& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Music to drown the gunshot-sounds

In conversation with Neil Nongkynrih

Fahmim Ferdous
Neil Nongkynrih worked as a concert pianist for 13 years in Europe before coming back to his homeland in Shillong, India, where what he started 12 years ago by the name of Shillong Chamber Choir has grown into an accomplished musical group. The Daily Star caught up with the visionary artiste, as he arrived in Dhaka to perform:
Why and how did you start a chamber choir in a place like Shillong?
Neil: 1 was a classically-trained musician in Western music and I was a professional in Europe for over a decade; it was quite certain that I did not have much professional prospects back in India, especially because I was interested in Bollywood. But when I came home in 2001,1 heard lots of gunshots; there was a lot of militancy and terror, and people didn't stay out after dark. I wanted to do something for the kids there, even if it was a weekend thing. And then I realised I was doing something that the society needed. I went back to England, but my heart was here, so I took a risk and came back.
Was it difficult to begin practice of Western Music in a place like Shillong?
Neil: There are two places in India where there is a strong influence of Western culture; one is Goa, the other is Shillong. Even 10 years ago, people of our region were not as inclined to Bollywood as the other parts of the country. Having said that, it was difficult because the concept of 'choir' was of church hymns, and people didn't want to go listen to it at a concert. But gradually, they found out the taste and flavour of it.
How challenging was it to make a musical impact in the region?
Neil: There were always three names that came up as the major international exponents of Indian music; AR Rahman, Zubin Mehta and myself.
Now, Mr. Rahman is doing his music in Bombay, where the industry is established; Mr. Mehta is probably in Vienna right now -- and there I was in North-East India, a place even many Indians didn't know well about. And whatever media publicity there was, it was mostly negative. So when we started with this choir and got some recognition, it has made people of the Northern parts look at me like I have brought it about. I didn't do it consciously though; I am not political, or even a social activist.
The choir has been in opera-
tional for 12-odd years. Tell us about the journey.
Neil: It took a fair bit of time before we got recognition; and I think it was a good thing. Newfound fame is difficult to sustain; if you win something overnight, you can also lose it very quickly. We started in Shillong, and then got some recognition in neighbouring Gauhati (now Guwahati). The biggest media attention we got was when we were selected to play for (US) President Obama at the Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential Palace) in 2010; everybody were asking who these 'virtually unknown' group was who would be playing instead of the more popular, famous names. But when we performed, it was to great response! And we get invited to the Rashtrapati Bhavan every year on Christmas. And following that, we were asked to do a bit on TV (India's Got Talent Season 2 on Colors TV), although 1 am a very camera-shy person, and we won that. It was during then that I realised that people could relate to Bollywood, and we re-did the old hits in a choir format that people loved. Even outside India, when we went to perform in China and places, we saw a lot of non-lndians also followed Bollywood closely, so that
approach made it easier for us to connect with them.
What has the Shillong Chamber choir been up to lately?
Neil: We've done a charity event for the flooded areas of Uttarkhand; we've worked with Mr. Bachchan for the music of "Kaun Banega Crorepati", we’re also working on our second studio album, music videos, and a movie based on the story of the Shillong Chamber Choir.
This is your first visit to Bangladesh; how's it feeling so far?
Neil: I have wanted to come to Bangladesh for a long time; my maternal grandfather was a doctor, and he adopted the name SM Roy; although we don't have any Bengali blood, he took it because he passed his MBBS from a college in Sylhet. Also, the village where my mother comes from is on the border of Bangladesh. 1 am more excited to be here than to go to US, because everybody has been there, right? (chuckles)! How many people have been to Bangladesh? And it's so nearby, I feel like we should have come earlier. We've also prepared two Bangla songs that we're going to perform at the concert, and we'll also play at a concert in Sylhet on Sunday. Really looking forward to it.