Colombo Music Festival plans underway

By Cheranka Mendis

Aspiring to be listed on the World Calendar of Events, preparations for Senses and Soul- Colombo Music Festival is on course and plans are falling in to place as expected, Founder and Event Director of the Festival Haadia Galely confirmed.

Known to be the first of its kind in South Asia, the Festival will create an international platform for locals to   their tale nts overseas while giving the region a taste of music across every genre. To be held in August this year, the Festival has attracted acclaimed artists from UK, India, Norway, USA, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Algeria, Japan, Maldives, Italy, Canada, New Zealand, Dubai (UAE), Hong Kong, Russia, South Korea and Pakistan, while a few more countries are still to confirm. As of now 17 foreign artistes and 38 local artistes have been tabled for performance.

Galely noted that while the objectives of the Festival is six fold – entertainment, education, opportunity, community, knowledge and support; a key point so far is luring in four giants in the music and recording industry; Sony BMG, Universal, World Wide Records and The Fridge from Dubai.

“The presence of these international record labels is indeed a feather in our caps and will be a tremendous boost to our music industry which has so much untapped talent”, said Galely. “This Event will be an unparalleled meeting place for all musical styling, genres, essences and forms ever to be showcased in Sri Lanka. Not only will diverse forms of music be heard, but the Festival also involves workshop discussions and master classes which will be extended to students and professionals alike who wish to avail themselves of the opportunity that will be presented to them, setting a very high bar for such future events in this country.”

“Colombo will come alive. Even though we would like to have referred to this as the National Music Festival we cannot now. Even though saying ‘Colombo Music Festival’ sound elitist we must start somewhere. We will hopefully take it further next time around,” Spokespersons for the Colombo Music Festival Arun Dias Bandaranaike said.

The event he said will be held on four days, 16 locations with representations from 17 countries, over 100 artistes to a global audience and with a participation of approximately 50,000 people. With Water’s Edge being tagged as the official festival village, Galle Face Green has been chosen as the official ‘Youth Park’ where most of the free events will be happening. Other event venues are the museum of Colombo, Sivan kovil, jetliner, National Performing arts theatre, Beira Lake, Park Street Mews, Hotel Galadari, Taj Samudra, Navy Lighthouse Platform, Green Path, Dutch Hospital Shopping Precinct, Lionel Wendt, British School Auditorium and SLCB Auditorium. Open Stage Performances for aspiring artistes are also created by the organisers.

A music competition held to international standards ‘Spirit’ produced by David Academy of Perfuming Arts for the Festival will also be a key by-event for during the festivities. The competition encourages amateurs and semi professionals to enhance their talents, and to understand at what level they are currently in. The artistes will be given workshop training and those chosen for finals will be given master class training by renowned musicians.

Apart from the main event and its peripheral activities, Colombo Music Festival 2012 will support various causes and charities. “We will focus on the deaf and visually impaired in Colombo And Jaffna, victims of chronic kidney diseases in the North Central region and 37 differently abled children in the Eastern Province,” Galely said. Part of the proceeds will also go to a ‘Music Endowment Fund’ which would support local artists in their musical endeavours.   

A Sri Lankan Food Festival featuring food particular to our nine provinces is also on the cards and is scheduled to be held concurrently during this period. Galely said: “In the sphere of knowledge we also wish to create a bridge between artistes of different styles to meet and absorb information through workshops, discussions and master classes while creating opportunities to showcase our musical diversity to the world and invite companies and individuals to support the artistes and their aspirations, in what can only be a ‘win win’ situation.”

The Festival is conducted in association with the Mantra Moods Executive Committee, Waters Edge, M-Entertainment and the Sri Lanka Convention Bureau.

Pic by Upul Abayasekara