Celebrating this year's World Music Day on Friday, Kolkata hosted a vibrant concert organized by renowned Indian music duo Sourendro and Soumyojit.
The event showcased performances by a stellar lineup, including Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Shankar Mahadevan, Shubha Mudgal, Papon, Rekha Bhardwaj, Usha Uthup, Lopamudra Mitra, Leslie Lewis, Mame Khan, Aruna Sairam, Mir, Anindya, Shweta Mohan, and more.
Among them, Bangladeshi singer Shayan Chowdhury Arnob stood out as the sole representative from Bangladesh, flying to India on Thursday to join the concert. While Arnob didn't delve into specifics about the event, he expressed pride in representing his country on such a prestigious stage.
Organisers Sourendro and Soumyojit highlighted the theme of 'Collab' for the concert, aiming to create a unique musical experience by blending diverse genres and styles. Shankar Mahadevan's rendition of Nazrul Geeti with the Police Band and Vishal Bhardwaj and Shubha Mudgal's exploration of Lalon's philosophy were among the highlights. Leslie Lewis and Chandrabindu also evoked '90s nostalgia through their performance.
The eagerly awaited concert commenced at 6:30 pm at Kolkata's Netaji Indoor Stadium, with organisers reporting that a majority of tickets had been sold out.
Since 2010, Sourendro and Soumyojit have curated the "World Music Day Concert" to bring together artists, intellectuals, poets, and writers in a celebration of music's universal appeal.
