It’s one of the highlights on Goa’s music calendar. At the start of the year, the Monte Music Festival doesn’t just bring together people who love classical music, it’s brings to Goan shores a truckload of talent that simply should not be missed
Photo Credits: MONTE MUSIC FESTIVAL 2017-PC_1
For years now, the Monte Music Festival has wowed audiences. There’s nothing like being up on a hill, watching the sun set in the distance, while talented and adept musicians let beautiful music surround you. Now in its fifteenth year, what started as an endeavour to let music fill up heritage and restored spaces, the festival has seen many talented musicians and artistes descend on Goan shores, set to stun audiences. The setting itself is beautiful, not just the view from above, but the backdrop that the wonderful chapel provides. Its exteriors are quaint and old world, and the insides are the same, but have been restored to near perfect quality, a project put together by Fundacao Oriente years ago. Now the chapel stands all, surveying the countryside around. This year, we’ll see Patricia Rosario, fado singers from Goa, a meeting of minds and classical talents when Ustad Chhote Rahimat Khan, Ahmed Mukhtar and Ignacio Monteverde play the sitar, the aud and the Iberian guitar respectively. There are other performances that will astound you, from musicians like Joanne D’Mello, Chanchal Singh, Joana Amorim and others. At the press conference, to announce the event, Maria Ines Figueira of Fundacao Oriente, Santiago Lusardi, conductor of the Bombay Chamber Orchestra and Neeta Brid, general manager of Cidade de Goa, promised a three day event that would live up to the grand name that the Monte Music Festival has. Judging by the line-up of artistes, it will not disappoint.
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February 5, Friday
06:00 pm – Courtyard
Western and Eastern Classical
Strings from Three Continents
Ustad Chhote Rahimat Khan (Sitar), Ahmed Mukhtar (Aud), Ignacio Monteverde (Iberian Guitar) & Mayank Bedekar (Percursion)
7.30 pm – Chapel
Western and Eastern Classical
Songs of Kindness
Vasco Negreiros (Compositions & Tanpura), Joana Amorim (Early Flute) Rebeca Amorim Csalog (Celtic Harp), Mayank Bedekar (Tabla) & Rupesh Gawas (Vocals)
February 4, Saturday
6.00 pm - Courtyard
Indian Classical
Vocal Sufi
Ragini Rainu (Vocals), Aman Nath (Keyboard & Electronics) & Chanchal Singh (Percussion)
7.30 pm - Chapel
Western Classical
Contemporary Sacred Chants
Patricia Rozario (Soprano), Mark Troop (Piano), Parvesh Java (Piano) & Eshvita Menezes (Violin)
8.30 pm - Courtyard
Fado
A Journey Through Time
Sonia Shirsat (Vocals), Carlos Meneses (Viola de Fado), Dr. Allan Abreu (Guitar) & Orlando Noronha (Portuguese Guitar)
February 5, Sunday
6.00 pm - Courtyard
Indian Classical
Santoor Recital
Maestro Abhay Sopori (Santoor), Durjay Bhaumik (Tabla), Rishi Shankar Upadhyay (Pakhawaj), Aman Nath (Keyboard & Electronics) & Chanchal Singh (Percussion)
7:30 pm - Chapel
Western Classical
A Night for Musical Reconsecration
Joanne D'Mello (soprano), Leo Rossi (concert master & violin soloist) & Bombay Chamber Orchestra conducted by Maestro Santiago Lusardi
**The performances inside the Chapel will require passes, which can be collected from Fundação Oriente during office hours from January 30
