The spotlight was turned on the Shillong Chamber Choir last year when it won the top prize on a talent show on television

When the Shillong Chamber Choir rocked India to a melodious rendition of Ajeeb dastaan hai yeh and walked away with the top prize at the reality show, India’s Got Talent (IGT) 2010, they did a thing or two for Indian choirs. For one, they turned the spotlight firmly on the choirs that have their hands full from singing at the Olympics to recording for award-winning movies and enjoying their day in the sun on YouTube. And you thought that choral singing happened only in church.

The Shillong Chamber Choir (SCC) started in 2001. Its founder, Neil Nong-kynrih, a concert pianist who’d worked in Europe for 13 years, returned to Meghalaya and felt the need to tap the musical talent there. With a repertoire ranging from jazz to pop and even rock, the group came into the arc lights — and stayed there. “We were surprised by the recognition and love we received during and after IGT,” says Damon Lyndem, manager and singer, SCC. The group, that funded itself at first, now charges up to Rs 8.5 lakh for a concert.

The Stop-Gaps Choral Ensemble does it differently by choreographing its performances and donning vibrant outfits to pep up its shows

Indian choirs are going places, armed with their love for experimentation. The Stop-Gaps Choral Ensemble of Mumbai, for instance, adds dance steps and vibrant costumes to jazz up their shows.

They’ve sung Happy Birthday to Pope John Paul II in front of 25,000 people at St. Peter’s Square in Rome and today even have a website (http://thestopgaps.com/) and Youtube videos.

Founded in 1984 by conductor, Alfred J. D’Souza, Stop-Gaps began singing choral music to raise funds for the poor during Christmas. Today, the choir has 52 members and is considered one of the country’s best.

The Delhi Choir Program (DCP) is also singing for a cause. David Conrad Linus, an entrepreneur, founded DCP in 2009 with friends Mithilesh Baraily and Margaret Otu to spread awareness about relevant issues. They began inviting participation over Facebook (www.facebook.com/delhichoir) and now rehearse at David’s house. The trio pays for refreshments while the performances help collect funds. The group now has 35 to 40 regular singers.

The Madras Musical Association performed at the Pantheon in Rome last year

Even though none of the groups are attached to churches, many, like Classic Hymns and Choirs, uphold the tradition of choral singing. The DCP also performs Christmas carols at this time of the year.

Binu Joshua Thomas, in Chennai, brought the best choirs of the city together when he formed the 150-voice group, Classic Hymns and Choirs. The group, which already has four albums, is now poised to release the fifth.

The range of genres being covered is surprising too. While DCP’s most popular number is its version of the carol Jingle Bell Rock, SCC’s best known for Yeh dosti from Sholay. D’Souza of Stop Gaps says, “Though Silent Night is a beautiful song, we sing everything from Bach to The Beatles and more.”

And the choirs are only getting bigger. The 116-year-old Madras Musical Association (MMA) counts its shows in Rome for a papal audience in a church and at the Pantheon in 2010 among its best moments.

Started by expatriates with a musical bent, the self-funded MMA evolved from singing Western classical to rock, pop and even rap. Last year, Tanvi Shah, a member, won a Grammy for co-writing the Slumdog Millionaire song, Jai ho!. “Though she’s moved to Mumbai, she still drops by when she’s in town,” says Ravi Santosham, director, MMA, which is now preparing for the 2012 Pre-Olympic cultural show in London.

The Delhi Choir Program raises funds for worthy causes through its performances. Pix: Jagan Negi

But that’s not all. If SCC’s performed at a presidential banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan in honour of US President Barack Obama in 2010, DCP’s been generating funds for Dr Graham’s Home, a school in Kalimpong for impoverished Anglo-Indian children.

And if non-church exposure is anything to go by, Mumbai-based children’s choir The Gleehive is getting noticed in a big way. Started by Celeste Cordo in 1997, it takes nominal donations from parents and rehearsals are held at Celeste’s home. The choir is best known for singing Mera Jahan in Taare Zameen Par and the background vocals in Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours.

Bollywood’s come calling for SCC too. Music director Shankar Mahadevan says, “They’re truly perfect.” The group performed with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy at the Global Indian Music Awards this year. And the trio’s planning projects with SCC in mind.

Meanwhile, Stop Gaps has been organising the Festival of Festive Music in Mumbai for 25 years now and D’Souza wants to host the first international choral festival in India. In Delhi, DCP’s David’s setting up a website and wants to sell merchandise.

Clearly, Indian choirs have gone mainstream. And their fans are taking notice and raising their voices in a collective Hallelujah!