Songs of harmony: Over 200 students perform in city fest

For two days, it was music in the air at International School of Hyderabad, Patancheru. Over 200 enthusiastic students from nine schools across the city were learning and performing under one roof as part of the Hyderabad Schools Choral Festival, which ended on Saturday with a gala concert.

The choirs were trained by renowned orchestra conductor Dr Santiago Lusardi Girelli, who directed the massed choir. Dr Iryna Tsarenko, musical coordinator at ISH, spearheaded the entire festival.

The theme of the event was peace; with students singing Mahatma Gandhi’s I offer you peace, For the Beauty of the Earth by F.S. Pierpoint and John Rutter, and Rock Star by Ian Axel and Chad Vaccarino.

“We didn’t know what to expect going into the event but what we are taking back from the event is so much more. The whole experience was amazing and fun. No matter where we are from, we all had one thing in common and that is our love for music!” say students from the Hyderabad Public School.

“We really loved the experience of learning new songs. The teachers were very friendly. We thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity; nothing could have been better,” excited students from the Chirec International School share.

“This whole experience was fun; we can’t wait for the next choral festival! We all sang in such a great harmony,” students from Nasr Girls School explain.

“It was amazing, innovative and new experience. Everyone was so friendly and nice to work with. The solo singing session was a highlight; we got to discover new talents and see other people showcase their singing strengths,” added students from Delhi Public School.

Choirs from Meridian School, Aga Khan Academy, Green Gables International and the OctaFret Music Academy were also part of the musical extravaganza.