Lakshyapar celebrates late autumn with classical music

Sheuli Bhattacharjee plays the violin at the programme.

Ushering in Hemanta (late autumn), a Narayanganj-based classical music organisation Lakshyapar arranged a concert, titled “Shishir Shandhya”, at Narayanganj High School premises. In accordance with the spirit of the season, the opening of the programme began with Arif Bulbul's recitation of a Jibanananda Das poem depicting the beauty of late autumn set in the backdrop of idyllic Bangladesh.
A Chhayanaut teacher Ebadul Haque Saikat kicked off the music session with playing Raga Hemanta on his sitar. Presenting alaap, jor and jhala, the artiste beautifully tamed the mood of the raga. Sabuj Ahmed aptly accompanied Saikat on tabla.
Next was giving away of the third and last phase of Haradhan-Sukhen Scholarship to the first, second and third prize winners from the last year's classical music competition. Professor Shahjahan Mian handed over scholarships to the winners.
Sheuli Bhattacharjee was next to take the stage. She played Raga Jhinjhint on her violin. The performance seemed to arouse a subtle sense of passion among the audience. The raga was frequently performed by maestros Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
Mohammad Shoeb was the lone vocalist of the evening. Shoeb, a lecturer at the Department of Music of Dhaka University, first rendered an evening raga, Shuddha Kalyan. Shoeb's improvisation earned the hearts of many. Later, the artiste performed a famous thumri, “Yaad Piya Ki Aye”, originally composed and recorded by Ustad Bade Gulam Ali Khan. Bishwajit Natta accompanied the artiste on tabla.
And last but not the least, a classical music troupe, named Sparsha, took the stage to perform in an orchestra. Sparsha is a seven-member troupe that includes a violinist, three fiddlers, a flautist, a vocalist with surmandal and a tabla artiste. Led by Sheuli Bhattacharjee, the orchestra performed Raga Mishra Kafi. The simplicity and the soul-searching melody presented by Sparsha had a touching quality that augmented the spirit of Lakshyapar's celebration of the season Hemanta.
Prior to wrapping up of the programme, Lakshyapar coordinator Asit Kumar invited a the audience to attend the fourth annual classical music conference scheduled to be held on December 26-27.