A musical evening in Kolkata

Kolkata has always had an ear for good music. That seemed evident on June 21 when You and i’s World Music Day concert drew a full house and also had many more young listeners waiting outside the auditorium to be a part of the celebration.
The concert began with Soumyajit Das’ guru vandana in Raag Desh Malhar. That was followed by an interesting composition titled Khamoshi.This, as Soumyajit said, was a tribute to the “instruments that will speak no more”. When Kolkata’s very own Rupudi (Sraboni Sen) took the stage, the audience was all ears to listen to not just some monsoon songs (Chhaya ghonaechhe) as well as what Soumyajit described as “church-type gaan” of Tagore. Neepabithi Ghosh upped the tempo with her energised rendition of One Way Ticket. Needless to say, many in the audience were humming RD Burman’s Hari Om Hari while Neepa sung the Eruption song. While Kartik Das Baul’s Tomar Hridmajhare was more rooted, the operatic rendition of Schubert’s version of Ave Maria shifted the concert’s gear to a completely different space.
From thereon, it was time for Bertie da Silva to present his own songs that also included his own interpretation of Ave Maria, along with a number titled Golden Touch. The final icing on the cake was Lopamudra Mitra’s Benimadhob. Even as Sourendra Mullick provided skeletal support on the piano, Lopamudra was at her elemental best when she rendered this song as well as Chhata dhoro. Once the show was over, Neepabithi asked Lopamudra how she sung so well even though she claimed “golata bhalo nei”. Lopamudra didn’t waste a second to reply: “I don’t sing with my voice. I sing from my heart”.