Biography

The Shillong Chamber Choir, founded in 2001 by Neil Nongkynrih, is a multi-genre choir which won the reality TV show, India’s Got Talent in 2010. The same year also saw the choir being awarded three gold awards at the 6th World Choir Games for Musica Sacra, gospel, and popular music. They also performed at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for visiting US President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama during their state visit to India. The choir’s versatility ranges from performances with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra and the Fitz William Quartet to collaborations with known icons like Amitabh Bachchan for the opening of Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 6. The show is said to have had the highest opening in 2012 across all shows on all general entertainment channels, breaking all previous records. They have also teamed up with other recognized names like Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and Usha Uthup. Their Christmas album in 2011 became the highest selling in the country for non-cinematic music. A notable collaboration that took place in 2013 was seeing Neil Nongkynrih on the piano, the voices of the Shillong Chamber Choir and Ustad Zakir Hussain on tabla. The SCC has performed extensively in India and toured Europe, the UK, Canada, North America and South East Asia. Awards:   Winners, India’s Got Talent 2010 Forbes Magazine Persons of the Year 2010-11 Indian Chamber Of Commerce ‘Musician of the Year’ 2010-11 CNN IBN ‘Special Achievement Award’ for ‘Indian of the Year’ 2010-11 BIG TV Awards ‘Talent of the Year’ 2011 Peoples Magazine ‘Heroes of the Month’ 2012 The Governor of Maryland, USA award for Outstanding Achievement 2012 Indo-American Community Award for exceptional talent and contribution to the community 2012