BENGAL CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL 2016-Curtain rises on 5-day extravaganza today-The world’s biggest classical music event dedicated to Syed Shamsul Haq this year
With curtain rising on the five-day world’s biggest classical music event titled ‘Bengal Classical Music Festival (BCMF) 2016’ today evening, the wait will be over finally for the music lovers of the country. The BCMF is back, with its resourceful arrangements, not only for the classical music aficionados who understand this genre of music, but also for everyone who is coming to this festival with enthusiasm and tried to develop even a little fascination towards classical music over the last couple of years.
The festival will kick off today at the same previous venue, Bangladesh Army Stadium in the capital. This year’s festival has been dedicated to ambidexter poet-writer Syed Shamsul Haq who passed away recently. The festival will take place every day from 7pm to 5am until November 28.
Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith along with Cultural Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Harsha Bardhan Shringla, Managing Director of Square Toiletries Ltd Anjan Chowdhury, Managing Director of BRAC Bank Selim R F Hossain, will inaugurate the festival. Bengal Foundation Chairman Abul Khair will deliver the welcome speech at the opening ceremony.
Like past years, classical music and other major genres of performances will be presented during the five-day festival. A total of 165 Bangladeshi artistes will enthral audiences with their performance and playing different types of music instruments. Renowned dance exponent Sharmila Banerjee, dance artiste Munmun Ahmed and eminent classical singer Priyanka Gope, among others, are the major artistes from Bangladesh who will perform during the festival.
On the other hand, Girija Devi, an iconic Indian classical vocalist of the Seniya and Banaras Gharana, will be a special attraction at the festival this year. Besides, veteran Indian sarode artiste Aashish Khan along with renowned tabla artiste from India Bickram Ghosh, noted Indian vocal artistes Ashwini Bhide and Sanjeev Abhyankar, internationally-acclaimed violinist Dr L Subramaniam from India and illustrious exponent of the Odissi tradition Madhavi Mudgal will perform at the festival.
Moreover, this year’s festival includes the captivating performance of internationally-acclaimed exponent of the bansuri Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and his son Rahul Sharma, Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, Ustad Rashid Khan, North-Indian solo sitar and surbahar artiste Kushal Das, among others.
Presented by Square, ‘Bengal Classical Music Festival 2016’ is supported by BRAC Bank, while other partners include Maasranga TV as broadcast partner, Ice Business Times as media partner.