Coimbatore Chamber Chorale’s Brass Rhapsody evening

Western Classical music, though still a niche art form for many in India, has been slowly finding its place among discerning listeners. In Coimbatore, that revival has been led steadily and passionately by a group of dedicated musicians who believe deeply in the genre’s beauty and relevance.

The Coimbatore Chamber Chorale (CCC), a 50-member ensemble, founded in 2011 by Faith Ragland, its artistic director and conductor, take this ambition forward by regularly bringing Western Classical music to a wider audience, especially the younger generation.

Members of the English Brass Collective, a professional five-member ensemble from the UK.
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

This season, it is an exciting collaboration with Brass Rhapsody, a concert that aims to introduce audiences to the power and versatility of brass music. The event features the English Brass Collective, a professional five-member ensemble from the UK.

The performers, Stuart Bower, James Stretton, Ken Brown, Hugh Pascal and George Hardwick, bring with them years of experience and a dynamic approach to brass performance. “It is not a regular form of music,” Faith says, describing the unique sound of a brass collective. When different brass instruments come together, the genre becomes incredibly flexible. “You can play classical, you can play jazz, you can play blues,” he explains, highlighting the wide expressive range the concert promises.

The English Brass Collective is performing in Chennai earlier in the week before arriving in Coimbatore. Because they will reach the city just a day before the concert, rehearsal time is expected to be tight.

“We have only a limited window to put everything together,” Faith says. Despite the challenge, he remains confident that CCC will ensure a seamless musical experience.

For Brass Rhapsody, the five-member brass ensemble will lead the performance, while the CCC and a supporting string orchestra will join them for select pieces. Faith shares that the concert blends multiple styles, making it interesting even for listeners new to Western Classical music. “It brings different kinds of music into one space,” he says. The event marks another step to expand the city’s musical horizon.

Faith attributes much of the group’s growth to discipline, a core value of the choir. He has spent years working closely with choristers to refine vowel placement, diction and tonal balance.

From the earlier performances
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The result is a sound that is both pure and unified, drawing from the strengths of young, competent musicians and seasoned singers. Their commitment has earned them the distinction of being the first choir from Coimbatore to clear the Silver Choral Assessment by Trinity College, London a milestone that showcases their technical finesse.

Over the last decade, CCC has explored a vast repertoire drawn from the Baroque and Classical eras, while also embracing sacred works through their regular church singing. From a cappella polyphony to evening vespers, their performances reflect rigorous training and an ear for musical detail.

CCC conducts three major concerts every year, each designed to introduce audiences to different shades of Western Classical tradition.

However, building and sustaining such initiatives comes with challenges. Artist-friendly venues with good acoustics are still limited in Coimbatore, making it difficult to stage performances that require specific sound requirements.

Sponsorship is another hurdle. Since Western Classical music is still an emerging genre for many, financial support remains low. “But talent is never a problem,” Faith stresses. “We have plenty of gifted young musicians and singers. What we need is more support from the community.”

In a city where Western Classical music is still evolving, concerts like Brass Rhapsody by Faith and his ensemble continue to draw audiences into a world of harmony, tradition and musical excellence at a time.

On January 30 at COINDIA Auditorium, Krishnarayapuram, Illango Nagar, from 7pm onwards. Tickets are available on BookMyShow. For details, call 8879867824

Published – March 02, 2026 05:27 pm IST