World's best choir in Nairobi for charity

Kenyans will have a Musical treat from World's renowned Korean Gracias Choir who are visiting the country this month for charity.

Each year, the award winning classical choir stages concerts in collaboration with Russia's Saint Petersburg State Conservatory and visits over 30 countries to perform for the youth.

The choir has received world recognition and has performed in top world established venues such as the Sydney Opera House, New York's Madison Square Garden and the Haydn Hall in Eisenstadt, Austria.

The Choir of a hundred members is on an initiative to address hopelessness, drug abuse, radicalization among the Kenyan youth through their music.

Speaking to The Standard, Gracias Choir Manager Yohan Kim says Kenyans can have a turnaround through listening to classical music and having the right mindset.

Kim says the difference with classical music is that it calms the mind and the heart and helps listeners channel their mind at positive things.

"When you listen to music with fast rhythm like rap and metal rock the heart is inclined to be aggressive leading to unproductivity among the listeners," he said.

According to Kim the choir has mastered the art of capturing the youth's hearts through classical music.

Kim says after capturing their minds and calming their hearts the choir involves the youths in focusing on making their lives better.

"The difference between a CEO of a company like Samsung and a toilet cleaner is the mindset. One can only succeed if they have the right mindset and that's what we want to achieve among the youths," he said.

Established in 2008 Gracias choir has risen to the top orchestra music world.

Kim says it has risen to the top of the world by getting training on having the right mindset.

"Through mindset training the choir has learnt the mentality of challenging themselves. When you reach your limit and challenge yourself you can achieve more success," he said.

Kim says research has proven the effectiveness of classical music in creating positivity in the mind.

"We are hopeful that when people get to listen and enjoy our performances and begin to think deeper. Think in the second and not first dimension," he said.

Gracias will perform their most popular act; the Christmas Cantata, a musical and a series of Kenyan songs on the 30th of this month at Kasarani stadium gymnasium.

The group can sing in over twenty different languages from around the world, an art they have learnt through learning different songs from various world cultures.

"When they come and sing in Swahili the Kenyans will be very surprised and happy," he said.

Kim also emphasized on practice saying every day is important in a musician's life.

"If you stop practicing even for a day your vocals change. If you don't for a month the listeners notice the change," he said.

"When you have the mindset that you are the best you can never grow from the point you are at. Through listening to others, musicians realize their weaknesses and improve on them," he said.

Gracias choir founder Reverend Ock Soo Park believed in the choir during its establishment in 2000 saying it would be the best choir in the world.

"Being a man of God our founder believed we would be the best in the world and this has been revealed in our eyes," says Kim.

The Choir won the top prize as the 14th International Chamber Competition Marktoberdorf, one of the world's most prestigious chamber choir competitions last month.

Gracias Choir has also received more accolades for its work including top awards at the 2014 Swiss Montreux Choral Festival, Busan Choral Festival and Competition in 2010, Jeju International Choir Festival, in 2009 among others.