Newman Choir ... in Mumbai

N Carneiro Alphonso has a recent update (The Examiner, Sept 10, 2005) on the Newman Choir, founded by the late Fr J B Fernandes, after the 38th International Eucharistic Congress in 1964 "from amongst the members of massed choirs".

Norma writes: "When he retired in 1986, it ceased to exist. However, to continue his good work of propagating sacred music, in 1999, his friends and former choir members founded the Fr J B Fernandes Sacred Music Foundation that presented many choral programmes in churches [in Mumbai] by several other choirs from June 2001".

We're told that the Fr JB's own Newman Choir was revived the next year and "since then, under the baton of Dr Rohan D'Souza, it has very successfully given concerts at the Tata Theatre and St Andrew's Auditorium in Bandra, besides Lenten programmes in churches" and "it has now established itself as a major choral ensemble in the music life of our city [Mumbai], which has its distinctive identity of presenting only sacred music".

Currently, the choir consists of 80 members "of all ages and includes professionals and students". They meet every Sunday evening for rehearsal. Thanks for the update!