| Fr. J.B. Fernandes Sacred Music Foundation

The Origin of the Newman Choir

The Newman Choir grew out of the 38^th International Eucharist Congress held in Bombay in December 1964. Prior to that miniature Eucharistic Congresses were held for the Deaneries and individual parishes to prepare their people to participate in the Congress. The Eucharistic Congress Choir (Bombay, India, November 28^th - December 6^th 1964) gave evidence of the power latent in sacred song to move hearts and to enlighten minds, and speaking generally, to educate the masses to feel and to experience God.

After the Eucharistic Congress some members of that choir decided to continue to contribute to the good that they had seen effected by such choral singing. That desire, to continue their contribution to the spiritual life of the city of Bombay, was the origin of the Newman Choir under the able direction of Fr J.B.

The choir was known as the Newman Choir for two reasons:

To perpetuate the memory of the 38^th International Eucharistic Congress whose aim had been to help to create a NEW MAN in every man.
To acknowledge its debt to the Newman Institute of Religious Culture (Director: Fr. Parmananda Divakar, S.J., which had taken the then infant choir subject like all infants to the travails of survival in an inclement world under its protection and care.

The choir has given many concerts on the public stage, in churches, on radio and TV, from its inception until 1988 when it was temporarily disbanded. There were many music cassettes also produced during this period.

Some performances include:

Mozart's "Vesparae Sollemnes"
Schubert's "Mass in G"
"Song of the Bride"
"The Seven Last Words"
"Sing my soul"
"Once upon a Christmas"
"Olivet to Calvary"
"Behold your King"
"Goa Sings"
"Tribute to the Trinity"
"Night of Miracles"

Fr.J.B. Fernandes Sacred Music Foundation:

Missionaries through Music

In July 1999, the parishioners of St. Peter's Church, Bandra, his friends and well wishers, set up the Fr.J.B. Fernandes Sacred Music Foundation. It was created to promote traditional and classical sacred music, which was so dear to Fr. J.B.

Mission Statement:
The NEWMAN CHOIR is a group of people who came together 40 years ago, under the initiative of Fr. J.B. Fernandes S.J. for the specific purpose of offering to the people of the Bombay the rich blessing of hearing sacred choral music. They offer programmes of sacred music in public halls, over the radio, on the TV and in Churches. It was for Fr. J.B. a priestly ministry, of proclaiming the Word of God through music and song and for the members of the choir an opportunity to participate in the Christian mission of witnessing Christ and His message.

Aims and Objects of the Foundation:

To promote sacred music, classical, traditional and modern, as promoted by Fr. J.B. Fernandes s.j. by
a) The formation of a choir/coral group
b) Arranging musical and coral programmes
c) Recording and promoting audio cassettes of sacred music
To compile and establish a sacred music library in all languages
To offer/sponsor training opportunities to promising singers, organists, violinists and conductors
To organize charitable concerts, musical programmes and performances for the benefit of the handicapped and the under-privileged regardless of caste, creed or religion
To train and assist musicians and persons interested in sacred music - Indian and Western.
To encourage new sacred music compositions, both vocal and instrumental
To do all such other lawful acts, deeds or things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of any of the above objectives including accepting donations

The Foundation's first programme:
On 17th June 2001, the Foundation organized its first programme of "An Evening of Sacred Music" at St. Peter's Church, Bandra. Subsequently, similar programmes involving various choral groups from the city were presented in different churches. Fr. J.B. Fernandes left us on 29th June 2002, however efforts by the foundation to revive the Choir finally bore fruits with its revival in August 2002.

Revival of The Newman Choir:

The foundation appointed Dr Rohan D'souza as the Conductor of the newly revived Newman Choir.

Dr. Rohan is a practicing Obstetrician and Gynecologist. His profound knowledge of music and his versatility in the interpretation and execution of Western classical, modern and Indian music has made him immensely popular as a conductor. He has conducted many choral groups at prestigious theatres, auditoria and churches in and around the city.

Performances

'Tribute to the Trinity' - Bill Flanders and John Coates (Cantata)
- January 2003
- Venue: Tata Theatre, NCPA and also St. Andrews Auditorium, Bandra.
'How Great Thou Art'
- December 2003
- Venue: Tata Theatre, NCPA and also St. Andrews Auditorium, Bandra.
(A programme consisting of a tasteful blend of celebrated works through the ages, incorporating masterpieces by Palestina, Bach, Handel, Mozart and others, as well as a collection of lilting Negro spirituals, Gospel Jazz and Blues and contemporary music.)
Olivet to Calvary - J.H. Maunder (Lenten Cantata)
- February/March 2004 (five concerts in major Churches of Mumbai)
- Venue:
a) St. Peter's Church, Bandra
b) Holy Family Church, Chakala
c) St. Francis of Assissi Chapel, Borivali
d) Afghan Church, Colaba
e) Don Bosco's Shrine, Matunga

iv.

‘Let Us Exalt Him’
‘40 Years of Praise’

The Newman Choir celebrated its 40th anniversary this year. The choir accompanied by the B.P. Chamber Orchestra performed "Let us Exalt Him" a programme of Western Classical and modern music. Bach's Magnificat and Gounod's Mass featured in this programme. After crossing the Red Sea the Israelites wanted to exalt the Lord, the Newman Choir makes the words of the Israelites their own, in this concert entitled Let us exalt Him.

To mark the 40th Anniversary of the Eucharistic Congress the Newman choir gave a short performance at Don Bosco's Church on the December 5th, 2004.

vi.

In 2005, during the holy season of Lent, the Newman choir visited different churches and performed "Olivet to Calvary".