After the Spring season, SIFA committee decided to do a special two day festival to give a platform for local talent. It was to have music, dance, instrumental music, a Hari katha and the first Carnatic music Quiz.
With a lot of hard work from a lot of folks, things came together for what can only be described as a successful inaugural event.
We did learn a lot with this two day event given the tight gaps between concerts. There were 4 events each day with a Quiz going in parallel. We will use those to do even better in coming years. Something tells me this was not a one off event.
There are a lot of pictures and kids deserve their solo photos just like experienced artists! Some of them were too shy to even pose, but their music was powerful for their age!
Also got to do a final vote of thanks and what I said there was from the heart!
Loved every concert in this two day line up!
Given the 600+ photos here are some of my favs.. in two galleries.
Wanted to remember this vote of thanks.. so sharing it here. If you are a bay area parent who has spent a lot of time driving your kids to music or dance class for years on end, waited outside while they finish, pick them back up in various moods, encourage them to practice, participate in annual days, etc. just to make sure music is a part of their life for whatever reason, you are not alone! All that effort and time pays off in the long run. You help carry forward an art through the next generation. The music will always stay with the kids!
Did go find the collection of song notes from Bharathi Kalalaya from 27-28 years ago! Vid. Anu Suresh was my first guru in the bay area and she was my first music guru as I started from Sa-Pa-Sa with her in the late nineties. Could not continue after Jr. was about to come into this world! Glad to have music back in my life.
If your kids do not continue their music or dance once they hit college or a job, it is still okay. Every now and then when they move to music or pick up an instrument or hum along, you will know it is there inside. Never know when they can start again. One thing you will notice. They can sit through a full concert and enjoy it! They will seek out music.. be it Taylor Swift or Ed Sheeran or RaGa or Raja! I can be happy with that and pat myself on the back for a job well done.
That quiz reminded me of the “Tamil-Miruga-Ragam” quiz (that is what Jr. and the little one used to call it) that I would conduct as a bed time exercise. They would have to translate animal names, vegetable fruit names etc. from English to Tamil and guess the ragam as I hummed. Used to that when Jr. was 6 to 8 and the little one was 3-5 years old. It was interesting to see the kids in the team get buzzer duty and the adults do the guessing.
This festival brought out a lot of emotions in me over the two days. It definitely makes me more motivated to do better to further these art forms over the coming years!