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Annual Meetings




Third Annual Meeting

2004 Annual Meeting was held at St. Anne's Monastery, Kurianad, Kottayam, on August 21, 2004. The meeting was part of a musical pilgrimage to the burial place of Fr. Abel Periyappuram, CMI (1920-2001).


Fr. Abel Periyappuram, CMI (1920-2001). Photo by K. S. Prasad, Kalabhavan, August 22, 2001.

The morning session started with an offering of flowers at the tomb of Fr. Abel. James Aerthayil, President, Kalabhavan, presented a paper on the literary and musical contributions of Fr. Abel to Kerala. Paul Poovathingal, Director, Chetana Sangeetha Natya Academy, evaluated the compositions of K. K. Antony, Kanamkudam, the first Music Director of Kalabhavan. The afternoon session started with the screening of a documentary film on Fr. Abel, produced and directed by K. S. Prasad. This was followed by Sangeethaarchana in the monastery chapel open for the public. Joseph Palackal, President of the Society, spoke in homage to Fr. Abel, and along with Cicily Anil performed three of Fr. Abel's devotional songs composed by K. K. Antony. George Panjara, Kumbalam Babu Raj, and Paul Poovathingal performed their own compositions in Karnatak classical music style. Cherian Kunianthodath, Vice President, welcomed the gathering, and Sheila Kannath, Secretary, proposed the vote of thanks.




Second Annual Meeting

The second annual meeting was held at Acharya Palackal Jeevass Kendram, Aluva, on July 28, 2001. Dr. Thomas D'Sa (director, NBCLC, Bangalore) delivered the keynote address on The Role of Music and Dance in Christian Faith Formation in India. In the afternoon session, Joseph Valiyaveettil presented a paper on The Celebration of Faith through Traditional Christian Performing Arts among the Latin Catholics in Kerala. The presentation was accompanied by performance of various Christian music genres popular among the Latin Catholics by the members of Krupasanam, a performing arts centre in Alappuzha.

Joseph Palackal, president, welcomed the gathering; Sheila Kannath, secretary, presented the report of the activities of the Society during 2000-01; and Cherian Kunianthodath, General Convener, proposed vote of thanks.


First Annual Meeting

The first annual meeting of the Society was held at Acharya Palackal Jeevass Kendram, Aluva, Kerala, on July 8, 2000. Joseph Palackal, the President of the Society, welcomed the gathering and introduced the topic for the meeting: Indian Classical Music and Christian Inculturation. In his keynote address, Paul Poovathingal, a research scholar in the Dept. of Music, University of Madras, surveyed the history of the dialogue between Indian musical traditions and Christian faith. He reviewed the contributions of Mayuram Vedanayakam Pillai, Vedanayakam Sastriyar, Abraham Panditar, and Moses Vatsalam Shastriar. He also highlighted the compositions of contemporary Vaggeyakaras, especially, George Panjara. In his response to the keynote address, Prof. George S. Paul, executive member of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Academy, traced the evolution of Indian classical music and explained how spirituality has been the bedrock of this system.

In the afternoon session Sheila Kannath presented a paper on Bhajana: The Heritage of Indian Spirituality. She traced the development of bhajana during the Vaishnavite Movement spearheaded by Madhavacharya. She also made a survey of bhajana tradition among Christians in India. Antony Urulianickal, director of Nadopasana, Thodupuzha, and Kurian Puthenpurackal shared their experiences of using Bhajans as a model for congregational singing.

The occasion also marked the releasing of a pre-recorded cassette produced by the Society, Sreeyesukeerthanam: Christian Classical Music Concert by George Panjara. Bishop Thomas Chakkiath, the Chairman of the Media Commission for the Kerala Catholic Bishop's Conference (KCBC), released the cassette by giving the first copy to Dr. Thomas C. Kandathil. Cherian Kunianthodath, the General Convener of the Society, proposed vote of thanks. The meeting was followed by a concert of Christian classical music by George Panjara.