A.R.Rahman-Airtel alliance continues

A.R.Rahman became Airtel’s brand ambassador in 2002. The brand campaign for Airtel in 2002 featuring AR Rahman was the first time he had appeared in a television commercial. When Rahman composed the tune, Airtel has two million customers. Today Airtel has over 90 million customers and the Airtel signature tune composed by A R Rahman is world’s most downloaded piece of mobile music in the world with over 60 million downloads.
Incidentally, this tune has made its appearance in several forms including car reverse music. A R Rahman also composed an exclusive soundtrack to commemorate the Airtel Delhi Half Marathon in 2008.
NCPA’s music festival in March
The National Centre for Performing Arts is presenting “An Evening of Classical Music & Dance” with Buddhadev Dasgupta (Sarod), Sunayana Hazarilal (Kathak), and Zakir Hussain (Tabla) at Tata Theatre on March 2 in collaboration with Natawari.
Barasat Rang, Dhrupad and Khayal Compositions on Holi sung by Ram Deshpande and Sanjeev Abhayankar will be presented at the Experimental Theatre on March 6. The concert celebrates Holi.
Nad Ninad: From Our Archives will be a Guided Listening Session on Vilayat Khan at the Experimental Theatre on March 13 in collaboration with the Indian Musicological Society.
This is a programme that makes available to lovers of Hindustani classical music some of NCPA’s archival recordings. This month, it’s the music of the late sitar maestro Ustad Vilayat Khan of the Imdadkhani-Etawah gharana. This session will be conducted by the sitar maestro Arvind Parikh.
The Vienna Chamber Orchestra with its Artistic Director Stefan Vladar and Conductor Joji Hattori will present a Western Music Concert at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre on April 15 in collaboration with Embassy of Austria and Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
The Vienna Chamber Orchestra has performed earlier to rapturous acclaim at the NCPA under the baton of Associate Conductor Joji Hattori, who has held that position since 2003.
Living Traditions: A Rajasthani Extravaganza, a folk Dance and Music Performance will be held at the Experimental Theatre on March 20 and 2 in partnership with Jaipur Virasat Foundation.
Over two evenings, the best of the Rajasthan region in an explosion of performing arts forms will see over 60 artistes and a variety of folk dances, traditional musicians and instruments. On March 20, those featured will include Bhanwari Devi from Shekhawati who sings with strength and soul in the bhopa/ bhopi tradition, Suguna, a musician from the Kalbeliya community from Marwar-Jodhpur, Parveen Mirza from the Maand tradition of the royal house of Shahapura, Jaipur gharana; the colourful dances, the Tehra Taali of the Kamad ‘jaati’ of Pali and the Chakri dance of the Kanjar community from Chachhoda, Baran. These are among the best from a variety of traditional forms that are exclusively performed by women.On the 21st, an evening with Rajasthan’s best known traditional musicians and dancers. Padmaramji, one of the senior-most singers from the Meghwal community of Kundal, Jaisalmer, sings bhajans by poets in the Nirguna tradition, such as Ravidas, Surdas, Kabir and Meerabai. He will use the tandoora as accompaniment. There will also be featured the sons of the Langa and Manganiyar community elders from the villages near Barmer and Jodhpur, boys who have honed their own talent by accompanying their fathers to vocal performances for their patrons. Jumma Khan ‘jogi’ and his Bhapang party are from the Mev community from Alwar (Mewat region) who are a significant name in the Jogi (or Yogi) tradition of singers who still compose songs with a contemporary social and political relevance. The evening ends with two unusual dance forms of the state, one with a group of deru players and dancers from the Churu region in Shekhawati and a fast-paced finale by the traditional male dancers from Tonk, Jaipur, performed to the mellifluous notes of the traditional instrument, the algoza.
Arties Festival India - March 2009 will present a Chamber Music Festival at the Experimental Theatre on March 26 and at the Tata Theatre on March 28 and 29.


Courtesy: screenindia.com