By Rui Lobo lobo...@yahoo.com +91 99 21 372 036 -------------------------------------------- Tune in to the unusual first-person story of promoting brass music in Goa... prior to an uncoming performance on July 10, 2014 in Goa.
About six years ago, the Guitar Guild Goa organized a music festival which featured a symphonic orchestra complete with strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion. This was made up of local musicians led by a German conductor with his team of four other musicians. While we of Guitar Guild could find lot of string players among Goan musicians, we had to get the brass and woodwind players from other places in India, that too with lot of difficulty. The most difficult being bassoon, oboe and French horn. AS A JOKE As a joke, I told the German conductor that the next time he came to India there would be more French horn players even if I myself had to learn the instrument. That turned a reality for me when an opportunity presented itself with Kala Academy offering free brass instrument lessons for anybody, under retired Navy and Police Band conductor Jerome Rodrigues. Later, we had the benefit to gain training from a master of French Horn Andrew Norman -- who happened to be visiting Goa as a tourists and whom we met through the Net -- and guidance from a world authority on horn John Humphries, both from England. About two years ago, we started guiding students right from basics on the trumpet at the Garden Central Music Studio school, technical support of well known Goan trumpeter, Nolvert Cotta. In the meantime we were able to form a Brass ensemble consisting of two trumpets, French horn and trombone. Called the Ultra Brass Sound, it has performed at several functions so far. Later this month -- on July 10, 2014 -- a first time performance is being held by the students who have learnt their skills in Goa in the last two years, and are coming together to perform a concert with brass instruments. Nolvert's associates from the tiatr world will also lend support to this enterprise. PRESENTING BRASS This concert's main purpose is to present brass instruments in an inspiring concert setting. We normally see brass instruments being played at weddings, festivals, police and military functions, and sometimes at funerals too. The whole purpose seems to be to make as much sound as possible, forgetting about the beauty and subtlety that is possible with brass instruments. It is also seen as a mere accompanying instrument in the Goan tiatr. This concert is meant to inspire people to take up brass instruments, dispelling the notion that they are (i) difficult (ii) only for robust men and (iii) noisy. This concert aims to prove that women and young children can learn brass instruments. That these can be learnt at any age, with parents and their children learning and playing together. This will be done by putting on stage in ensembles and in solos young and-grown up students, both men and women, amateur beginners and advanced musicians side by side with seasoned professionals. Secondly there is need to inspire more people to take up these instruments (even if only as a hobby), as the demand for brass instruments has declined due to the use of synthesizers for producing these sounds in music recordings. We may reach the stage where brass instruments become merely museum pieces. Last but not the least, the goal is also to provide a memorable and pleasant entertaining evening. Presented in collaboration with the Directorate of Art and Culture, performers at this event will include professional musicians, amateur working people and students of various disciplines. Trumpets: Nolvert Cotta (professional trumpeter); Selvyn Braganza (professional trumpeter and violinist); Senon (management trainee); Leroy Noronha (Std IX student); Adelino Alvares (Std XII student); N Nash Noronha (Std X student): Delcy Silveira (post-graduate in Commerce and multi-instrument player); Ghislaine Dias (Home Science student); Gilhermina Vaz (school-teacher); Aaron Dias (Std IV student); Savio Noronha (radio and event anchor); Lianne Noronha (Std XI student); Warren D’Mello (veterinarian); Gary Coutinho (music teacher, guitarist); Michael da Costa (priest); Hansen Clement (Std XI student); Ashwin Mascarenhas (school student). French Horn: Rui Lobo (guitarist, music teacher). Trombone: Semy Braganza (professional trombonist, ex-Navy band); Muriel Almeida (school teacher). Euphonium: Roque Lazarus (musician and recordist). What would hopefully be showcased at this event: * An over 16-member Trumpet Ensemble, probably the largest seen on Goan stage. * Lots of original music, some specially composed for this concert by renown musicians -- Andrew Norman, Schubert Cotta, John Humphries, Roque Lazarus. * Trumpet Solos by Trinity College exam candidates from Goa, as well as solos from professionals. * About 1/4 of the musicians are women. All musicians from Goa. WHERE, WHEN The event will happen on July 10, 2014 (Thursday) at the Multipurpose Hall of the Directorate of Art & Culture, Sanskruti Bhavan, Pato, Panjim at 6 pm. It will span roughly 90 minutes, including a ten-minute interval. Maestro Schubert Cotta will be the chief guest. The event is a special tribute to honour Andrew Norman, who lives in England and mentors the group. The performance will include a variety of classics, Jazz and swing music. Original compositions for the Ultra Brass Sound in Goan style. For passes contact the Garden Central Music Studio, 1st Floor Ribeiro Building, above Baba Travels, Opposite Panjim Municipal Garcia da Orta Garden, Panjim. Passes are free, though a token amount of Rs 100 will be collected per pass, and later refunded at the interval. This is to curb the tendency of queueing up for passes and not turn up, thus depriving others of the seats. I am trying out this innovation for the first time, after the experiences of some past free concerts where we have distributed free passes for the full capacity and only 60 to 70 percent of seats get filled. We are constrained to keep the passes free if we are collaborating with Govt. institutions like Kala Academy and Directorate of Art and Culture who sponsor the free use of the hall. -- Rui Lobo is a guitarist and founder of GGG. An engineer trained at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, he prefers to dedicate his time to teaching young minds music. Encounter Rui online via YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rui+lobo+goa