BHARATI PAWASKAR
It’s in her memory. A concert that will pay a musical tribute to Goa’s talented musician who passed away young earlier this year - Sanya Myla Cotta, a violinist and a music teacher of repute who has trained many promising talents from Goa and abroad. On November 4 at Ravindra Bhavan in Margao, 19 musicians will be performing this unique concert in Sanya’s memory where her fans and students in Goa would attend in large numbers.
Opus Gala in collaboration with the Directorate of Art and Culture, government of Goa, is presenting ‘Recuerdame’ “ an evening of orchestral music featuring works by composers Schostakovich, Schubert, Jenkins and Elgar. This ensemble is formed by the collaboration of two chamber music groups, the Chamber Orchestra of Goa (COG) and the Bangalore City Chamber Orchestra founded by Arun Rozario of Bengaluru and the late Sanya Myla Cotta. The orchestra will be conducted by the Belgium Maestro Joris Decolvenaer on November 4 at 7.30 pm at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao.
Recalling of his association with Sanya, core founder member and co-ordinator of the concert Arun Rozario shares, “Sanya played violin from a very young age and was a child prodigy. The sound she created with her instrument was incredible. I have never heard anyone perform like her. She was amazing. Many took masterclasses from her, kids as well as adults and I am sure many of them would look up to her. We are determined to keep her legacy.”
Arun is short of words to describe Sanya’s musicianship and technique. “She was a humble person, who studied music in Germany and Europe but she never had any ego. As a teacher she was sweet.” says Arun. Last year we had houseful concerts. This time Sanya is not with us but we are dedicating this year’s concerts to her, especially the one in Goa. Our group of total 19 musicians is performing since October 31, in Bengaluru. November 1, 2 and 3 are in Bengaluru and the fifth one will be in Goa, on November 4”
Belgian violinist and conductor, maestro Joris Decolvenaer who regularly gives violin masterclasses in Goa, Pune and Bengaluru remembers Sanya as a ‘true-to-heart’ person who never cared about success.
In December 2019, Joris will be conducting the Mozart Requiem in the concert hall of the Royal Brussels Conservatory. Decolvenaer is a laureate of several music competitions, for instance the Supernova -The Future Sound of Classical Music and Leos Janacek International Competition. He also got awarded the Vocatio scholarship of Belgium. Joris who met Sanya in Germany eight years ago, is a violinist and both played together at many ensembles. Joris who comes regularly to Goa to teach violin, expresses his wish to carry forward the mission Sanya left incomplete. “I want to complete what she started,” he says.
Sanya’s students too, recall her as a down-to-earth person, and a perfectionist who would work hard to get her students to the level that would make them stand apart. Many of her students are performing in the concert in Bengaluru and Goa.
