Symphony and the Indian Navy

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The Indian Navy symphonic orchestra performs as part of Navy Week celebrations

I was sitting in the beautiful Captain M.N. Mulla Auditorium to listen to the Indian Navy symphonic orchestra as part of the Navy Week celebrations. The special concert brochure was neat and comprehensive; military precision and sharpness was evident in the organisation and the entire evening’s concert was calibrated to a tee. I was impressed.

The Battle for Middle C was a cleverly conceived pen for the symphony. The medley of instrumentalists took us through a gamut of compositions both old and new, serene and vibrant from Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz to Michael Jackson’s We Are The World. The Cosmic Dance, an ode to the God of Dance, was an interestingly arranged composition by officer K.P.N. Nath. Inspired by the raga Revati, with a whiff of Valaji, Mohanam and other melodies that wafted in, coupled with Western notes and instruments, The Cosmic Dance made for a delightful composition. The edakka, traditional instrument of Kerala also made its way into this composition.
If it weren’t for Admiral Shankar and his kind invitation, I wouldn’t have heard this symphony. While having a discussion backstage with the band director Captain Satish Champion, I sensed his happy pride in his band. The evening’s concert also put a few hidden aspects in full view, one being that the Indian Navy has one of the finest bands in the world, often invited to perform in coveted events across the globe. We have trained, talented musicians and composers who can hold down a fort brilliantly. Their mastery over the Western idiom and their training in the Indian system coupled with their musical intuition gives them a distinct advantage. Moreover, versatile musicians, able to negotiate several instruments and handle different music styles with harmony make the band singular. Having said this much, one could only hope to listen more of this band, which currently is singly devoted to its military duties. Finally, I would say that the Battle for Middle C was won and very convincingly too!
An old friend was sharing some of her experiences in a training course for teachers that she was attending. She told me she heard debates from waste management to journalism. The decision makers, needless to say, saw all this as vital for academics, but when will academia wake up to the need of imparting knowledge about the beauty of music to learners and teachers? Can sensitivity not be enhanced towards musical perception as a key to aesthetic development? In my opinion, the day we arouse the need to integrate these skills into academic thought, we will take a few steps forward persuasively.
The Chennai Music Season flagged off officially on the first day of December. The fever will gradually build up, as thousands converge to this singular and joyful phenomenon of music, dance, family reunions, nostalgic return to homeland, shopping spree of Kanchipuram pattu sarees, Southern temple jaunts, and of course, the great delight of savouring the good old idli, keera vadai, molagu vadai and hundred other varieties, Kasi halva, Madras baratta-kurma… All this in a gastronomic exercise, neatly spruced up for December Music Season!