Different Strokes

CRESCENDOSS, the cultural troupe promoted by the Pilar Music Academy, presented "Different Strokes", a wonderful programme of vintage music, dance and song, at the Hanuman Theatre in Mapusa on February 21. For a long time the music lovers of Mapusa have been missing enthralling performances of this calibre. If any such performances are staged in Goa nowadays, they are generally done in Panjim, and sometimes in Margao.

It was a thorough as well as a heady mixture of the various aspects of music, dance and vocals, conducted by maestro Fr Peter Cardozo of Pilar. The 40-piece orchestra excelled at their performance whereas the the choirs--senior and junior--lent their own special charm to the evening, under the baton of Fr Cardozo. The well chosen and thoroughly rehearsed repertoire comprised of evergreen, vintage scores and they came in English, Konkani and Portuguese.

The necessary visual poetry was subtly slipped into the lively proceedings with some of the graceful movements displayed by Cassiano and his partner. The programme was conducted admirably by compere Anne Shakoor.

There was a bit of Hindusthani music, song and dance thrown in to enchant the non-plussed audience. The first session was dominated by the orchestra whereas the choir took over after the intermission, and individual vocals came in between to make it one of the most pleasurable evenings for music-starved Mapxenkars. Of course, the medley comprising of songs in three different languages bagged the most thunderous applause.

GRAF's 'Mando Utsov 2001'

THE Goan Mando held centrestage in Mumbai's Rang Sharda Auditorium at Bandra during the Mando Festival 2001, which was hosted on February 4 by the Goan Review Art Foundation (GRAF). Seven groups vied for top honours at the well attended festival, which was interspersed with a Dekhnni dance 'Hanv Saiba Polltoddi Voitam', a Goan folk dance 'Vauraddi', a medley dance by a group Fulte Bonge, a skit 'Vokol Tuji Bail Mhoji' by Joe Rose, an exhibition mando 'Ekvisvo Xekddo' by Fr. Maxy D'Costa and the finale with 'Adeus', a traditional mando presented by GRAF.

Franciscan Association of Bandra emerged winners, while Pittolleo of Dabul were the runners-up. Fatimachim Kirnam of Ambernath had to be content with the consolation prize.

The chief guest of the function Fr. Alfred Almeida, Principal of Fr. Agnel Technical School, Bandra, gave away the glittering Mando trophy to the winners. In his address, Fr Almeida praised GRAF for promoting the Konkani art and culture in Mumbai. J. B. Moraes, the secretary of Konkani Bhasha Mandal, and Tony Rodrigues, the ex-publisher and editor of The Coastal Observer, were the guests of honour.

Fr Casmiro D'Mello gave away the best Konkani student certificate to Maria D'Costa, who stood first in the Konkani Basic Course conducted by GRAF at Mahim, Mumbai.