounds. Alas, it turned out to be the low point of the evening. I’m not sure if the problem stemmed from the composer’s stilted cerebrality – or The Choristers’ lack of conviction and inexperience with post-modem atonality. In any case, the audience seemed relieved when Spring’s Ending ended, judging from the merely polite applause.
Things perked up again after the interval when the programme went pop with old favourites by the likes of Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, and Glenn Miller. The Choristers were in fine voice throughout, particularly petite soprano Claris Chin whose clear, bell-like tones rang pure and true and helped raise the entire ensemble to a professional level of performance. Basses Leonard Chin and Daniel Yap had rich and resonant voices but they could have done with more raw power. The Choristers’ lineup for this tasteful and eclectic
selection was completed by Cindy Yeap and Kathleen Fong (soprano), Wong Poh Teng (alto), and Yong Yew Yean (tenor).
Spring, Summer, Autumn & Flying Fish was no lifechanging event but I’m certainly glad I caught it. Heartwarming to know there are dedicated young people with a passion for choral singing. Well-seasoned acapella groups such as Australia’s Song Company may have acquired a great deal more flair, showmanship, and an international reputation – but The Choristers demonstrated that given enough encouragement, financial support, and performance opportunities, our own homegrown vocal ensembles can go places too.
First Published: 11.04.2002 on Kakiseni