A perfectly nuanced and synchronic musical performance by the Eastern Naval Command Band captivated the audience that gathered in large numbers at VUDA Park on Sunday evening. Dressed in immaculately white uniform, the 26-men band took the audience on a musical journey across different genres. The richly verdant park reverberated with powerful strings of music as the band played numbers from old Hindi films, rock, pop and soul music showcasing its versatility. The chief guest for the show was VUDA Vice Chairman N. Yuvaraj.
The band was headed by Lieutenant Commander VC D’Cruz, Command Musician Officer, Eastern Naval Command, and orchestrated by senior conductors of ENC Band, R.K. Tamang and T. Vijayaj.
The show was held to acquaint the music lovers of the city with the professional capabilities of the Naval Band.
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The one-hour show commenced with the famous ‘Old Comrades’ followed by the golden melodies of Hindi, Telugu and English songs. The musical evening culminated with the popular patriotic song ‘Sare Jahan Se Achha’.
The band is also scheduled to perform a symphonic band concert, beating retreat and military tattoo display for the forthcoming Navy Day celebrations.
One of the pioneer bands and the second largest of the Indian Navy, the ENC Band was commissioned as the band of the INS Circars in the early 1950s.
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It eventually emerged as a 50-piece symphonic band with plans and vision to develop further.
Besides enthralling the local audience of its base port Visakhapatnam, the band has been entertaining audiences in all the major cities across the country as well as many countries abroad with their splendid performances.
In fact, the naval musicians are known as roving ambassadors of the country since they perform at foreign ports during overseas visits by Indian Navy ships.
Progressing from martial music, the band widened its repertoire to include overtures, concertos, symphonies, solos, duets and other forms of contemporary music as well as Western and Indian music. The musicians have visited and rendered concerts in countries like Russia, Cuba, USA, UK, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and China.