GUWAHATI, Oct 9 � Basically conceived as a confluence of musicians and artists from across the world, the first Guwahati International Music Festival scheduled from December 2 will ensure that the city witnesses the largest congregation of musicians in the North-east.
The festival has been conceptualised to fulfil the need for a premier music festival in the country which can showcase the best of regional, national and international talents in the music field to the people of the region. Besides serving as a platform for interaction among musicians, music professionals, music lovers, music trade firms and music institutes, the festival will also help initiate cross-cultural dialogue among people and artistes of the region with those from other parts of the country and the world.
The festival which will see the participation of musicians from UK, Nepal, Indonesia, Bollywood, Goa, Kolkata, Bhopal, folk musicians from different parts of the Northeast, is being organized by Eastern Beats Music Society (EBMS) in collaboration with the North East Zone Cultural Centre, Dimapur, under the Ministry of Culture, and with the support of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), under the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
"More than 30 top artistes from all over the globe are scheduled to land in the city for the two-day cultural exchange and sharing of ideas through music," informed EBMS secretary and creative director of 1st Guwahati International Music Festival Aiyushman Dutta.
It needs to be mentioned here that the festival will be spread across three different centres and a number of top-notch artistes from countries like England, Nepal, Indonesia and different parts of India have already confirmed their participation.
Among the visiting artistes, mention can be made of names like veteran harmonica player Brendan Power (UK), rock diva Abhaya and the Steam Injuns from Nepal, Pt Manilal Nag, Joi Barua, Mayukh Hazarika, Sunita Bhuyan, Minoti Khaund, Pawan Bordoloi, musicians from Goa, OFF, Ravi Iyer and the Vayu Project, Cleave, Abiogenes and others.
Besides musical performances, events like music workshops, seminars, lecture-demonstration sessions, film screening camps, etc., have been lined up.
A concert on Saturday at Shilpgram where Indian psychedelic rock sensation Menwhopause performed marked the formal countdown to the much-awaited festival. Guwahati-based classic rock bands Project Patkai and Stags also performed a set of popular covers.
