Mangalore: Gulf Voice of Mangalore Provides Gateway for Talented Konkani Singers
Daijiworld Media Network - Kuwait (SP)
Mangalore, Aug 2: Gulf Voice of Mangalore event organisers and co-ordinators briefed media in Mangalore about the much talked Rs 1 Lac prized 'Gulf Voice of Mangalore' singing contest to be held in Kuwait in October, 2008.
Music has been a field, where newer experiments are tried often. The Konkani musical field is no different. It has been witnessing fresh ideas, new experiments and fast transformation. 'Gulf Voice of Mangalore', a freshly coneptualized programme aimed at lending encouragement to emerging singers and providing them a stage to showcase their talents, is inspired by television shows like 'Indian Idol' and 'Voice of India' that have caught the country's imagination and have become immensely popular.
The Konkani community settled in gulf countries will have a musical feast to relish on in October next. Youth Recreation Centre - Rising Star', an established and experienced organization from Kuwait, will be bringing this programme for them.
Inspite of not being a television programme, the producers of 'Gulf Voice of Mangalore' are confident of maintaining high standards witnessed in television programmes in this musical competition. Priliminary preparations for the programme have already been made six months in advance, and in the first phase, interested singers were registerred online and after screening over 200 applications, 12 singers from each of the gulf countries have been selected. The second phase of selection will be through performances in the presence of famous Konkani musicians and judges. In the third and final phase to be held in Kuwait on October 17, 2008,, two singers selected from each of the gulf countries, Dubai, Bahrain, Muscat, Doha Qatar and Kuwait, will be made to compete against each other.
Top Konkani singing stars Wilfy Rebimbus, Sandesh awardee Melwyn Peres and renowned music director Joel Pereira from Mangalore will be judging the performances of individual contestants. A team of 10 artistes including Konkan Myna Meena Rebimbus, well known singers Josvin Pinto, Christopher Mascarenhas, Richard Monteiro, Theo Alvares and Melvin Fernandes will accompany them. After each phase of the competition, these artistes will present a stage performance. Well known emcee Leslie Rego will compere the programme.
Popular Konkani stage comedian Jeri Rusqinha will participate as special guest artiste and entertain the audience, at the finals of the competition to be held on October 17 this year. The winners will pocket the first prize ofone lac rupees, the second prize will be of Rs 50,000 while the second runner up will be eligible to receive cash reward of Rs 25,000.
The responsibility of this programme with a budget of about Rs 25 lacs, has been shared by Kuwait organizers Lawrence Pinto and Louis Pinto in association with Mangalore Konkans Dubai, Mangalore Catholic Association Qatar, MCCP Muscat and Karavali Konkans Bahrain. 'Caesars', a well known businesss house from the gulf region, will sponsor the proramme.
Daijiworld will be the media sponsors for the event.
Programme orgnizers Lawrence Pinto, Louis Rodrigues, Konkani legend singer Wilfy Rebimbus and Daijiworld editor-in-chief Walter Nandalike were present at the press conference held here today.
Programme coordinator Leslie Rego gave details of the programme to the press.
Also see: