United Colors and Beats of Mandd Sobhann mark Int’l Music Day
United Colors and Beats of Mandd Sobhann mark International Music Day at a colorful and glittering event held at Kalangaan on Sunday, 2 October.
Mangaluru: International Music Day is a concept too good to believe and the best part is that it actually exists. Yes, International Music Day (IMD ) was initiated on the 1st of October in 1975 by Lord Yehudi Menuhin. It was first organized by the International Music Council (IMC) on 1st of October, 1975, in accordance with the resolution taken at the 15th General Assembly in Lausanne in 1973, and the guardian of the IMD was founded by UNESCO in 1949. The IMC is the world’s largest network of organizations, institutions and individuals functioning in the field of music.
Locally here in Kodiyal aka Kudla aka Mangaluru, Mandd Sobhaan as part of their 178th Monthly Theatre, and ‘SUMELL’, the Singing Club of Mandd Sobhann celebrated International Music Day, a day later, on Sun., Oct. 2, 2016, at 6.30 p.m. at the Kalaangann auditorium. Mandd Sobhaan in its bid to establish a harmony through the music, celebrated this Day with variety of music and songs in Konkani, Tamil, Hindi, English, Ceylonese (Sri Lanka) and, and also a Naga song (Nagaland). Mandd Sobhann encourages and fosters musical diversity, access to Konkani culture, music and literature for everyone and unites people in the community in building peace and understanding among people cutting across class, culture and heritage.
On International Music Day, the desired aim is to create a global atmosphere of music, a platform for people to come together with their diversities and mingle to make one unified whole. Like any other artistic or cultural celebrations the day is generally to celebrate art and to successfully realize these activities, it is essential to mobilize all means at our disposal in the 21st century-the radio and television, concert societies, opera companies, amateur societies; a great many different types of localities should all be used to their best advantage. And Mandd Sobhann had done the right thing by organizing this musical concert comprising of music and songs in various Indian languages, which simply enthralled the packed audience.
On this day Mandd Sobhaan gave the perfect opportunity by roping in the greatest musical artistes to unleash their musical talents, and also to seek out the new and emerging musical artistes- to build up a treasury of the old and new in the world of music. Music after all is the greatest unifier in humanity and all significant social events have musical pieces dedicated to it. No event is better recognized or defined than by music which defines and completes a perfect human social and aesthetic experience. Great going by Mandd Sobhaan in the field of Music, Culture, and Tradition. On a beautiful Sunday evening music buffs in large numbers had gathered at Kalangaan to commemorate and celebrate the joy and the very existence of music in their lives and also to celebrate the magical gift of music. It was also a day where musicians both local and amateur were allowed and encouraged to perform their music on stage without any restriction. And of course,it was a fabulous day to celebrate the spirit of music in all its forms.
The celebration was an amalgamation of various types of music from India and around world. Sumell presented four Konkani songs of various dialects. They sang a Goan Manddo – ‘Surya Neketranche Porim’, a GSB song – ‘Swatantr Bharat Desh Ho’, a Siddi song – ‘Siddi Nachak Ram Ram Ho’ and a Mangalorean song – ‘Nach Konkan Nach’. A Siddi team from Mainalli, Uttara Kannada led by Shri Sunil Siddi and a GSB group of singers led by Ms. Bhavana Shenoy, joined Sumell in the performances. The Star attraction of the evening was multi-talented crooner Jacqueline Fernandes, a singer of a title “Queen Nightingale” and who also got a standing ovation at the’India Got talent’ with her band members of ‘Rhapsody Out Loud’, mesmerized the audience with her high and low pitch voice- Simply Remarkable and Outstanding performance which called for encores.
‘Ranni Kogull’ Ms. Jacqueline Fernandes presented a Latin song – ‘Ave Maria’, a Spanish song – ‘Besame Mucho’, an English song – ‘Killing Me Softly’, a Sri Lankan song – ‘Rasa Pirunu Katha’ and a Tamil song – ‘Munbe Vaa’. Internationally acclaimed singer, Tagore Das sang a Hindi song originally sung by Mohammed Rafi – ‘Baharon Phool Barsao’. A team of North Eastern Ursuline Novititates presented a Naga folk song – ‘Ahho’. The singers were backed by Sanjay Rodrigues on the keyboard, and his brother, Sanjeeth Rodrigues on the drums,(both sons of Late Agnel Rodrigues- a actor, compere and artiste) Roshan Crasta on the lead guitar, Jerome Coelho on the bass, Alron Rodrigues and Ms. Bhavana Shenoy on the keyboards.
On this event of commemoration, a special felicitation ceremony was held to honor an eminent gem, Mrs Gladys Silver for her contribution to beautify Music. Sumell, the singing club established by Mandd Sobhann has taken the initiative to honor the contributions of eminent persons in the field of Music. The awardee Gladys was escorted on to the dais by Louis Pinto, President Mandd Sobhann, Eric Ozario, Gurkar Mandd Sobhann, Sunil Monteiro, Convenor- Sumell, Mrs Kavitha George- Treasurer Sumell , where her profile was read to the audience by Karen Tellis.
About Mrs. Gladys Silver- She was born at Udupi and had her education at Christian High School, Udupi. During her high school days, she learnt both the keyboard and violin under the guidance of her ‘guru’ late Vincent Salins. Later on she started playing the organ for Udupi church, during divine service and also for the church choir. She was married in the year 1957 to Vincent Silver, one of the great musicians of Mangaluru (who used to play for Ashok Charan Music Group, decades ago).
Thereafter, both of them played the organ and violin, during church service and also for choir at Sushanthi Church – Mercara Hill in Mangaluru. She started tutoring for keyboard and violin in the year 1972 and went on to learn the guitar from her husband and later started teaching guitar too. Even today, she continues to teach keyboard, violin and guitar to many students in Mangaluru and also prepares students for grade exams. For the past 44 years, she has taught music to many students and some of them have become famous musicians today. She is the church organist of Sushanthi Church for the past 58 years. Sunil Kumar, who is the lead violinist at the Mandd Sobhann Orchestra, is the nephew of late Vincent Silver.
For her 44 years of outstanding service in the field of music, as a Music Teacher, Mrs Gladys Silver was felicitated with a Shawl, fruit basket, Citation and a Memento by Eric Ozario, Louis Pinto, Sunil Monteiro, Smt. Kavitha George; and Smt. Irine Rebello, Secretary – Sumell, who also compered the function with her few witty punchlines and professionalism.
Beautiful coverage.