A cohesive melody comprising of mutually embracing musical notes reverberated all through the fusion music concert organised by Pracheen Kala Kendra at the Law Bhavan auditorium here in Chandigarh.

It was indeed a rare confluence of Indian and German musicians where East met West with satvik veena maestro Salil Bhatt and German guitarist Matthias Muller enchanting audience.

Artistes in a scintillating jugalbandi mainly presented compositions from their latest album titled “Mumbai to Munich”, which they have dedicated to victims of the Mumbai blasts.

The duo opened the soiree delineating serene character of raga “Basant mukhari” interspersed with influences of Carnatic classical style. A tranquil environment pervaded as the accomplished musicians made their stringed instruments to exude contemplation in the next offering veritably titled “Peace”.

The duo performed “Ahimsa”, a master piece composed by Mutthias Muller and dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. Another composition “Jhinjhoti” brought alive the love and romance. “Kirwani hichki”, a popular Rajasthani folk melody based on raga kirwani, played to perfection by Salil and Matthias showing their perfect matching of imagination. Salil apparently taking the lead on his satvik veena, Matthias Muller’s notes on the Spanish guitar merged so well, one couldn’t really shift them apart. The concluding presentation was “Jog Blues”, based on raga jog, a very intense, serious and meditative melody.

Articulating the melody metre on tabla, the Benaras gharana maestro Pandit Ram Kumar Mishra won tremendous applause and emerged as the real hero of the concert. The fusion concert was a perfect blend of classical folk with western music flavours.

Earlier kendra registrar Shobha Koser welcomed the chief guest SK Monga, an IAS, who lighted the inaugural lamp and honoured the artistes.

The Chandigarh Administration has chalked out an ambitious plan to convert the recently-opened Tagore Theatre into a centre of excellence for art and culture.

According to official sources, the objective will not only be to provide technical and infrastructural facilities at par with the international standards, but also to simultaneously transform its identity from a mere city-level theatre facility to a national-level cultural centre for arts.

The aim will be to develop it in a way so it emerges as a venue for other new trends in the arena of theatre and associated fields like experimental theatre, children’s theatre, a theatre repertory etc.

With this objective of creating a cultural renaissance and promotion of all forms as a unified whole, the theatre would be developed as the hub of all such artistic, intellectual, creative happenings.

Besides the enhancements of the engineering and technological facilities in the theatre, addition of other facilities like an exhibition gallery, small seminar facilities, library of the arts (with focus on performing arts), place for conducting art, theatre and literary workshops, and cafeteria designed with imaginative elements would develop the venue into a holistic centre of arts, revolving around the fulcrum of performing arts.

Within the theatre complex, a small open-air theatre around the landscaped pedestrian piazza can be added for low cost performances to amateurs, children, neighborhood level groups or anyone else desiring using them.

In other words, with enhanced facilities and cultural transformation, the artists would perform in the most conducive and supportive atmosphere. Also it would become an artiste and art-lovers’ hangout and a venue for exchange of intellectual ideas and discourses.