Jammu, February 10, (Scoop News)-The SaMaPa Aalap Festival 2014 presented by the SaMaPa (Sopori Academy of Music And Performing Arts) commenced with music performances of high order marking a grand start to the premier music festival of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Grammy nominee flutist Pt. Ronu Majumdar inaugurated the 9th Annual SaMaPa Aalap Festival with a grand start followed by Ghazal recital by Ustad Neem Ali Thirikwa.
The festival is being presented by SaMaPa in collaboration with Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Jammu & Kashmir Police and Department of Tourism, Jammu.
Minister for Tourism; Ghulam Ahmad Mir was the chief guest on the occasion, inaugurated the first session of the fortnight long festival here at press club.
Director Tourism, Jammu, Soujanya Sharma was the Guest of Honour on the occasion . The ceremony was presided over by Sohail Kazmi (Secretary General, Jammu Press Club) and Santoor maestro and music composer Abhay Rustum Sopori (Secretary SaMaPa).
The concert was attended by Eminent music critics and musicologists of the county like Pt. Vijay Shankar Mishra, Pt. Ravindra Misra and Vidushi Manjari Sinha, music connoisseurs and lovers including eminent Dogri singer Krishna Kumari, singer Prof. Kailash Mehra Sadhu, artist Shri KK Gandhi, Shri Shujaat Khan, HOD MAM College, Sri TR Sharma, retd. KAS, Shri Ramesh Singh, Shri Ravindra Kaul, Dr. Bhavna Koul and a large number of Journalists and Media personalities of the State.
The Tourism Minister in his speech said that SaMaPa has done tremendous work to revive the cultural scenario and taking culture and music to new scale which will go a long way towards bringing a cultural revolution in the State. He said that music knows no boundaries and acts as a factor to cement the culture and traditional relations among the people beyond borders. He said music in today’s world has also proved to be remedial for some psychological ailments and has also a pivotal role in promoting tourism.
The Minister said that the government has been endeavoring for promotion of music by way of encouraging young talent in the State in which the media is also instrumental. Talent hunts for the purpose are being organized at different quarters to identify the young musicians and singers for their encouragement.
He congratulated Pt. Bhajan Sopori, Abhay Sopori and the entire Sopori family for taking J&K to where ever they go and perform. He praised the efforts of SaMaPa in reaching to the masses by ways of different music concerts throughout the State. He lauded the efforts of Abhay Sopori for his intense role in keeping the J&K culture alive.
The concert began with magical Flute recital by Pt. Ronu Majumdar, one of the leading Bansuri exponents of the country. He presented Raga Vridavani Sarang with Aalap-Jod, Gat in Jhaptaal and Teentaal concluding with a composition called “In love with Kashmir” and Raga Pahadi. He was accompanied by Shri Durjay Bhaumik onTabla and Shri Hari Mohan on Bansuri. His performance displayed a beautiful combination of Gayaki and Tantrakari Angs while maintaining the purity of the raga and generating a tone that sounds meditative. This was followed Ghazal recital by Ustad Naeem Ali, one of the most eminent Ghazal singers of the country. He was accompanied by Shri Rafi Khan on Harmonium and Shri Abhishek Mishra on Tabla. Ustad Naeem Ali’s heart touching expressions moved the music listeners. Sh. Sohail Kazmi in his address congratulated SaMaPa’s path breaking and continuous work in the State and congratulated Abhay Sopori for the initiatives taken in the last 9 years. He said that media plays a major role and this concert is in honour of the media personalities who work tirelessly throughout the year. He said the concert is an occasion to bring the media personalities of the State for an evening of music.
On the occasion Abhay Sopori highlighted SaMaPa’s initiatives and activities in the State. He thanked the Media for its support and cooperation to him for last nine years and the people of J&K for the over whelming response that the festival has received over the years. He said his aim has been to keep J&K a culturally vibrant State. He thanked the guests, media and music connoisseurs for being part of the SaMaPa movement. He also thanked Sh. Sohail Kazmi for hosting the inaugural concert of the 9th SaMaPa Aalap Festival. He said, “SaMaPa is a cultural movement translating from the deep rooted vision of the Chairman, the Great Music Legend Pandit Bhajan Sopori ji, and the tireless efforts of the members of Board in creating a unique, unbiased and empowering national level platform for presentation, propagation, and teaching of traditional music and performing arts for the artists and the young talents. SaMaPa widens its horizon into the general masses by creating the right platform as well as exploring opportunities with music as means to their employment.”
The festival will feature Flute recital by Pt. Ronu Mjaumdar at K.C. Public School at 10:00 am and Sitar recital by Zunain Halim Khan and Ghazal recital by Ustad Naeem Ali at DPS Rajouri at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, the 11th February.
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