Members of The Nagaland Chamber Choir performing their theme song, “As long as I have music,” during the grand reception, organised in their honour, at the Dimapur airport on July 19. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 19
The Nagaland Chamber Choir (TNCC) returned home this afternoon, to a deserved grand reception organised by civil society groups, churches and well-wishers at Dimapur Airport on July 19. Despite the unrelenting summer heat, the welcome accorded to the TNCC was a sight to behold as church members and families presented them with bouquets, tokens, holding out banners, and placards.
“We feel so good to be home,” said Dr Lima Pongen, Coordinator TNCC, overwhelmed with the enormous love accorded to them.
The Nagaland Chamber Choir (TNCC) representing India at the 12th World Choir Games achieved extraordinary feat by clinching not one but two gold medals at the highly acclaimed competition which culminated on July 13 in Gangneung, South Korea.
They competed in the champions’ category in Mixed Chamber Choir and Contemporary Choral Music which won them the two gold medals. TNCC performed four songs each in both the categories.
Of the 46 countries that partook in the world’s biggest choir competition, 324 choirs participated in the event. Acknowledging the immense support from different quarters of the society in their choir journey, Hito Kiho, choral conductor, dedicated the victory to the people of Nagaland and India.
When The Morung Express queried on how the team managed the funding for the entire trip, Kiho said that the 30-member choir managed their expenses primarily through self-sponsorship, with financial contributions from the local churches, individuals and family members. This included fund-raise initiated by the senior members of TNCC. He expressed his gratitude to the core team of seniors who skipped their sleeping hours by personally going “door-to-door,” for raising the required funds for the team.
Dr Pongen, Coordinator TNCC, meanwhile, highlighted that the financial support allowed them to cover registration fees and their stay during the competition, while adding that the cost of travelling to South Korea was borne by the choir members themselves. Nonetheless, the team expressed gratitude to God for helping them achieve this feat, which was by no means ‘ordinary,’ and involved sacrifices, sweat and tears along the way.
Kiho also said it was inspiring to hear that some choirs were entirely sponsored by their government, as they introduced themselves as a “government-based choir.” “In the future, we really look forward that our government will also initiate some steps so as to strengthen, help and groom the serious school-based, classically-trained music here in Nagaland,” he added.
For one of the choir members, Veseta Rhakho, this was the second time he was participating in a global platform. “There are no befitting words to describe the entire experience,” he gushed. Not forgetting the trials and challenges they faced over the last six months, he credited their achievement to “God’s faithfulness.”
Rhakho also revealed that the 30-member choir team, with age group ranging from as young as 18 to 50-year-olds, came from different working professions yet connected by the love of music. Maintaining that the Nagas have an innate musical talent, he believed that TNCC’s participation and success in the international platform will motivate and guide more budding artists to etch a name for themselves along with the rest of the world.
“We have learned a lot through this journey and in due time, we will be sharing it to all of you,” added the team.
