Union Minister of State for External Affairs, M J Akbar who is in Shillong on Tuesday said that Meghalaya’s rich music was creating waves across the globe as well as the country and has been on a goodwill mission for the State.
Interacting with media in Shillong on Tuesday, he said that Meghalaya’s musical tradition is already known across the country as well as several parts of the world as the choirs of the State were now very much part of Indian Council for Cultural Relations international music and cultural diplomacy.
Also read: Union Minister MJ Akbar in Shillong, meets Meghalaya CM
Notably, Shillong Chamber Choir has brought laurels to the State on several occasions by performing in different countries across the world.
The Shillong Chamber Choir, founded in 2001 by Neil Nongkynrih is a multi-genre choir which shot to national fame after winning the reality TV show ‘India’s Got Talent’ in 2010.
The same year also saw the choir being awarded three gold awards at the sixth World Choir Games for Musical Sacra, Gospel and Popular Music.
They also performed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the then visiting President of the United States, Barak Obama and Michelle Obama.
Recently, Aroha Junior Choir , another upcoming choir group topped in the International A Capella Group category in Wales.
The choir has students from various schools, communities and churches in Shillong, with an assortment ranging from sacred, classical music, the folk music of India and of diverse nationalities, regions and cultures, secular works, to contemporary popular and jazz songs.