Spending a misty morning in the company of fresh green foliage and the evergreen Amrithavarshini raga, with the mellifluous timbre of violin notes joining in, is every music lover’s dream. And this Margazhi season the Mylapore Festival, synonymous with the celebration of arts and culture, fulfilled this dream yet again with a classical music concert at the Nageswara Rao Park on Thursday.
As the first rays of sunlight soaked the open air arena, the musically gifted students of P S Senior Secondary School set the stage for the Kutcheri under the extensive canopy of trees. Stringing together a collection of 10 renowned compositions including the Namamasharadha in Hamswadhani raga, Gananatha in Natai raga, and the popular recital Parvai Onre Podhume composed by Oothukadu Venkata Subbier in Suruti raga, the effervescent 20-member troupe lived up to the high expectations and charged the setting with their power-packed renditions.
Encouraging applause in the midst of the dynamic performances served to draw out the talent of the instrumentalists who sent the crowd into raptures with their vibrant notes.
Not surprisingly, eager morning walkers caught up in the trance, took a break from their routine and slowly trickled in to unwind. And soon, poignant moments of spectators snapping their fingers in tandem with the thalas unfolded till the one-hour recital reached its fitting finale.
The debutants who turned the first edition of the concert into a roaring success felt that belting out music in the park was an exciting addition to their portfolio.
“It was a great opportunity to perform here. We didn’t expect so many people to turn up early in the morning,” said T A Nishanth, the violinist who created magic with his solo renditions. And the enchanting concert was possible thanks to the rigorous one-month practice under the guidance of their music teacher Latha Anantharaman, who helped them overcome their initial jitters, said S Aparajitha, a Class 6 student.
The Mikeless Kutcheri was one of the host of events that paid an ode to the rich heritage of Mylapore. The fest comprising workshops, traditional games sessions, cultural shows and food festivals was held in different parts of the heart of the city till January 8. Visit www.mylaporefestival.com for more details.