The Croatian music director, Branko Stark believes that choral singing has vast possibilities if explored. “Choral music is one of the oldest forms of music, and dates back to the time of Christian missionaries. They were the ones who spread this style of music. The unique thing about choral music is, it is self-contained, and does not really need any musical instruments to aid it,” says Branko Stark, the President and founder of the Croatian Choral Directors Association.
Ask this music conductor about choral singing which is so popular in European countries, and how he says, “There is basically no difference in the Indian and European choral singing. The principle followed is the same.”
In a country deep rooted in the Carnatic and Hindustani style of music, that give importance to solo singing, where does group singing fit in, you ask Stark. “To present a beautiful choral performance is often a challenge. One has to synchronise the minutest emotion and voice variations of all the singers in the same track. While singing together, a feeling of unity also arises through the music.”
Branko knows everything about voice - vocology, speech pathology, speech therapy, phonetics. Ask him the difference between singing and voice production, and he says, “Voice production comes from inside a human being. It is much more than singing.”
To promote choral music, Stark has set up a Vocal Academy in Croatia (a school for voice training for spoken and singing voice). It also serves as a school for choir directors and choral singers. Ask him how choral music can be popularised in Kerala, and he says, “Since 2010 I had this project called International Project for the Development of Choral Music (IPDCM) where I conducted training sessions in countries who were interested in learning the art,” says Branko who is coming for the second time to Kochi to train choral groups.He is the trainer for the city-based choral group ‘Rock of Ages’ who is organising a two and half hour long ‘Choral Nite 2012’, a choral performance on August 11, Saturday. “We need more such projects. As part of the project we are also offering scholarship programmes for people interested in it,” says Branko who will perform 10 pieces for the ‘Choral Nite 2012’. “The theme for this year’s performance is ‘We move the world’. The song aims to connect all the world’s choral singers together,” says Branko.
The choral music artist who has worked with choral musician groups in 18 countries feels that some of the Asian choral groups are better than those in Europe. “It is a honour for me to join hands with Rock of Ages. I want to make this art similar to London symphony orchestra.” However, he feels that India lacks quality trainers. “More awareness about choral music is needed and am happy that such an initiative is coming from groups like Rock of Ages.”
Kochiites can watch Branko Star performing at Choral Nite 2012 from 7 pm at Fine Arts Hall.
The musical extravaganza by Rock of Ages will also see Godwin Figueiredo accompanied by Godwin’s orchestra performing to pop, country western, western classical, Hindi, Malayalam and Tamil film hits of R D Burman, Illayaraja and Salil Chowdary.
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