Flute concert in Manipur leaves audiences mesmerized

Art, culture and music is all that defines the true essence and uniqueness of north eastern India. Staying true to this, a unique flute festival was recently organized in the states of Meghalaya and Manipur, under the initiative of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to spread the message of peace.

The festival witnessed performances by a renowned flutist from Italy Arcadio Baracchi, who joined other players from Manipur and Delhi at a recent flute concert held at the Maharaja Chandrakriti Auditorium in Imphal to spread the message of peace.

The five-day-long festival that started on September 21 was organised under the banner of ICCR regional office, Shillong, in collaboration with the Department of Art and Culture and Government of Manipur to commemorate the International Day of Peace.

A unique blend and style of flute music was presented by the performers, leaving the audiences spellbound, thereby, creating an atmosphere of peace and tranquility through the medium of music.

A flawless fusion performance by New Delhi-based flute player Chetan Joshi left the crowd awestruck.

Joshi said, "We singers do not have any kind of barriers when it comes to music. Music can be of any type and we can easily adapt to it. We recently had a performance in New Delhi; it was really fabulous; there were various groups. One group was playing saxophone and similarly flutist Arcadio today has played flute. So, it's a kind of getting attached through music. Whenever we meet new people, we meet through heart not mind."

Manipur Governor Najma Heptulla, who the chief guest, stressed on the importance of developing and nurturing India's rich cultural heritage passed by our ancestors.

Eminent flutists of Manipur, L Brajakumar and G Loken Sharma, also performed at the concert.

Baracchi delivered a mystical flute performance with a strong message for peace and unity.

A large number of people in Meghalaya also flocked to the concert to witness and enjoy the spiritual music of the wind instrument.

Benedict Hynniewta from Meghalaya showcased a unique combination of modern flute music accompanied by other instruments.

Music binds people together, irrespective of their caste and creed, thereby, building a strong cultural relation with each other and such events will help revive the oldest musical instrument which is slowly losing its sheen in the present world.