Peace through music

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The people of Nepal need peace which ultimately leads to progress. Giving a similar message with people, peace and progress in mind, the first Nepal Music Festival was organised on September 22 at Jawalakhel Football Ground.

National and international artistes came together where music acted as a medium to spread the message of peace and unity. This annual festival also aims for sustainable development.

Filling the air with peaceful instruments, it was Sukarma that inaugurated the festival. Sarangi player Shyam Nepali of Sukarma believes that “music brings positive energy” and their classical music without any hard beats did create a tranquil ambience.

“The festival has brought national and international artistes together and we are performing one genre irrespective of varieties of genre we do,” he added.

On a mission to entertain the crowd at the venue, artistes like Swiss 1001 Ways, Resa Fusion, Playing For Change, Astha Tamang Maskey, Robin and The New Revolution, Cobwed, Tumbleweed, Indian Parinday Music of Soul, Danish Soul Set, Mukti and Revival and 1974 AD performed in the festival.

After Robin and The New Revolution on stage, the crowd was high on music, kicking off to break their shell to sway and rock.

Among the crowd, supporting his musician friend, festival DJ Salim Akhtar was witnessing and enjoying the festival. “They are catering varieties of music which is suitable for people from young to old. It is also conveying positive messages which is good,” he said about the festival.

Indeed, the venue was one place where many genres of music came together — from traditional music to world fusion to rock. Songs like Namaste Namaste, Mercedes Benz, Another Brick In Wall, It’s Gotta Be Love to name a few were performed by the artistes.

Down to the vision of the festival, some of the performing artistes delivered notes on harmony and unity through their songs as the festival is tied with peace. 1001 Ways sang about Gandhi, No More Wars, I Just Hope, Born Free and Dream Come True while Robin and The New Revolution performed Mero Desh, Keta Keta, Bhul Ma Bhulyo which told about the present situation of Nepal.

Moreover, Project Co-Director Tobias Huber, also a member of 1001 Ways, portrayed Nepal Music Festival as “an amazing opportunity to heal the wounds of war with music as universal language”.

He sees that the need of the festival in Nepal “to get together”.

“Work for peace putting down all the borders and barriers,” he shares this message that he wants to deliver to people hoping that they would get the message and that festival will grow in the years to come.

Music is for entertainment for some while it is for expression to others — be it anything, music is powerful. Here, music is being used as medium in this festival. As per Ranjan Ojha, Founder and Project Director of the festival, “It doesn’t matter how many audience gather for the festival but what we are communicating is important.”