Kohima: Nagaland’s biggest piano festival, Brillante, is back for its fourth edition, set to take place at the Capital Cultural Hall in Kohima from August 29 to October 1. This year, the festival is going even bigger and wider, with performances by international and national artists, as well as a new focus on inclusivity.
A new feature of this year’s Brillante piano festival is the Specially Abled Musician (SAM) programme, which will celebrate the talent and determination of musicians with disabilities. The programme will feature special performances by Ritam Changkakoti, a blind musical prodigy from Guwahati, Assam.
Brillante piano festival founder director Khyochano TCK, during a media briefing at the Heritage in Kohima on Friday informed that the festival is also committed to making it accessible to everyone, with accessibility features such as lifts, ramps, and guides for people with disabilities.
The festival aims to celebrate the diversity of musicians, uplift and engage the music community. The festival will also feature concerts, with performances by pianists from Mexico, Spain, Italy, Chennai, Goa, Gurgaon, and Nagaland.
There will also be competitions for the western classical – Under 16 years and above 17 years categories, and Jazz (open category). She informed that international guidelines prescribed for the categories will strictly be followed.
During the preliminary, the Nagaland piano teachers will assess the participants. Seven participants selected from each segment will proceed to the next round and will be judges by visiting guest artists.
Besides the evening concerts, the three-day event will witness 12 planned sessions for music learners. A one-day activity will be held in the streets of Kohima on September 28 to mark the celebrations.
Music therapy workshops will be another highlight of the festival. Special packages for student concertgoers and institutions have been announced during the presser.
The festival is estimated to cost Rs 26 lakh. Event partners will sponsor guest artists, three digital pianos as prizes, and other resources. Khyochano, the festival director, said that the organizers are managing the festival in the most efficient way possible, while keeping costs low.
Deputy commissioner Shanavas C informed that the district administration will be extending support under the ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’ intitiative. The Brillante Piano Festival, he hoped, would be a positive event for the district, as it provides an international platform for Nagaland’s musicians to showcase their talents and forget their differences.
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The festival, he said, is a rare opportunity for the people of Nagaland to come together and celebrate music. He opined that amid tension in the region, the festival could come as a chance to share happiness and spread positivity in the region.
Shanavas said that the festival is also a chance for Nagaland’s musicians to connect with the rest of the world, and what Nagaland has to offer in terms of music and culture.
The Brillante Piano Festival is a spectacular, vibrant, and one-of-a-kind music event that is defined by fine piano music, creative engagements and innovative platforms for all musicians and music lovers. It is the only multi-genre piano festival in the world with Performance, Competition and Pedagogy, all working in beautiful synergy creating an amazing atmosphere that is unique and beautiful.
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