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‘When A Child Is Born’, by Shillong Chamber Choir

A fitting way to remember the choir’s loving guardian, Uncle Neil

Celebrated composer, conductor and Padma Shri awardee Neil Nongkynrih, who founded the Shillong Chamber Choir in 2001 passed away this week. Uncle Neil, as he was lovingly known by his choir had arranged the score for several powerful covers and renditions performed by Shillong Chamber Choir over thee years. The group also won the second season of India’s Got Talent in 2010. 

For the 2013 Shillong Choir Festival, Nongkynrih re-arranged the music for the choir’s cover performance of the popular festive number When a child is born. The late conductor himself played the synthesizer during the intro to accompany the chorus. The 5:11-minute performance received a long, spirited applause from the audience. “Uncle Neil was the life force of our world, a towering personality whose music, through the choir he so fondly nurtured, reached the ears of Presidents, Prime Ministers, Ambassadors and some of the biggest names in the worlds of sports, culture, business, music and film,” the choir said in their statement.