They defined Champagnat as ‘a very loyal uncle’, they sang to the Good Mother despite ‘running out of voice’ and they set Marcellin’s spiritual testament to music.
To speak of Kairoi is to speak of some of the songs that have accompanied us in the Marist world generation after generation. The Greek origin of the word means ‘a time of opportunity’, a favourable time to transmit the values of the Gospel to young people, speaking to them in a new language and committing to an open Church.
It was in June 1979 when a group of young brothers recorded a cassette with 20 songs entitled ‘Jesús Vive’. As a result of this work, the PPC publishing house contacted them and in October of that same year they released the album ‘Jesús es el Señor’ (with the PPC publishing house and its PAX record label).
Kairoi has been renewed throughout its history, currently the group no longer exists, but its work does. Convivencias, communions or religious celebrations, there is the Marist melody that has travelled around the world. That ‘time of opportunity’ endures over the years. Proof of this is that any Marist student is able to follow the melody of ‘Tú serás hoy Champagnat’, applaud to the sound of ‘María Música de Dios’ and get emotional singing ‘Buena Madre’.
From Champagnat Global we had the opportunity to talk to Brother Toni Torrelles, one of the founders of the musical group together with Brother Eladio Gallego and Brother Miquel Cubeles.
How did Kairoi come about? What role did each of you play in the group?
During our Marist training, a group of us, both students and brothers, with a creative musical sensibility, got together to work on the project ‘Kairoi-Marist community’. At that time we came into contact with the Charismatic Renewal and we presented our first album ‘Jesús es Señor’ (Jesus is Lord) commissioned by that spiritual movement.
Why did you decide to create Kairoi?
It was the possibility of collaborating on the various creations and presenting them in disc, cassette and CD format to the local Spanish Church: Kairoi (times of opportunity, of the presence of God).
What has Kairoi meant for your life?
A creative spiritual tension placed at the service of the Marist mission. A space for evangelisation shared with concerts and testimonies. An experience of synodality between brothers and lay people who have been part of the group at different stages.
How do you think your music has influenced Marist schools?
I see that many of the messages we convey have accompanied the dynamics of Marist animation. Musically, we were always ‘amateurs’, but we knew when a melody could reach the generations of each stage we went through.
Why do you think it is necessary to study music at school?
Rather than ‘studying’ music, I would talk about ‘practising’ music: singing, dancing, creating, listening, performing… To feel the realities that surround us in a different way, the power of songs, the force of music from all eras, the experience of doing it with others…
What advice would you give to students who want to get started in music?
I don’t think I’m the best person to ask, but I think that every ‘little passion’ should be developed as much as possible. Music is a good companion for growing as a person and as a spiritual being.
Discover the whole discography at THIS LINK
(*) This article also includes the participation of Br. Eladio Gallego and Br. Miquel Cubeles