Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Sounds of music
|
Gaiety and music marked the Fête de la Musique at the Alliance Francaise here recently with both students and guests making for a fine musical repertoire.
|
PLAY ON: The music was a mix of modern and old songs.
ON JUNE 21 - the Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere - the day, they say, ends (or the night begins, whichever way you may see it) with music all over France, celebrating La Fête de la Musique. Here, in Hyderabad, the Alliance Française joined in the reverie, under an overcast night sky on the open terrace of their Marredpally office.
La Fête de la Musique as a concept was introduced in France in 1982 by the then Socialist Minister of Culture, Jack Lang. The National Music Day - since then - is being celebrated in more than hundred countries across the world. Last year on this day, France saw the coming together of 800,000 amateur and professional musicians from all over the world take part in more than 10,000 concerts played to around 12 million spectators across the country.
It may not have been such a mighty affair here, but there was gaiety and loads of music. The atmosphere was intimate, full of camaraderie and, needless to add, great music. And the light showers, as Christophe Faucher, Director, Alliance Francaise de Hyderabad said, only brought the crowds closer. The basic idea was to celebrate an event that has its roots in people's culture - with some elements of the `pagan' too; in France people take to the streets en masse and can sing, listen to, and revel in just about any kind of music one can think of. Fête de la Musique signifies bonding of people via sounds of music. Faucher hopes that the people of Hyderabad will, in time, open up to this concept and participate.
Students of Alliance Francaise and guests together made for a fine musical repertoire. There were the Ol' Timers' (Jagdish Anthony, Raoul Johnson, Arun Masilamani and Sam Balasundaram); Shakila Kundu (accompanied by Jagdish on vocal and Chadrima on keyboard) - stuck to some classics of the old times, including some of the mushy numbers such as `Unforgettable'. A former student of Alliance, Anand Bhaskar played a harmonium solo; and Naveen (the pianist-professor at Alliance) was accompanied by Melissa on the song `Carmen'. Jeroo and Suprineeti were among the other students who enthralled the crowds with their golden voices. Apparently Suprineeti was the Hyderabad Alliance's French Nightingale (and stood all India fifth in the French Nightingale contest which is held at the Alliance centres throughout the country).
The real `pep-up' of the evening, however, happened thanks to Native Tongue, the near-professional local rock band with Thamma (drums), Baba and Sunny - and some of their `friends' too joining in, as guest singers. And an absolute show stealer among these friends of theirs was the young Sitara - a student of Hindustani classical music - who particularly wowed with the number `what's going on' in a voice with an amazing range and style. Miscellany, ranging from `knockin' on heaven's doors', `every breath you take?I'll be watching you' to Revellers - old and young - either stayed glued in their seats till the very end, or jumped up and about and danced like crazy. But both sides loved every moment of it, with some wild breeze adding to the pulse of the evening. The concept of `pot luck' - in food - however, did not seem to have worked too well. What better day to pause for some good music than Summer Solstice.
R. UMA MAHESWARI
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
