Alleluia — choral with a dash of Hollywood glitz
STIJN KOLACNY calls it the Hollywood effect. Scala and Kolacny Brothers — a 20 piece Flemish choir that re-imagines popular songs as haunting choral dirges — were a cult affair until last year. They had a following on the Continent and a substantial classical fan base. But they were not mainstream stars. Then their beautiful, unsettling version of Radiohead’s Creep featured on the trailer for Facebook drama The Social Network. Overnight, their profile soared. Ever since, they’ve hardly had a moment’s rest.
“We were big mainly in Belgium, France, and Germany,” says Stijn. “After the trailer everything was different. We became a global thing. We’ve been asked to play in Russia, and toured across America. We performed at the Coachella rock festival in California. It has been astonishing. Never before have we been in such demand. It proves what an enormous reach the American movie industry has.”
Stijn is lead conductor with the group, which he formed with brother Steven (who plays piano and arranges the music). Like many good ideas, the project is the result of a happy accident. Conducting the all female Scala choir at a festival in Toronto in 1996, Stijn decided to include a contemporary song. Their glacial reading of Garbage’s I Think I’m Paranoid was a sensation. As was their version of U2’s With Or Without You, debuted at Cork International Choral Festival that same year. It occurred to the siblings they could make a career of this.
“In Canada we were allowed perform four songs. We had three classical pieces selected. On a whim we thought, why not do something modern? All the girls listened to rock and pop — way more than to classical music. I thought it would be a lot of fun. We did Garbage and it was a huge success. Everyone freaked out. You could not believe it. A few months later, we were in Cork for the International Choral Festival. We performed With Or Without You and received the same reaction. It got us thinking about the future.”
The brothers are the only permanent members. Scala singers are required to be in their early to mid-20s, so there is a constant turnover. This may seem strange, even ageist. But Stijn has a persuasive explanation.
“There is something about the sound of female voices in their 20s that is haunting. It is the complete opposite of marching music from the old Soviet Union, for instance. What we are doing is at the other end of the spectrum from martial music. It is not macho at all. We go in the exact opposite direction — that is the aesthetic we are trying to capture. The voices of young women are perfect.”
Choral versions of U2 and Radiohead make perfect sense. The songs are soaring and spiritual to begin with. But some of Scala’s choices are less predictable. On a recently released best of they tackle Foo Fighters’ Ever Long, Coldplay’s Viva La Vida and Oasis’ Champagne Supernova — a tune which does not exactly cry out for a classy makeover. Do the brothers like a challenge? “We always seek a certain emotion,” he says. “For every song that we record, there are another 10 which we have attempted and could not get right. There is a particular resonance we want. Sometimes you have to dig deep.”
Aside from musical considerations, leading a 20-piece choir brings all manner of challenges. Touring, Stijn admits, can be a logistical nightmare. “Moving around with a big number of people, it is not easy,” he says. “A great deal of organisation is required. Once that is the case, there are no problems.”
Stijn is modest. But if pressed he confesses many of the artists covered by Scala and Kolacny Brothers have expressed their admiration and gratitude. Radiohead are fans, as are U2 and German industrial headbangers Rammstein. “When Alanis Morissette played Belgium she came on to our version of Ironic. So yes, we’ve heard some very good things. It is nice to be appreciated, though we do not want to appear big-headed or go around dropping names.”
Scala and Kolacny Brothers play Olympia, Dublin on Saturday. A self-titled best of is out now.
