A concert in the dark in Hyderabad with pianist Anil Srinivasan and team

Ever thought of attending a music concert blindfolded where the musicians play blindfolded as well? Head to such a concert at Hyderabad on August 24

Anil Srinivasan, Navin Napier and Krishna Kishore | Photo Credit: Special arrangement

Close your eyes, listen to the music, feel the strains, let every note coming from the instruments connect and speak to you and that is when you realise why listening to music is meditative. This exactly is what one will b experience at Concert in the dark, a one-of-its-kind concert to be held on August 24, 2023, at HICC, Hyderabad.

For the concert, pianist Anil Srinivasan will be joined by bassist Naveen Napier, percussionist Krishna Kishor, and award-winning vocalist Sai Vignesh, known for his song Varaha Roopam from the Kannada movie Kantara. All the four musicians will be playing the instruments blindfolded. The audience too will be blindfolded.

Anil Srinivasan says that the idea came from his association with a centre for visually challenged women. “My work with them often made me wonder what it is to live a life in darkness. We cannot shut our eyes even for a short while because the darkness makes us uncomfortable. So what would it be to not have vision? For our concert we usually request to avoid cell phones because we want the audience to be immersed in the flow of music. It is meditative only when we pay our full attention to it.” 

Sai Vignesh | Photo Credit: SRIBHARATH G

Anil adds, “As we start playing we go into popular music. With the blindfold as we play we will hear a faint hum (that comes from the audience) this gradually builds and together with the music on stage, a beautiful musical moment is created.” He also says choice of popular music is that fastest way musicians connect with the audience during a live performance.  

Though the group usually does instrumental music, a singer [Sai Vignesh] is joining them especially for this concert. Anil says, “The beauty of the concert is that we don’t have a definite playlist. Naveen Napier and Krishna Kishor have performed with me so many times that they know what will be next. Since we are blindfolded there is no chance that we can give a cue to each other on the next song. In a way, our music is our guide.”  

The concert will be organised by IC3 institutes, a volunteer based organisation providing support to high schools around the world through guidance and training resources.

 Tickets available on https://in.bookmyshow.com/events/concert-in-the-dark/ET00361850