World renowned Indian flautist is all set to mesmerise audience at Qatar the National Convention Centre’s Al Mayassa Theatre today. The performance, titled ‘Music of Bollywood With Naveen Kumar’, will feature noted Indian musicians and artistes. The concert will start at 7:30pm.
Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra will host the concert.
The concert is part of the official Qatar-India 2019 Year of Culture, a year-long programme developed by Qatar Museums to deepen understanding between nations through mutual exchange of arts, culture, heritage and sports. Qatar-India 2019 Year of Culture was planned in collaboration with leading institutions in Qatar and India, including the Embassy of Qatar in New Delhi, Embassy of India in Doha, Qatar’s Ministry of Culture and Sport, Qatar Foundation, National Tourism Council, Doha Film Institute among others.
The Embassy of India in Doha is all set to host many musical and cultural events throughout the year. The tickets for the Naveen concert are available online as well as at the Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF) office in the embassy building and TCA Qatar.
The concert will feature Tuomas Kantelinen, conductor; Naveen Kumar, flute; Ravi Chari, sitar; Tanmoy Bose, table; Ratul Shankar, drum; Madhab Deka, keyboard; Hricha Debraj Das, vocals; and Pranav Robin Joseph, vocals.
The performances will include; A.R. Rahman’s Theme from Bombay, Dana Alfardan’s Spirit of Thunder, Nasser Sahim’s Four Seasons, Ravi’s Music from Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Cyclists Theme by unknown artiste, Wael Binali’s Shafallah Suite: The Oryx and the Unicorn, A.R. Rahman’s Cry of Rose (Kadhal Rojave), Naveen Kumar’s Cafe Fluid, A.R. Rahman’s Medley of Tollywood and Bollywood, Ave Maria’s Symphonic Music on Indian Bansuri, Naveen Kumar’s Fantasy Flute, Ilaiyaraaja’s work from the movie Thalapathi: Rakkamma Kaiya Thattu, and M.M. Keeravani’s music from Baahubali.
Naveen Kumar has accompanied many film music directors and composers on popular Bollywood tracks. He has also directed music for Gospel recordings.
Naveen has played for leading Indian film music composers such as A.R. Rahman, Ilayaraja, Pritam, Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Sajid-Wajid and Salim Sulaiman. He has performed with musicians such as Sivamani, Louiz Banks, Mandolin Srinivas, and John McLaughlin. Eventually, Naveen moved to Mumbai to get chances to work with other composers in India. He has featured vocals in film songs by M.M. Keeravani and Deva, among others. Songs include Kaadhal Sadugudu in Mani Ratnam’s Alaipaayuthey, and Salam Gulamu in Deva’s Hello.
He created his own flute, which he calls the ‘Naveen Flute.’ The flute features flute tone and the vibration of strings (through the placement of a string on the side of the flute).
Naveen received great attention for the instrumental orchestral piece, Bombay Theme, which A R Rahman composed and arranged for the film Bombay in 1995. Other popular songs that feature his flute interludes are Zara Zara (Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein) and Kal Ho Na Ho title track. He also performed with A.R. Rahman and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Southbank Centre in London in 2010.
Ratul Shankar is on drums. With a major in Mass Communication and Videography from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata, Shankar made his debut in acting with Rituporno Ghosh in the National Award winning film Utsab in 2000.
But music has always been his first love and shall always be, as he always says, his greatest influence has been his uncle Ananda Shankar. While performing with Taal Tantra and other various projects, Ratul has had the privilege to perform with the maestros namely Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ustad Taufique Quereshi, Selvaganesh, Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, Bickram Ghosh, Pete Lockett, Tilmann Dienhart, Niladri Kumar, Carl Peters, Ranajit Sengupta, Wolfgang Netzer, Soweto Kinch, Jesse Bannister, Attab Hadad and others.
Tanmoy Bose is an Indian percussionist and tabla player, musical producer, film actor and composer. He has collaborated with Pandit Ravi Shankar, Anoushka Shankar and Amjad Ali Khan, and created the musical group The Taal Tantra Experience in 2002.
Subramanya Hebbagelu, ICBA member and a noted representative of the Indian community, said: “Indian expatriates are excited to listen to the great flautist and other musicians. I hope to see the expatriates to be present in the auditorium in large numbers. We are also excited to see other cultural programmes to be organised in connection with Qatar-India Year of Culture 2019.”
INSTRUMENTAL: Naveen received great attention for the instrumental orchestral piece, Bombay Theme, which A R Rahman composed and arranged for the film Bombay in 1995. Photos supplied
