Inside Uniting Voices’ India tour that brought together cultures, communities and generations through song

On its recent tour of India, singers from American choral group Uniting Voices had a chance to perform in some unique venues. Besides their show at the Willingdon Club in Mumbai, they worked closely with Indian artistes during their residency in Panchgani, Maharashtra. They also visited Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, where they sang in front of Tibetan students and had the opportunity to be in the presence of the Dalai Lama.

Uniting Voices president Josephine Lee, an Emmy-winning and Grammy-nominated conductor, singer and pianist, is recognised for building a platform where young voices from across communities come together, perform on global stages, and engage in meaningful cultural exchange.

Formerly called Chicago Children’s Choir, Uniting Voices is a non-profit organisation that works with diverse youth from all walks of life, using music as a powerful tool for expression and access. According to Lee, the choir regularly tours internationally and its ensemble consists of young people coming from a wide range of cultural backgrounds, religions, and socio-economic experiences. “We serve nearly 4,000 young people aged between six and 18 years each year,” she says.

The ensemble had earlier performed in 2013 at the Jaipur Literature Festival and visited Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru. Lee says this time, the tour was intentionally designed with a spiritual and cultural dimension so that the singers could engage with India’s deep traditions while also sharing the ethos of Uniting Voices.