PANAJI
Pilar Music Academy in collaboration with Harp India hosted Meagan Pandian who led a workshop ‘An introduction to the Harp’ at Pilar Pilgrim Centre in Pilar.
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers.
The harp was used from early prehistoric age across Chandragupta Maurya Dynasty and a very symbolic Biblical time instrument where the instrument was used by the faithful for worship.
Described as India's first and currently only pedal harp player, Meagan is a celebrity artiste who has played the Harp in the Arijit Singh and Symphony concert series in India and internationally, worked wth Maestro A R Rahman and Pritam and with Bohuslav Martinu Philharmonic (Czech Republic) and The South Asian Syrnghony Orchestra among many others. Her family roots are from Aldona.
At the Harp School, the first of its kind in India, Meagan trains her students in both pedal and lever harp as well as meeting the harp needs of her students and visiting artists.
Meagan also plays the piano, violin and viola. She has completed the Licentiate of the Trinity College London Exam (LTCL) and Dip. ABRSM on piano. She won The Young Musician of the Year 2014 award in piano performance which allowed her study at the Academy International D'été Nice which inspired her to pursue her dream of learning the harp and make it a reality. She travels around the globe for shows and solo performances.
Fr Myron Sequeira, the newly appointed director of Pilar Music Academy, welcomed the gathering and also proposed the vote of thanks after a splendid performance by Meagan Pandian and various young academy students.
Fr Mateus Fernandes, Provincial Superior of Goa Province, appreciated the presence of students, teachers and other participants at the workshop. Fr Peter Cardoso and Fr Noel Menezes were also present on the occasion.
The academy has decided to host many more artistes in the near future. The Pilar Music Academy is awaiting the next big concert by Fr Rob Galea on September 9 at Pilar, for people of all walks of life.
