MALAWI: CHANCO Alumni Choir Synodizing the Church in Malawi
Sam Kalimba
The University of Malawi’s Alumni Association Catholic Choir popularly known as Chanco Alumni Choir a name that originates from an acronym, Chancellor College, a former constituent college of the University of Malawi is living the synodality in many aspects. This Reporter captures the journey that the choir has travelled until it launched her recent two albums last Sunday in Lilongwe.
The beginning
According to a Mr. Fasho Matita, the group’s Organizing Secretary, the choir started on 17 June 2017 when the parent alumni association was just being formed at the Maula cathedral Parish. He said that the Chancellor College Catholic Alumni Association was a vision that was being harboured by the late prelate of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, His Grace Gervazio Tarcizius Ziyaye who wanted to have a graduate association for Catholics in Malawi.
Mr. Matita said that those that were available responded to the call by convening meetings that necessitated the formation of the association. He further narrated that being a Catholic based graduate grouping, Mass was necessary to mark the launch of the Association. He said that it was the necessity for Mass that triggered the need to have a choir for the Liturgy. He said that it was at this point that some talented individuals within the association volunteered to form a once off choir just to lead in the liturgy during the launch of their association.
Mission
Mr. Matita said that it was the way the makeup shift choir led the congregants at Mass that made His Grace late Ziyaye to declare it a Catholic choir and requested the members to carry on the mission and be a model Catholic Choir in the country. He said that the late Archbishop was happy with the singing and encouraged them to remain as a choir.
Participation
The Chanco Alumni Choir participates in the Church. According to our informant, the choir has moved around parishes in the country to provide liturgy services during Mass for various occasions including their subsequent annual general meetings that have always taken place at the University of Malawi campus in the eastern Malawi, Zomba City. He said that the choir has produced songs that have always hit the country’s Catholic Media airwaves, in homes and personal computers evangelizing and accompanying the Church through music.
Communion
The Choir includes in its activities, prayers for the deceased members and consolation to the bereaved families as part of fulfilling the unity of the Church among those living and the dead. This was evident during the mentioned launch of two albums when a song was performed in honour of their two departed members and certificates of great honour were presented to the bereaved family members.
Musical composition
“The common denominator behind the multiplicity of the compositions in the two albums revolves around participation in the mission of the Catholic synod, local and global. They harmonically reflect the different voices of God speaking to each of the individual members of the (church) community. Songs such as Chokele (go away from me), Wandituma (He has sent me), and others are a true reflection of the many important decisions that the community and its members make consequential to the discernment of what the Spirit speaks to each one of them, such as discerning the deceptive urges of the devil and decide to disengage him,” said Matita.
He further said that the songs are a call to individuals to discover and live the synodal church in our local communities by journeying together through the Communion, Participation, and Mission.
“The multiplicity of language, genre and musical touch in the two albums resonates quite squarely with the synodal call to the different tribes and races within our local community to walk the same road together. As encapsulated in Mulemejwe, wearing dissimilar faces, we all reflect the same Creator and are therefore called to reflect together towards renewing our ways and community,” he said.
He said that the songs call on the community back to its original roots of solidarity, and encourage and support the entire People of God – lay, religious or clergy – to respond to their baptismal invitation to participate in the mission of God. He said that they are a gospel-based interpretation of the signs of our time, and a response to the needs of the people.
“Together, we call upon our Lord to calm the geopolitical, cultural and economic storms of our present time whilst joyfully accepting the invitation to participate in God’s mission,” said Matita.
The launch
The choir launched two albums with a total of 33 spiritual songs with a live performance backed by Alleluia Band. At the event, the guest of honour was a veteran Catholic from the Diocese of Mangochi, who gave his personal land to the Church for Construction of a Church building and a healthy facility in around 80’s.
“Our Guest of Honour Mr. Kingston a deep routed Catholic who has raised his children as Catholics of substance. He lived the Synodal theme from his past. He contributed in the construction of a Church building at Koche in Mangochi apart from the land he gave freely to the Church. He inspires our Choir and we are encouraged that he says our choir inspires him. At his old age, he likes our song that talks about what will happen when our souls will meet the Judge in a lonely atmosphere,” said Matita.
Other dignitaries that attended the function include the hosting Parish Priest and the State Vice President Dr. Saulos Clause Chilima.
The Choir has members from across the sectors including senior government officials such as ministry directors, lawyers from both the private and public institutions, social scientists, university lecturers in various faculties including music, economists, teachers, politicians and public administrators among others.
