All about Christmas carol services at Madurai’s oldest institutions

All about Christmas carol services at Madurai’s oldest institutions

Christmas is almost upon us, and Madurai’s festive spirit is palpable. One of the most cherished traditions of the festival is carol services. These events, organised by various institutions and organisations, bring communities together through music.

The festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, first held on Christmas eve in 1880 at Truro Cathedral in Cornwall, England, is the earliest and the most renowned carol service. Initiated by Bishop Edward White Benson, it has become an annual tradition across the globe.

“Carol service is a joyful occasion in our institution. It involves the entire college community, their family and friends,” says Jessie Ranjitha Jebaselvi C, associate pofessor of English and chaplain of Lady Doak College, Madurai. “Every year, we choose a theme for our carol service and this year, it is ‘Jesus, the Prince of Peace’ . After two months of practice, the institution’s student choir, teaching and nonteaching staff choir, and children’s choir will come together with a setlist including both traditional and contemporary singles.

The highlight of this year’s service is a performance by Manipuri students and the children’s choir comprising children of both the faculty members and non-teaching staff. “The first carol service at Lady Doak was held on December 24, 1958 in the newly-built chapel. As years passed, to accommodate all our well-wishers, we started hosting the service in the JX Miller Auditorium,” says the chaplain. “The setlist for this year’s service has been conscientiously prepared and we are excited to showcase the Manipuri song as a highlight on December 14,” adds Priyatharsini Rajendran, head and associate professor of zoology and the choir in-charge.

The YWCA of Madurai started in 1936 is known for conducting one of the most notable carol services in Madurai at The American College’s Jubilee Chapel. The YWCA of Madurai Choristers is an inclusive team with members from different professional backgrounds. They have been performing for more than two decades.

“I have always seen the YWCA as a place to meet and interact with people from different walks of life. From doctors, lawyers, school teachers to professors, we have a mixed crowd,” reflects Gladious Guna Ranjini, assistant professor of Fatima College and a member of YWCA. Founded by Grace Kennett, the organisation is committed to enabling and empowering women and girls, while promoting their development through the years.

“The carol service by YWCA Madurai Choristers will represent music from different eras namely the Reformation period of the 15th century, Romantic era of the 18th century and carols composed beyond the 20th century. The carols may differ in musical style but carry the message on the story of the birth of Jesus Christ into this world,” says the choir director.

This year’s performances are directed by J Daniel Dawson followed by the Christmas message by R Beulah Jayashree, principal and secretary of Lady Doak College. YWCA’s carol service will kick off the month’s festivities, to be followed by programmes from various other institutions and organisations. “Carols are timeless, spreading happiness among everyone. I’m looking forward to good melodies in the upcoming YWCA carol service,” says Beulah.

For more than thirty years, the Jubilee Chapel of The American College has been hosting one of the city’s much awaited services of Christmas readings and carols. In its early years, the annual musical spectacle saw participation from students of nearby colleges, including Madurai Medical College. Prof. Christopher Sherwood (retd.) has been leading the college choir for nearly thirty years, with Freddy Divakaran joining him for the past decade.

Currently, the choir consists of both students and faculty of the college. “Every year, preparations for the event will start in September with singing auditions. Shortlisted students christened as choristers will then be stratified into voice sections such as sopranos, altos, tenors and basses according to their vocal timbres and ranges,” says Freddy who is assistant professor of Business Administration, The American College. “While last year’s carol service featured only traditional Christmas carols in Tamil and English, this year will have musical compositions from a variety of genres ranging from traditional hymns and keerthanais to contemporary songs and arrangements that resound with the renewed claddings of classical English carols,” he adds.

Timings for the carol service: American College Satellite Campus on December 7 (6pm), American College Main Campus December 15 (6pm); YWCA on December 8 (6pm) at The Jubilee Chapel, American College; and Lady Doak College December 14 (6pm) at Lady Doak College.