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Showcasing young musical talents

27 November 2005, 18:00 PM
LIFESTYLE
By Kavita Charanji
27 November 2005, 18:00 PM
Above (L-R) Koay Wen, Shiffat Ahmed and Sahil HumayunBelow: Shantha (C) with the students
Western music is gradually picking up momentum in Dhaka. One sign is the increasing number of concerts by local and foreign musical groups. On November 26, many flocked to the Goethe Institute where a group of young ones played the piano, violin and sang--largely in the classical genre. The function was organised by pianist Shantha P Gunasekera, a music instructor who teaches singing and history of music at the Green Herald School, and is also founder-country coordinator of the Associated Board of Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM).

The evening began with a delightful performance by the little Zidain Zain, who is all of four years and three months old. A confident Zidain emulated the sounds of a violin, chimes and drums among others. Unfalteringly he also read an excerpt from Winnie the Pooh which according to the organisers is meant for a nine-year-old.

Then followed piano renderings by students from the preparatory level all the way to Grade 8. Nigerian British Moyusore Ogunbanjo enthralled the audience with the pieces Whistling Sam and Got those blues. Then came other performers such as American Victoria Hewitt, Nigerian British Mojibola Ogunbanjo, Ramizah Ahmed and Malaysian Koay Hue Yi.

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Later on, Malaysian Koay Wen regaled the audience with his violin rendering of Beethoven's Moderato: Sonata in D, Romance and Down by the riverside. He was ably accompanied by Shantha on the piano. Among the singers was Vanille Cuvelier from Belgium who gave a rendering of the golden oldie Try to remember. Next came confident and dexterous performances by Mussarat Rahman (J Mendelsohn's Spring song and Seiber's Tango III) and Shehreen Mahbub's Evening in the village (composed by B Bartok).

Talking to the musicians, it was clear that a lot of hard work had gone into the concert. Said pianist Sabin Rahman (Grade 7) who played Allegro in A by CP Bach and Etude in A by S Hellen, "I try to put in about an hour and a half hours of practice every day. I must give the credit to our teacher Shantha. Yes, I try to balance piano playing with my studies but I do cut time from distractions such as the TV."

Singer Vanille (Grade 3) too is enthusiastic about her musical studies and takes lessons from Shantha once a week at Grace School. Just before the concert, she confessed to being a little nervous, however her performance belied this.

At the end of the show, it was an elated Shantha who warmly congratulated the young singers and musicians. As she said, "I am happy that I could showcase Bangladesh's upcoming talents in Western music, nurture them and bring them to the stage."