By S Janaki
Carnatica (founded by K.N. Shashikiran) has been celebrating World Music Day for several years now. What is special this year is that Naada Yoga is in aid of education for the less privileged. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Art of Living has identified about 75,000 children in Corporation schools across Chennai to equip them with life skills. The cost works out to Rs. 200 per child and the two collaborating organisations hope to raise substantial funds for the cause. Star Carnatic vocalist Aruna Sairam, who is participating in the special programme on the 20th, has already come forward to support 200 children, and they hope many artists and music lovers will follow suit. A single donor pass is priced at 100 rupees and couple-passes and such are available for those willing to sponsor the wellness of several children.
The Naada Yoga festival celebrates music and yoga. True to the meaning of "yoga" which means "coming together", the event seeks to bring together several aspects under one roof. The event opens with a Children's Symphony comprising 150 members, which has been practising under Dr. Sudha Raja's baton for about three weeks to combine melody and harmony. Aruna Sairam will not only present a musical bouquet of songs in different languages, but will collaborate with the Manganiyars and also include a "sing along" segment with the audience. The Manganiyars from Rajasthan are a perfect example of communal bonhomie, with their heady music combining rhythm and melody, the secular and the spiritual. For instrumental you have the Hindustani music maestro Vishwamohan Bhatt playing on his very own Mohanveena, and the young "Keyboard Sathyanarayana" who plays Carnatic music, dabbles in fusion and arranges and composes music. The whole event has been conceptualised and curated by K.N. Shashikiran, Founder and Trustee of Carnatica.
On World Music Day (21 June), in the evening, Carnatica is organising a global virtual music workshop called "Gurukool-Gurukul" under the Vidyadaan project. The live session, to be conducted at Arkay Convention Centre in Chennai, from 6 pm by eminent teachers like vidwan Neyveli Santhanagopalan, will be streamed live on www.carnaticworld.com
For more details contact Shashikiran at 9840015013 / 9444018269 or Vidyut Udiaver at 8754596056 / 9841019715