SHILLONG: The Aroha Junior Choir passed the choral auditions for the 71st Choral competition in Llangollen, Wales to be held from July 2 to 8, 2018 in which they will compete with more than 40 choirs with over 4000 participants.
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Pauline Warjri, president of Aroha Music and Cultural Society, said, “It is the first time that a choir from India is going. We need to put Shillong on the map.”
She added that the children have been training from December while also raising funds to go to United Kingdom (UK) as 20 children will be going to UK.
“We will need to raise at least Rs 40 lakh,” she said adding that they have been able to raise only half the amount.
Warjri said that a food fest will be held at All Saints’ Hall on Saturday while at the same time, they are holding fund raising concerts while drawing the attention of the public and government to come forward to support the choir.
According to her, it is not only about singing but for the children to lead disciplined lives as the training for the Choir competition was vigorous.
Through the Choral competition, she said that the children can interact with different members of choirs from all over the world.
Warjri informed that the Aroha Choir is competing in the open category, the folk category and Acapella section.
Meanwhile, a father of a child participating in the event said, “It is not about singing but to raise children as good citizens.”