On July 17, there will be 17 hours of music at SAMA 2016, dedicated this year to Dr. J. Abdul Kalam. The fest, featuring competitions in poetry, drawing and painting is open to children. “We wanted to bring in art in its varied forms under one umbrella at SAMA,” says violinist Dr. R. Raghuram who steers the Sri Academy of Music and Arts (SAMA). “While music is an integral feature at the festival, we have opened it to other art forms.”
What started as an annual music offering during the month of Ashada when it was easier to get dates from musicians has grown exponentially with the seventh edition this Sunday featuring 40 classical musicians, nearly a dozen musicologists and art professionals.
“It is very interesting to be part of a festival like this where we encounter art in several forms,” says senior vocalist M.S. Sheela who will perform simultaneously as Ganapathi Hegde paints. “The theme is a presentation of Purusha Daiva Kriti. It adds to our motivation of choosing the right kritis.”
The festival will start from 5 a.m. with Veda Gosha. The concerts begin at 7 a.m. with Hamsini Nagendra, followed by M.S. Sheela at 9.30 a.m. Post lunch would be Kasaravalli Sisters, followed by morsing vidwan L. Bheemachar receiving the SAMA-2016 Award. While T.S. Sathyavathi’s music concert will also have a painting session, there also would be two DVD releases. A CD of rare Mayamalava Gowla kritis of Srikantam NAgendra Shastri is also set for release.
Some of the well-known artists who would be part of the SAMA fest would include Rajan Ramakrishnan from Mumbai, Somashekhar, Prasanna Hegde, Srikanth Hegde and Ganapathi Hegde.
SAMA 2016 Music Fest will be on at Rajalakshmi Kalayana MAntapa, July 17, Nanda Road end, Jayanagar)
