The year of big concerts for Dhaka
Music is an inseparable part of the people of this part of the world. The year 2015 marked an array of music festivals, conferences and events thanks to the magnanimous initiatives taken by Bengal Foundation, Blues communication, Sun Events, Chhayanaut, Shuddha Sangeet Proshar Goshthi, Lakshyapaar, Live Square and The Daily Star.
Apart from annual classical music festival and conference, organised by Chhayanaut, Shuddha Sangeet Proshar Goshthi and Lakshyapaar, Live Square arranged Bangladesh Music Week where prominent Bangladeshi bands and soloists performed. Along with holding its regular musical programme tiled Star Melodies, The Daily Star-Standard Chartered Celebrating Life Festival organised several live concerts at all the division cities where noted artiste and popular music bands like Joler Gaan, Chirkutt and Arnob and Friends swayed music lovers.
Blues Communication, for the first time, arranged Sufi Music Festival at Army Museum Field in January. Renowned artistes including Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Arko Mukherjee marveled the Dhaka music lovers.
November was the month of diverse music fiesta as Blues Communication again held the first Jazz and Blues Festival at Army Museum Field, where noted troupes and soloists swayed the audience. The Dhakaiites will remember scintillating performances by the John McLaughlin, China Moses, Shai Maestro, Soulmate and even Ayub Bachchu. Sun Events, a sister concern of Square Group, also took a big musical step with the first Dhaka International Folk Festival at Army Stadium.
The three-night long festival featured a number of music troupes and soloists from South Asia along with performers from China and Ireland. The audience enjoyed music performances by living legends like Paban Das Baul and Abida Parveen. Popular bands Indian Ocean and Niamh Ni Charra and soloist Arko Mukherjee thoroughly mesmerised the tens of thousands of audience. Bangladeshi band Arnob and Friends and Joler Gaan earned accolades with their performances.
The five-night long (November 27-December 1) Bengal Classical Music Festival 2015, dedicated to the memory of artist Qayyum Chowdhury, was held in Bangladesh Army Stadium drawing tens of thousands of music lovers. Legendary Ustad Zakir Hussain enthralled all while Ustad Rashid Khan rendered in style. The audience will remember evocative performances by living legends like Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty, Vidushi Shobha Mudgal, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Guru Karaikudi Mani, Vidushi Alarmel Valli, Kuchipudi maestros Raja and Radha Reddy and a jugalbandi performance by Dr. Balamuralikrishna with Pt. Ronu Majumdar. The wait begins again for the next year that is expected to bring melodies in
diversity appeasing the thirst of music lovers of varied taste.