Musical duo Sourendro-Soumyojit is all set for the 14th Annual World Music Day Concert that’ll take place at Netaji Indoor Stadium on June 21. This year’s theme is based on a collaboration of diverse musical forms, bringing together the essence of different musical philosophies in a unique and harmonious blend. Each performance promises to be an exclusive, one-time experience, presenting the magic that happens when two distinct musical traditions meet. The ensemble lineup will feature Shankar Mahadevan, Shubha Mudgal, Vishal Bhardwaj, Rekha Bhardwaj, Papon, Usha Uthup, Mame Khan, Lopamudra Mitra, Arnob from Bangladesh, Shweta Mohan, Leslie Lewis, Anindya Chatterjee of Chandrabindoo, Carnatic Doyen Aruna Sairam, Mir Afsar Ali and Amjad Ali Khan. t2 chatted with the musical duo ahead of the concert. Excerpts:
Can you tell us more about this year’s theme?
Every year we’ve tried to come up with different themes and this year it’s collab. “Collab” is a very Gen-Z word, but it is also a need of the hour. Post-pandemic we’re trying to live hand-in-hand. Each one of us has understood the value of humanity and even in art, how we can create something together.
How was it planning and exploring the idea with an ensemble line-up?
We’ve known and worked with all the artistes for very long now and most of them are dear friends. All of them are such great musicians that we expect a certain level of musicianship from them. However, this year it’s very special because of the theme. We’re exploring diversity in terms of music. Shubha Mudgal is an exponent of Indian classical music, we know her personal inclination towards Bengal, folk music, and Tagore’s songs. So, one fine afternoon, a few months back, we talked about Lalon and thought of exploring it with Shubha Mudgal. This will be her first time singing Lalon, and at the same time, she’s collaborating with Vishal Bhardwaj. This is how a musical bond is happening. This is a collaboration on many levels, between artistes as well as of thoughts.
Like Rekha Bhardwaj and Papon are collaborating and performing. They’re exploring the love story of Amrita Pritam and Sahir Ludhianvi. We’ve composed a song dedicated to their love story with hooks from their poems. We just imagined a situation, that if we could get the two of them on the platform of World Music Day. If they silently met each other, what would they talk about? This imagination is going to take place, voiced by Rekha and Papon.
How many pieces can the audience expect?
We’ve composed 10 to 11 music pieces. All of them have been individually created and we have put a lot of thought into it, each will tell a story. We both travel and do so many shows together, that the World Music Day concert is like a breather. We do some things here that we don’t otherwise get the opportunity to do.
What kind of reaction are you expecting from them?
When we started 14 years ago, we got a space for 500 audiences, and now we’ve landed the biggest auditorium in the city. The love and faith of our audience in our music is our only inspiration behind the concert and that’s what drove us so far. There are a lot of fun acts also, like Usha Uthup grooving with Mame Khan, and our original composition where Shweta Mohan is celebrating rain... we’re using Kalidas and his Meghdutam in a very contemporary manner, which we’re going to enjoy, and I’m sure that the audience will too. There aren’t a lot of curated concerts that they get to see, we usually have big stars for a concert, but something exclusively for one night only, that’s rare. This concert is very special to all of us and it is our humble offering to our audience.