Celebrating life through music and poetry
In a celebration of not only art but “life itself”, the Aroha Music and Cultural Society held an evening of Western classical music and poetry reading at Loreto Convent Auditorium here on Saturday.
Despite the title of the event, the evening’s music was not strictly limited to classical performances, with lively renditions of swing hits ‘Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off’ and ‘Have You Met Miss Jones?’ getting the audience of around 200 going as well. For lovers of classical music there were delightful pieces sampling Chopin, Handel and Mozart, while experimental jazz and personal, original poetry was woven into an engaging evening’s entertainment. An environmental message ran through the programme as well, encapsulated by the ‘Anti-Litter Jingle’ performed by the Aroha Choir in the first half of the evening.
If the audience was thrilled with the performance of the Aroha Choir, including a solo by India’s Got Talent star Toshan Nongbet, they would have been left smitten with that of the Serenity Choir, the duo of Venetia K Warshong and Nanetta Massar and brilliant performances by Emmanuel Martin Marbaniang and Ronojit Chaliha on the piano and Adiel Massar on the cello.
Poems in English and Khasi came from school children to college lecturers and were also warmly received.
Organiser Pauline Warjri described the evening as a fruitful platform for Shillong’s talented musicians and poets. “I think it was a very good representation of the kind of talent that is in Shillong and this is just the tip of the iceberg,” she said after the event. “We had people from Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Garo Hills and Khasi-Jaintia Hills and it is important to give these performers a stage.” On the range of musical genre featured, Warjri said, “It was done on purpose. The programme just kept on growing. I first envisaged only the classical people performing but then Ron (Chaliha) turned up and he always does something new when he’s here. I think Shillong is open to all sorts of music. We’ve been known for rock music for so long, but I think there is growing awareness that people are open to all kinds of music whether it is Western, classical, jazz or Indian classical music.” (Contributed by Keshav Pariat)
Prices hitting the ceiling
Prices of vegetables and other eatables in Shillong are outrageous. But the Laitumkhrah market beats them all. Eggs that used to sell @ Rs 8 each two weeks ago have now skyrocketed to Rs 10 each – a 25% increase. Carrots and peas both cost Rs 120 a kg and the less we talk about fruits the better. These have become the stuff of high tables.
And guess which is the most expensive fruit! Papaya of course. A tiny sized papaya of half kg sells @ Rs 100 or more.
Grapes, apples and bananas too have gone beyond the reach of many. Citizens wonder if there isn’t something the District Administration can do to regulate the prices of fruits and vegetables.
As of now it’s a free-for-all by the vendors while customers get the short end of the stick.