Magical Choral Performance at the Historic Saint Francis of Assisi Chapel, Old Goa

GOA:
The majestic Church of St. Francis of Assisi in Old Goa will come alive later this month as choirs from three towering educational institutes – Oxford University, Goa University and Goa Institute of Management will come together for a one-of-its-kind choral performance later this month.

An evening of choral music titled ‘Goonj, an Echo’, will feature The Somerville College Choir, Oxford University, conducted by William Dawes. The choir of the Goa Institute of Management and the Goa University Choir will be conducted by Santiago Lusardi Girelli.

The performance is one of the several initiatives undertaken by GIM to celebrate its completion of 25 years of imparting knowledge to the country’s future corporate leaders.

The Church of St. Francis of Assisi was built in 1661 by the Portuguese. The three tier facade have octagonal towers on each side and in the central niche there is a statue of St. Michael. The central nave is barrel-vaulted while the crossing is rib-vaulted which supports the choir. The internal buttress walls, separating the chapels and supporting the gallery on top, have frescoes showing floral designs. Above the tabernacle in the main altar is a large statue of St. Francis of Assisi

The Somerville College Choir of Oxford University is being hosted by the Goa Institute of Management for the very first time in Goa for a performance on 15th December at 6.00pm. In addition, there will also be Indo-Western performances by Goan musicians.

The Somerville College Choir is a highly regarded and talented mixed voice choir from within the University of Oxford. Formed in 2001, the choir has made several recordings, and has recently performed in Italy, Germany, and the United States of America (the latter in both 2014 and 2016). The Choir is led by the Director of Chapel Music, William Dawes, who studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and is a member of the internationally acclaimed and multiple-Grammy-nominated vocal ensemble, Stile Antico.

Said Dr. Ajit Parulekar, Director GIM, “We are probably the only Business school to have had a choir for 7 years. It has become a GIM tradition. But why have a choir in a B school at all? If we look at what it demands to be a part of a choir, it answers all the questions eloquently. From working in a team, losing your individual identity to deliver within a group, excellence, discipline, dedication, tenacity, perseverance, observation, synergy, listening skills, commitment and punctuality. Qualities we wish to inculcate in any young manager today.