The Muslim Choral Ensemble (MCE) was launched in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 2017 by Haadia Galely and André de Quadros as the first such Muslim ensemble in South Asia, if not possibly the first in the world devoted exclusively to music of the Muslim world. Drawing inspiration from the Islamic music tradition which spans more than a millennium, the MCE’s main focus is to perform an often neglected part of Muslim culture. The founding of the Muslim Choral Ensemble is a watershed event in the cultural life of Sri Lanka. It has garnered reviews and critical acclamation from an audience which was exposed to the Muslim musical tradition for the first time. The positive press coverage, which included the country’s leading English language newspapers and media outlets, has enabled the ensemble to continue performances.
The Muslim Choral Ensemble is the first phase of Project Aswatuna. The second phase, which is currently underway, is to attract leading vocal and instrumental talent across South Asia. Shahid Shabbaz, one of India’s leading vocalists, performs with the ensemble together with instrumentalists from different parts of South Asia. The third phase will be the establishment of a world ensemble focusing on Muslim music.