Home-grown a cappella group's Tamil medley goes viral online
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The a cappella group comprises (from left) undergraduate Ang Yi Feng, legal counsel Charmaine Loh, marketing and customer relationship manager Dionne Lim, choral conductor and a cappella trainer Cherie Chai, choral conductor Choy Siew Woon, and social worker Hewlett Chew.
PHOTO: 1023
Tee Zhuo
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SINGAPORE - Ahead of National Day, a home-grown a cappella group's medley of popular Tamil songs Munnaeru Vaalibaa and Singai Naadu has gone viral online.
A video of 1023's (pronounced "ten twenty-three") number posted to Facebook on Sunday evening had over 20,000 views and 400 shares as of 6pm on Monday.
Here's the twist: While all of the performers are Singaporean, none of them are native Tamil speakers. All six members are ethnic Chinese.
In a statement on Monday (July 23), the group said that A Tamil Medley - Munnaeru Vaalibaa x Singai Naadu is meant as a tribute to Singapore's cultural diversity.
Mr Ang Yi Feng, 24, the group's tenor, said that music has the ability to bring people together regardless of race, language, or religion.
"This medley gives us an opportunity to explore the beauty of Singaporean Indian music and reminds us of how fortunate we are to enjoy a colourful array of cultures here," the final-year undergraduate at the Singapore Management University said.
Prior to recording, members of the group, which was formed in 2015, were also careful to check their pronunciation with their Tamil-speaking friends to avoid butchering the lyrics.
The medley is also the first-known Singaporean contemporary a cappella arrangement to incorporate konnakkol, a form of Indian Carnatic vocal percussive music.
In order to faithfully interpret the art form, 1023's music director and vocal percussionist Cherie Chai, 30, even took private Skype lessons from B.R. Somashekar Jois, who runs a konnakkol school in Bangalore, India. Ms Chai, who is still enrolled in the school, is its first Singaporean student.
The group's other members are soprano Dionne Lim, 32, mezzo-soprano Choy Siew Woon, 31, alto Charmaine Loh, 31, and bass Hewlett Chew, 28.
Apart from Mr Ang, the rest of the members hold full-time jobs in music education, marketing, legal work and social work.
A Tamil Medley will also be performed in two sets at the a cappella group's next public show on Aug 12 at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre, at 7pm and 8.15pm.
