1) Tell us something about yourself ?

I was born in Trikarpur in Kasargod District, Kerala and did 3 yrs diploma from Arena Multimedia Bangalore and was in Dubai from 2005-2009. I am now back in Bangalore and is the CEO of RightClick Interactive.

2) Somethign about Ifthi the talent musician

Self taught musician, composer, singer. Had training of harmonium (carnatic) for a month, but later stopped so that I can concentrate on piano and chords.

3) How early did you begin developing your music talents and the path taken?

I was 10  when I first started playing around with keys, a casio keyboard which I got as a birthday gift. First song that I composed was the prayer song  for Vidyathiraja School when I was in 9th grade.

4) What all instruments do u play?

Keyboard.

5) The Kind of music you like?

I love all kinds of music. I go by a rule ‘Sounding Good’. Anything that’s appealing to me. No definite description for that. Depends on the mood.

6) Tell us about the work you have done so far?

First album was Dil Hai Deewana, released in 2 districts. First professional project was malayalam album Mantra in 2003. Then an un-released project October, still sorting out the release issues. An International instrumental album ‘in-conceivable’ with a singaporean artist. One single ‘Show me love’ with canadian producer Moilim Yacoub aka MY.

7) It said the new comers are always asked for money to get a chance to sing in movies? Would u pay to get a chance to sing in a movie?

I have had offers like that. I haven’t done so far, I won’t be doing. I take music as a passion. I don’t need to invest in that to get recognized. For an artist, his talent is the investment.

Your take on Reality Shows (Singing)

It’s a good platform for the new comers. Hope the back end of such shows are genuine.

9) Your dream aspiration and role model?

AR Rahman

10) What is your recent project?

Right now working on a international album for a chennai/bangaore based company Tune4. Mix of instrumental, hindi and english. I have few other projects in the pipeline, but not clear as such to speak about.

11) Valentines Day is near do u have a valentine and what plans for valentines day?

Nope I’m working this valentines, travelling from friday to monday for an album project.

12) Your concept of Love? and Recommend Top Romantic Songs of your choice for Kochivibe readers!

If you think about the fantasy side, Love is something u cant live without… everyone in this world loves something or someone….. the heart skipping a beat or goosebumps, missing someone badly etc etc

Practical side, it’s how you adjust with someone…it is the level of understanding between two individuals and willingness to sacrifice small things in life. It’s about how well you share and care each other.

Love for me as a musician is a source of inspiration. Anything around the concept of love is a spark.

and my top pick of romantic songs would be

• Manju Pole of the film Dost (All time fav – Malayalam),
• Bole Sajni from Doli Sajake Rakhna (Sonu Nigam/ARR),
• When you say nothing at all (Ronan Keating)
• Right here waiting (Richard Marx)

You can catch Ifthikar in this facebook fanpage.

Come February and the city would be treated to an exotic dance performance for six consecutive nights as Kalakshetra, a cultural academy dedicated to the preservation of traditional Indian art forms. Kalakshetra will be staging its epochal dance drama conceived and choreographed by its founder the late Rukmini Devi Arundale over a period of 15 years staring from 1955.

Additional Chief Secretary K. Jayakumar will inaugurate the programme organised by the society Dharani at Fine Arts Hall on February 7 at 6 p.m.

The drama, based on the Valmiki Ramayana, will be split into six episodes with each episode running into almost two-and-a-half hours.

Details

Date : February 7

Time : 6 pm onwards

Duration : 2 1/2 hours

Venue : Fine Arts Hall , Kochi

On display are skeletons of 10 lanterns made of bamboo and fabric in various sizes. Calling it “Random Ranthal” (lantern in Malayalam), the final display would be a colourfully decorated fabric that would have block text printing in various languages and images that would add to the imagination of the viewer. The switching on and off of the lanterns accompanied by music and dance in a sound and light performance would be the final result of the installation in Intervisuality.

Students in the workshop have been busy carving words and images into potatoes to make block prints and then like an assembly line producing lantern-cloth stamped with these words and symbols. And inspiring them and directing them all is Noah Fisher, artist from New York. Joining him in his work are Anil Dayanand with his art work and Bipin Balachandran as curator of the workshop, both faculty members at the RLV College and numerous students from various departments. There are at least two students from 10 other colleges, of which six are outside the State.

This is the first time that a workshop and a seminar for fine arts of national standard is being organised in the State, said K. Sidharthan, Head of the Department of Fine Arts at RLV College. Wishing the workshop all the very best .

Dr. K J Yesudas

In his reply speech, Dr. Yesudas said that Ravindran, as a music composer, exploited all possibilities of his voice. “He used to give freedom to explore potential of a song he had composed, letting me hover like an eagle in a wide sky,” said Dr. Yesudas.

Ten dignitaries including A.K. Basheer, Kerala High Court judge, music composers Jayan, Vidyasagar and Ignatius; Sreekumari Ramachandran, writer; and Leela Menon, journalist, draped ’ponnada’ on Dr. Yesudas. Mr. Mammotty presented the awards to Mr. Ouseppachan and Mr. Mohan Sithara. Veteran singer P.B. Sreenivas was also honoured at the function.

He also led a ganamela featuring compositions by Ravindran, in which other singers like Biju Narayanan, Madhu Balakrishnan, Naveen Madhava, Sangeetha Prabhu and Sithara also participated. Sobha Ravindran, wife of the late music director, was also present.

What a legend. ! May he live another healthy 70 years !

Mohan Sithara

Music Direcotr Ouseppachan

Details of the event

Venue :  Town Hall

Date : January 12 th 2010

Time :  5.30 p.m

The award comprises Rs. 10,000, plaque and a citation. N. Sreekumar, reception committee chairman, will preside over the function. Singer K.J. Yesudas, who had just celebrated his 70th birthday, will also be felicitated on the occasion.

Mammootty, director Hariharan, and producer Gokulam Gopalan would also be felicitated in connection with the 90th day celebrations of their period epic Pazhassi Raja. P.B. Sreenivas, singer who has given many a nostalgic songs to music lovers, would attend the function as a guest and would be felicitated.

Manhu, an international band from Amsterdam, will soothe you with jazz, soul, blues and folk music.

manhu

The band’s main influences are Dave Mathews band, Yellow Jackets, U2, Israel and David Crowder. Benny Prasad from Bangalore, an artist who has travelled to over more than 224 countries, and has three world records to his credit, will entertain you.

Benny Prasad

Benny has performed before presidents and parliaments, before the crowds of 2007 Military World Games, 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2004 Olympic Games. His travels earned him the honour of being ‘the most travelled Indian musician’ (Limca Book of Records). He has also designed two guitars (the world’s first bongo guitar and a 54 string guitar, ‘The Bentar’). Stephan Devassy is a familiar name to Kochiites. A child prodigy, he has been travelling around the world with mainstream artists, climbing the ladder of success.

He will entertain you with his soul-stirring music. Recognised by the Trinity College of Music, London, as the best scorer in Asia whose record is yet to be bettered, he is currently the lead musician for Amritha Super Star Singer. Gifted singer Bonny Andrews will also perform live.

The music concert will be held at Durbar Hall Ground at 5.30 pm on Saturday. Entry is free. There are club seats and gold seats. For passes, call 9895891574 /9895694111.

You could also walk in to My Kingdom /Music World for the passes.

If you don’t get the passes before the event, no worries ! Just go to Durbar Hall Ground half an hour before the start of the event , and collect your free pass.

The Round Table India Area – I , will organize a music nite led by Shankar Mahadevan , popular singer on the 27th of December 2009 . Th event will be held at Jawaharlal Nehru International stadium , Kaloor stadium. It is part of the fund raising programmes being organized by the Round Table India Area I, for implementing its social initiatives.

Other celebrities who will be present for the event are : actor Mohanlal , playback singers Karthik , Malathy , Swetha Mohan, and Cicily.

The organization plans to come up with welfare programmes for children besides stepping up infrastructure facilities in primary schools.

Parikrama is a Rock band from Delhi, formed on the 17th of June, 1991 in Delhi.The word Parikrama means ‘orbital revolutions’ in Sanskrit. One of the notable milestones in their career was when Parikrama, with FtN and Lauren Harris, opened for Iron Maiden at Bangalore, in March 2007. After watching Parikrama’s performance, Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris said that he was completely blown away by the quality of Parikrama. They have performed four shows with Iron Maiden in the UK.

The ticket rates for the rock show ranges between Rs 100 and 500.
The tickets for the show are available at Aries Telecasting Pvt Ltd, Edappally.

Rock of Ages, directed by Mr. Jerry Amaldev one of music’s foremost Music Directors has performed a variety of Choral Music taken from Mozart, Rossini, Cesar Franck, Popular Hits of Beatles, Carpenters, Abba , Hymns in Latin and German, to folk songs of international flavor.

Rock of ages isn’t any other concert that caters to music lovers, other than their objective of delivering exquisite music, the group has many other certain objectives that they wish to deliver through their music.

o To experiment with all kinds of music streams in this world – breaking the shackles of regional or linguistic barriers.
o To develop a love of singing and thus create a lifelong interest in music.
o Foster the development of a larger and better – informed public of the art of choral music.
o Inspire and bring about more new music and more opportunities in the field of music.
o Reach out and help deserving youngsters to pursue music.
o To share the funds that they accumulate through the performances with deserving and promising musicians who are financially backward.
o Stretch the boundaries of Excellence in community music.
o To organize concerts.

For more details
Contact:
Secretary: Mr.Joe Gabriel Mob: 09447302642
info@rockofages.co.in
Rock of Ages
1426/35, Thattarathu Lane,
Near St.Martin Church,
Palarivattom,
Kochi- 682025
Kerala, India.

JTpac presents Bhairav , a Sarod Recital by Ustad Ajmad Ali Khan , accompanied by Tanmoy Bose on Tabla .

Bhairav : An exclusive blend of sarod and tabla.

The masteroes, Sri Ustad Amjad Alikhan and Sri Tanmoy  Bose join hands to provide the most sensational musical magic to enthrall the audience .

Details :

Date : Sunday 8th November 2009

Time : 7:00 pm , but be seated by atleast 6:45 pm

Ustad Ajmad Ali Khan : He was all of 6 years old, when Amjad Ali Khan gave his first recital of Sarod. It was the beginning of yet another glorious chapter in the history of Indian classical music. Taught by his father and guru, the great Haafiz Ali Khan of Gwalior, Amjad Ali Khan was born to the illustrious Bangash lineage rooted in the Senia Bangash School of music. Today he shoulders the sixth generation inheritance of this legendary lineage. After his debut, the career graph of this musical legend took the speed of light, and on its way the Indian classical music scene was witness to regular and scintillating bursts of Raga supernovas. And thus, the world saw the Sarod being given a new and yet timeless interpretation by Amjad Ali Khan. Khan is one of the few maestros who consider his audience to be the soul of his motivation.

TANMOY BOSE, one of the foremost musician in contemporary world music and an indispensable member in the global fraternity of percussion.

For reservations and seating arrangements click here