A musical start to your week

Opus Gala in collaboration with the Directorate of Art & Culture and Kala Academy will present an evening of orchestral music ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream’ on May 7, with the newly-designed dismountable acoustic shell for a better concert experience. NT BUZZ brings you the details

Janice Rodrigues | NT BUZZ

Nothing sets your mood right better than music. The summer’s sweltering heat can make many an active person feel drained out. To set the mood right and energise you with good vibes for the upcoming week is Opus Gala in association with the Directorate of Art & Culture and Kala Academy, with a concert of ‘A Midsummer’s Night Dream’ on Monday.

Some of the best musicians from all over India will descend on the Goan shores to be a part of this orchestra. Conducted by Joris Decolvenaer the orchestra has just finished playing two houseful concerts in Bangalore and is ready to enthral our Goan music aficionados.

Joris, a Belgian violinist and conductor, received his orchestral conducting training at the University of Leuven (Belgium) and at the conservatory of Lille (France). His first experience with the orchestral world started in youth orchestras, including the European Union Youth Orchestra (EUYO) and later professional orchestras like the National Orchestra of Belgium and the Brussels Philharmonic Orchestra. Joris is a laureate of several music competitions, for instance the ‘Supernova – The Future Sound of Classical Music’ and Leos Janacek International Competition. He was awarded the Vocatio scholarship of Belgium.

Goa’s very own Sanya Cotta, will be leading the orchestra as its concert master. Sanya completed her formal education under professor, conductor and violinist Ulf Klausenitzer at the University of Nürnberg, where she has completed two degrees in performance and pedagogy and a postgraduate degree.

In 2016 she completed her Masters in music under violinist Naaman Sluchin at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in Brussels, Belgium. In 2009 she was a part of the prestigious ‘Junge Deutsche Philharmonie’ (German Youth Orchestra) and in 2012 the World Youth Orchestra. She presently freelances with several orchestras in Europe and is part of the music faculty at the International German School, Brussels.

Another soloist set to perform for the Goan audience is Tanisha Herbert, from Bangalore. A winner of ‘The Neemrana Voice competition – The Godrej Talent of India Award’ 2018 she is a passionate music educator and has performed at several concerts in solo, and as part of choir and opera performances throughout India. She has the honour of being the first Indian to participate in the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy and winning the Theme Kawai Rolling Trophy for Best Musician in 2011 and 2012.

The concert will be a treat to the ears of those who love western classical with the lively performance of the vibrant harmonies of the Romanian folk dances captured beautifully in the works by the Hungarian composer and pianist, Béla Bartók.

Sanya will entertain the audience with Vivaldi’s popular ‘Summer’ from the ‘Four Seasons’ series. While mezzo soprano Tanisha Herbert will take the audience to another level with her performance of two arias – ‘Che Faro Senza Euridice’ and ‘Una Voce Poco Fa’ by Gluck and Rossini. The evening will also feature works by Anton Arenksy and Samuel Barber.

“The concert will also see a debut of the special acoustic shell designed and fabricated by Goan musician Rui Lobo. This is the first time that the acoustic shell will be put to use in Kala Academy’s Dinanath Mangeshkar Hall and thus would give the audience a better listening experience,” says Schubert Cotta of the Opus Gala.

Speaking about why he decided to work on it, Lobo says: “When an orchestra performs generally no microphones are used and in Kala Academy in actuality it is not required, but without an acoustic shell it is a little difficult.” Interestingly, Kala Academy when it was designed had an acoustic shell in the original design by Charles Correa but it was removed at the time of its inaugural because it was considered a threat to the dignitaries on stage. “The shell was thus removed and never put back,” says Lobo.

This new shell is a dismountable piece made from thick wooden planks and hinges which will restrict the sounds from travelling backwards and thus enable the musicians themselves to hear the other instruments better.

This orchestra thus will promote a better playing experience to its members and a higher listening quality to the audience. The orchestra was initially formed by Arun Rozario, Joris Decolvenaer and Sanya Cotta who networked and sourced some of the best musicians in the country; some of the musicians are from Sri Lanka (two) and Belgium (two).

(The concert will be held tomorrow Monday May 7, at 7 p.m. at Kala Academy’s D.M.K. Auditorium. It is free and open to all.)