At the age of fifteen, Neil won his first National Piano Competition and this led to further studies in London, at the Guildhall School of Music and Trinity College. His teachers included one of Britain’s foremost pianists, Phillip Fowke and the Viennese pianist, Katharina Wolpe.

His first public performance in the UK was in the presence of British Royalty and this led to further recitals in Europe. He has also produced a successful series of concerts in Oxford, which included performances by the Oscar Award winning actress, Vanessa Redgrave, the British pianist Joanna Macgregor and the American clarinetist, Gervase De Peyer.

Neil came back home to Shillong, India in 2001 after fourteen years in Europe despite a promising career as a classical pianist. He then experienced first hand, the strife that his state was undergoing and took to his art as a means to bring solace to what was in distress. It was a humble beginning where he attracted a group of ordinary young people to form the Shillong Chamber Choir and on their home debut was immediately well received. They sang a whole range of music; from folk to opera, from rock to Jazz, and now venturing into Hindustani classical and revamped versions of Indian cinematic music.

Nongkynrih is presently the sole representative of India as a member of the World Choir Council.

Major work:

The indigenous language of Khasi is an “associate official language” of Meghalaya. In seeking to preserve this vernacular and in appreciation of its beauty, Neil has composed a folk opera Sohlyngngem that has been premiered in Switzerland and three of its songs were premiered in July 2005 in Vienna, along with excerpt performances in India and abroad.

Mainstream fame:

As the founder and mentor of the Shillong Chamber Choir, he guided the ensemble to winning the prestigious reality show ‘India’s Got Talent’ in 2010.

Under the banner of the Shillong Chamber Choir, they were chosen to perform for US President Barak Obama and Michelle Obama at the Rashtrapati Bhavan during their maiden state visit to India in 2010.

Notable:

Representing India, Nongkynrih and the Choir were awarded 3 gold diplomas at the 6th World Choir Games (2010) in China for Musica Sacra, Gospel and Popular Music. Also winning the Silver Medal for Folk Music at the 2009 World Choir Championships, South Korea.

From Meghalaya, he has also paved the way as being one who has collaborated with the big names of the Indian film industry. Most noted, would be the television appearance with Amitabh Bachchan for the opening of Kaun Banega Crorepati Season 6 & 8 in which it was said to have had the highest openings across all shows and on all general entertainment channels. The choir and Nongkynrih also collaborated with Shankar, Ehsaan & Loy for a performance at the Global Indian Music Awards (GIMA).

Other overseas tours have included Europe, the UK, Canada, USA, South Korea, the Middle East and South East Asia.

Societal Causes:

Nongkynrih and the choir have also been part of performances that have contributed to notable social causes such as a collaboration with Ustad Zakir Hussain for ‘The Foundation’ of which actor Rahul Bose is the founder; performances in 2012 & 2013 at the Gateway of India in remembrance of the 26/11 terror attacks; a concert for the Terry Fox Cancer Foundation; performing for ‘Saath Hai Hum Uttarakhand’- a Star Plus fund raiser for the Uttarakhand flood relief.

Inter-national relations through music:

Orchestra’s he’s collaborated with include The London Concertante and twice collaborated with the Vienna Chamber Orchestra in 2009 (celebration of 60th Anniversary of Indo-Austrian relations) and in 2011. Neil also featured with the acclaimed Fitz William Quartet in his debut performance in Switzerland in 2004. In Warsaw of the same year his concert for Puls Television was relayed in Europe, Japan and America. His return to London with the Fitzwilliam included pieces composed by Neil based on folk music from his own region, Meghalaya. He’s also performed at the renowned Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing as part of an initiative to promote Indo-China relations. 

In addition, Nongkynrih and the choir have been cultural ambassadors to the USA, Canada, China, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. They are also empanelled with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
Penning the way for the youth:

Other happenings in the life of Neil Nongkynrih and the choir is on a more non-music related note; it’s the featuring of the SCC as a study chapter in the English Syllabus of the Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) for the year 2013.

As an author, his children’s book entitled ‘The Only Begotten Son’ is being published by Tate Publishers, USA and is due for release in the summer of 2014.

The Man and The Vision:

On returning back to Shillong in 2001, Neil Nongkynrih ventured to do good for his people and his country and he has achieved much on this journey. He often says and lives these words, ‘’I would most gladly spend and be spent”. Being a man who strives for excellence, he is accustomed to imbibing this spirit to those he mentors and encounters and has led by example. And it is on this road that he will continue to travel.

Finally, his dream now is also to form the Shillong Chamber Orchestra in which he would like to audition, especially young people from less privileged backgrounds, to further his work in the North East as an inspirer of youth and musicians alike, with an aim to encourage inclusiveness between the North East and the rest of India.

Accolades Winners of India’s Got Talent 2010
Forbes Person Of The Year 2010
Indian Chamber of Commerce -‘Musician of the Year’ 2010
CNN IBN ‘Indian Of the Year’ – ‘Special Achievement Award’ 2010
BIG TV Awards – ‘Kalabaaz of the Year’ 2011
U Tirot Sing Award 2011 The Highest State Award conferred on an individual by the Govt of Meghalaya.
People Magazine - ‘Heroes of the Month’ 2012
Award for outstanding achievement by the Governor of Maryland, USA, 2012
Award for exceptional talent and contribution to the community by Indo-American Community, USA, 2012
5th Mother Teresa Memorial Award for Social Justice - ‘Promoting National Integration Through Music’ 2012
Eastern Panorama ‘Achievers Award for Music’ 2013.
Live Quotient Awards 2015 under “Best Band” category.