Media Release
Goa, Aug 25: Kala Academy Goa's department of western music held its Founder’s Day and prize distribution function on August 24, at Dinanath Mangeshkar Kala Mandir in Panjim.
The event honoured Maestro Antonio Fortunato de Figueiredo, the founding director of the department. Arvind Khutkar, member secretary of Kala Academy Goa, was the chief guest.
Speaking on the occasion, Khutkar, praised director Fr Romeo Monteiro for bringing up the level of musical education and also for rejuvenating the symphony orchestra of Kala Academy. He congratulated all the participants for their contribution to the event.
In 1952, Figueiredo, from Lotoulim, started a music school called Academia de Música da Índia Portuguesa. In 1971, the Academia de Música was absorbed into Kala Academy Goa and became the Department of Western Music. Since then, it has been supported by the Government of Goa under the aegis of the directorate of art and culture.
After Figueiredo retired in 1977, Maestro Fr Lourdino Barreto, a diocesan priest, led the department. He greatly improved the quality of teaching and helped the symphony orchestra and choir perform at a high level.
When Fr Barreto passed away in 1997, classical pianist Margarida Miranda took over. Although the school continued, the orchestra was not revived.
In 2018, Maestro Fr Romeo Monteiro was asked by the Government to lead the department, leading to the revival of the symphony orchestra.
The Founder’s Day event included a programme of solos, duos, and ensembles by students in various musical disciplines. The junior and senior choirs also performed, along with young violinists from the junior string orchestra.
The highlight of the evening was the performance by the Kala Academy symphony orchestra, conducted by Maestro Romeo Monteiro. This 52-member orchestra, which includes strings, reeds, brass, and percussion, is unique in Goa and India.
In India, the only professional symphony orchestra is the Symphony Orchestra of India, based in Mumbai. It employs professional musicians who are often brought in from outside the country.
Kala Academy Symphony Orchestra is made up of Goan students, staff, and music enthusiasts. This year, it had 52 members, including the conductor, with 11 first violins, 9 second violins, 8 violas, 8 cellos, 3 double basses, a flute, 2 clarinets, a tenor saxophone, 2 trumpets, 2 French horns, a trombone, and timpani.
The Orchestra performed three pieces: 1) The first movement of Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major, featuring soloist Reanne Mendes; 2) A traditional Goan tune, "Mestri rebek vazita," arranged for orchestra by Fr Romeo Monteiro; and 3) The first movement of Symphony in C by Anton Zimmerman.
On this occasion prizes were distributed to meritorious students who studied in the previous academic year (Jan – Dec 2023) at the hands of the chief guest.