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NCPA-Sony Music releases Masterworks

The National Centre for Performing Arts in collaboration with Sony Music Entertainment,a global music giant,announced plans of releasing a range of music from the NCPAs archival treasure trove that include rare recordings of Indian music legends. These albums comprise the works of legendary artistes such as Pandit Jasraj,Ustad Bismillah Khan,Rashid Khan,Nikhil Banerjee,Kumar Gandharva,Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia,Dagar Brothers,Gangubai Hangal,Ustad Amjad Ali Khan,Dr Balamuralikrishna,M.L.Vasanthakumari,M.S. Gopalalakrishnan and Lalgudi Jayaraman.

On December 14,Sony Music released the first set of 11 original recordings of renowned Indian music artistes from the NCPA Archives,titled Masterworks From The NCPA Archives.

The unique compositions will be available across the globe in physical formats such as CDs,LPs etc.,at all leading music stores,as well as in digital formats such as Internet download and streaming and mobile download and streaming services etc. Currently,the NCPA and Sony Music have permission from these illustrious artistes (or their heirs) and accompanists for the release of their archival recordings present at the NCPA. Over the course of the next few months many other legendary artistes music recordings will be released.

The NCPA Archives was conceived by Dr. Narayana Menon,NCPAs first Executive Director in the 70s,with the objective of recording and preserving for posterity the finest performances in classical and folk music traditions,which have been handed down through the oral tradition by renowned teachers over generations. With over 5000 hours of exclusive audio recordings taken from live and studio performances and 1,200 hours of film footage of musicians never released in the public arena,the NCPAs Archives rank among one of the worlds finest documentary resources for Indian Music. Over 200 artistes,most of them stalwarts of Hindustani and Carnatic Music genres,have left an indelible imprint of their music on the NCPA Archives over the past 30 years.

Preserved in controlled optimal conditions of pressure and humidity,in a specially-created studio environment,the NCPA Archives have been listed by International Music Collection (IMC),of the British Library National Sound Archive as one of the top 137 archives of the world,in its Final Report of Archiving the Music World. The collection is studded with rare (achhob) raags such as Raag Maluha Kalyan by the late Nikhil Banerjee and Raag Din Ki Puria by Pt. Jasraj among many more.

Khushroo N. Suntook,Chairman,NCPA,said,The royalties that the NCPA will receive from the sale of the archival music is intended to be ploughed back into the archiving and digitising efforts,and be used to encourage young musicians with scholarships and indigenous artistes.The NCPA has also initiated a programme for the Guru-Shishya Parampara model of teaching,and we hope that the resources mobilised from the public distribution of the archival music will help us to strengthen and extend this programme. Rephrasing JRD Tatas famous quote,What comes from music must go back into music many times over.

Akshay Kumar launches Icchapurti Gayatri Mantras

An exclusive project comprising 24 different Gayatris recorded by Sonu Niigaam and several children was launched on December 14 at a Mumbai suburban five-star hotel. Veecon Music & Entertainment Pvt. are marketing the album. After a short introduction by J.K.Srivastava,Managing Director,Veecon Group,one of the videos from the album,filmed in Leh Ladakh,was shown,followed by a live performance by Sonu on stage. Later chief guest Akshay Kumar unveiled the album along with Sonu and the top executives from the Veecon Group.

Shankar Mahadevan,lyricist Sameer,Amrita Rao,Shaan,Kailash Kher,Shirish Kunder,Manoj Tiwari,Sachin Pilgaonkar and Suresh Wadkar were also present.

Said Sonu Niigaam,This is a special collection of the choicest of mantras that we have very carefully collected for you to bring divinity into your household. Im thankful to Veecon Group and J K Srivastava for providing me everything that I wanted for this journey,including an exquisite video in Leh Ladakh.

Anu Malik to be honoured

The Malwa Rangmanch Samiti will honour music composer Anu Malik on February 11 at Kalidas Academy,Ujjain with the 11th Malwa Sangeet Sammaan,which carries a cash prize money of ‘ 1 lakh and a memento. Earlier,they have honoured music celebrities like Khayyam,Pyarelal,Anandji,Ravi,Mahendra Kapoor,Ravindra Jain,Usha Mangeshkar and Kavita Seth. Keshav Rai is the President of Malwa Rangmanch Samiti.

Anu Malik has composed music for over 200 films in a career that began with Hunterwali in 1978. He has also been a lyricist and singer,and has composed albums as well.

Sonu Niigaam collaborates with Avicii

Swedish sensation Tim Berg a.k.a. Avicii,rated the #6 DJ in the Top 100,is currently working on a collaboration with Sonu Niigaam. The track is Aviciis global hit Levels that has garnered over 20 million combined hits on the Internet. Says Sonu,I love Electronic Dance Music,so when Universal Music asked me to collaborate with Avicii,I had to do it! At just 24,what hes achieved is amazing. Im very excited about this collaboration!

Says Avicii,Im just back from a great first India tour! Ive been hearing so much about Bollywood music that I just love the idea of merging Indias Numero Uno voicewith high-energy house music. I think the results of this project will prove fantastic indeed! I cant wait to finish it.

Mousiqui connects Music to Life

Mousiqui,the brain-child of Sajjad Ali Chandwani,is a theme-based concert relating music with life to be held on December 27 in Mumbai. It defines five stages of life with different aspects of contemporary Indian music covering Bandish,Thumri,Ghazal,Qawwali and Sufiana Kalam.

The music director of Mousiqui-A Musical Ascendance Of Life,Sajjad Ali Chandwani,is the grandson of composer Ghulam Mohammed. Chandwani has been in the music industry for a long time as an arranger .

Says Chandwani,Music is actually the basis of our existence. Sound and Rhythm are two elements that are most inherent in our lives. So when we thought of presenting to the world the diversity that lies in Indian music forms we thought of weaving it in a way that is unique and at the same time will connect with everyone. So,we co-related each Indian form of music with a stage of the life journey of an individual where he progresses from his basic needs of food,shelter and clothing to love,success and finally surrender.

Ronkini Gupta,Soma Bhattacharya,Raktima Mukherjee,Sanatan Deep,Shubhankar Dutta will sing on the show with renowned musicians.