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Mumbai alumni`s Salesian songs get world premiere
News written by: C. M. Paul
Rome, 17 January 2021: A unique music project which united three continents: Asia, Europe and North America, and three countries: Italy, India, Canada, over a span of ten years had its world premiere at the first on-line and 39th Salesian Family Spirituality Days which took place in Rome, 15 to 17 January 2021.
The Salesian Family SongFest music album of 17 songs dedicated to Salesian saints was premiered in Rome on Saturday 16 January 2021, says South Asia General Councilor Fr Biju Michael.
The English language album was produced between May and December during the Covid-19 lockdown and restrictions.
``This is our labour of love, for the education we received in the Salesian institutions,`` says master brain behind the orchestration, execution and recording, Roney Gomes who is an alumnus of Don Bosco, Lonavla.
His wife Mylene Gomes, an alumna of Auxilium Wadala adds, ``this is an extremely rare production, produced in the rarest and most difficult circumstances and, may I add, with sentiments of pure gratitude to Don Bosco and Mary Mazzarello.``
The family, including son Myron (an alumnus of Don Bosco Matunga) sang all 17 songs in their home studio at Wadala, Mumbai, due to the impossibility of inviting professionals under the given circumstances.
The musical score (which can be downloaded under the video on Youtube) was compiled by another Salesian alumnus Jay Franco, who lives in Toronto, Canada back in 2018, when Fr. Joaquim Fernandes was the director of Tejprasarini, Don Bosco Communications, Matunga, Mumbai.
The score was written after the first 13 songs were recorded in time for the visit of the relics of Don Bosco to the Mumbai province in 2011. At that time, the recording of the remaining 17 songs were postponed to an indefinite date.
The lyrics of the songs are in English and were written by various Salesians of the Mumbai province over the years.
Dr. (Fr.) Peter Gonsalves of the Social Communications Faculty at Salesian University Rome is the director of the project and the translator of the Italian and Spanish songs.
The recorded songs of the album synchronize with the lyrics on the video screen to enable an active sing-along audience participation.
The video SALESIAN FAMILY SONGFEST may be found on YouTube at `godstillloves` and the Music Score can be downloaded from the link below the video. END
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