The Arts and Medicine programme of the Kochi Biennale Foundation, held in collaboration with the Mehboob Memorial Orchestra at the Ernakulam General Hospital, completed its 200th weekly edition on Wednesday. The programme was kick-started in February, 2014. “To bring people together and usher in positive changes in their lives is the goal of Arts and Medicine and to have an appreciative audience is what encourages the performers as well as us organisers,” said Bonny Thomas, KBF trustee.
The all-Wednesday programme aims to provide solace to patients through therapeutic music, a press release in this regard said.
The 200th episode of the show featured a concert by singer Afzal - one of the first singers at the Arts and Medicine programme - and his family members who presented a string of 16 evergreen melodies and entertained special requests from the audience.
Hailing from a family of renowned musicians, Afzal, son of music director and harmonist Mohammed Ismail Sahib, has more than 200 movie songs to his credit. Since his movie debut with ‘Kannilambum Villum’, from the movie Valyettan in year 2000, Afzal has sung for more than 50 music albums. The youngest in the family of ten children, Afzal was accompanied by his elder brothers Ashraf and Saleem along with singers Nabeela, Nafla, Jaseela, Ameen, Yasir and Noureen, all from his close-knit family.
“The people at hospitals, who are stressed out owing to their tensions and daily worries, are the ones who often enjoy music best. Music has the ability to soothe nerves and aid as a mental catalyst when one feels down; KBF must be lauded for reaching out to the common people with this musical touch,” Afzal said.
