The State’s leading music institute Piano Kids celebrated its 8th anniversary with an evening of exhilarating piano music performed by over a hundred talented youngsters in chic costumes at the Srimanta Sankardeva International Auditorium in Kalakshetra, Guwahati, on April 7. The combined musical energy of these kids truly lived up to the expectations and interests among music aficionados. The musical programme, designed and directed by renowned piano maestro Kushal Krishna Dev Goswami, was titled "Night Of The Little Pianists."
The evening kicked off with a devotional tune by Mohapurush Srimanta Sankardev and Madhabdev – ‘Muktito Nispriha Jitu’, converted to staff notation by Kushal Krishna Dev Goswami, and set to music by the students of the institute, led by Pallabi Das. The tone was immediately set for a splendid evening of fabulous music.
After pertinent welcome speeches made by the Working President, Dr Devabrot Khanikar and President Dr Ripu Kumar Gogoi, the musical evening proceeded with floral tributes being paid along with the lighting of the traditional lamp in the memory of prominent singer-composer Charu Gohain and Mamoni Mahanta, Kushal Krishna Dev Goswami’s mother and a source of inspiration and motivation for everyone at the institute, by Sewali Gohain, Charu Gohain’s better-half and Monalisha Goswami, Mamoni Mahanta’s daughter-in-law. Soon after, the eminent singer and one of the chief guests, J.P. Das, paid a heartfelt musical tribute to his friend and long-time collaborator Charu Gohain by belting out two of his most popular songs.
The evening proceeded with the students displaying their prowess and energy in a number of musical numbers, including Ludwig van Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’, Bishnu Prasad Rabha’s evergreen ‘Bilote Halise Dhuniya Podumi’, JP Das’s immensely popular ‘Porichoy Bihin’, Zubeen Garg’s ‘Mayabini’, traditional Biyaa Naam, Dwipen Barua’s evergreen ‘Kune Aji Abeli’, Jayanta Hazarika’s everlasting ‘Tomar Marame Mor’, Dr Bhupen Hazarika’s immortal creation ‘He Dola He Dola…Bor Bor Manuhor Dola’, a Bihu tune, popular Christmas song 'Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells’, ‘Puzzle series’ for beginners and rounding off with the State song of Assam ‘O Mur Apunar Desh’. For a change, the students themselves played the role of anchors and entertained the audiences with their antics on stage.
It has been a challenge for Kushal Krishna Dev Goswami shepherding a whole bunch of youngsters who went through rigorous hours of training in preparation for the big occasion. It has certainly left everyone in the audience with a greater sense of appreciation for the enormous amount of work and creativity that the maestro has endeavoured to accomplish. Most appropriately, Goswami was also felicitated by the organising committee, comprising mostly of parents and guardians of the students.
The musical evening also witnessed the felicitation of renowned music director and singer JP Das, eminent singer Dwipen Baruah and internationally renowned sound designer Jatin Sarma, who graced the occasion as the chief guest. “The piano is being worshipped today,” JP Das in his speech, likened the piano to the highest form of instrumental art.
On the occasion, the technical heads of the musical event were also felicitated – Kaushik Borborah for light designing, Uma Sonowal for set designing and Prantik Deka for publicity.
Piano Kids continues to nurture and develop Assamese classics with timeless western and contemporary compositions in all its varied forms. Apart from integrating western compositions, ballads and folk music from all over the world, reflecting a wide variety of musical influences, it is indeed a matter of immense pride for the people of Assam that Kushal Krishna Dev Goswami has already completed the western tune of chaneki or staff notation of about 250 Assamese traditional songs that he has now been assiduously working towards preserving, promoting and revitalising, including the Borgeets, the tunes of the Kirtan Ghosha and Naamghosha, Biyaa Naam, Aai Naam, Jyoti Sangeet, Bishnu Rava Sangeet, Bhupendra Sangeet, Oja Pali, Zikir and Jaris, among others. This has made it easier for musicians to perform these Assamese indigenous songs even if they are in any corner of the world. It has been central to Goswami’s pioneering and acclaimed work in piano music, and which in turn, has provided a wonderful structure for the young and upcoming pianists to not only just learn and practice, but broaden their horizons, in a collective musical environment.
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