Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Nurturing a passion for melodious oldies

N.J. Nair

IN SYNC: Symphony is a venue for wholesome and meaningful entertainment.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Symphony Music Club, formed under the tutelage of Krishnakumar, anchor-producer of the television programme Melody, is on a mission to bring together music buffs who listen to oldies.

The club has branches in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Bangalore. It is also active among Keralites in Doha, Bahrain and Abu Dhabi. Support from music lovers has inspired Krishnakumar to branch out to Kozhikode and New Delhi as well. "We are trying to nurture friendship through melody," he says.

The 1,000-odd members of the club are bonded together by their passion for melody.

The clubs do not collect any membership fee, but are run with the support of corporates.

According to Mr. Krishnakumar, there is nothing like melody that appeals to one's mind. "Fortunately, Malayalam has a treasure of songs composed by veterans such as Baburaj, G. Devarajan and others. I select the songs and talented singers present them before the audience," he says.

"It is not just a means to unwind oneself at the end of a tiresome week, but a venue for wholesome and meaningful entertainment. Some of the members have described the experience like basking in the warmth of moonlight on a December night. It's like experiencing the warmth of the moonlight and the soothing cold of winter," he says.

"While the craze for fast-paced songs is satiated by television programmes and ganamelas, those who have a passion for melodies do not have a place to get together. I felt there were many others like me who longed to hear songs such as `Parannu parannu parannu chellan... ' `Arukil nee undayirunnenkil... ' and Tharake mizhiyithalil... ' and the first attempt was made in Doha. Indian Ambassador George Varghese extended whole-hearted support and that set the pace for the things," he says.

Mr. Krishnakumar hopes to develop budding talents and also elders who are looking for an opportunity to show their skills through the club.

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