The 4th edition of the Handshake Concert 2015 is scheduled on November 27 at Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China. This was announced by the Rattle & Hum Music Society (RHMS) during a press conference held today at Dream Café, Sers Bazar, Kohima.
This year’s Handshake Concert is organized by the People’s Government of Kunming Municipal, Yunnan Province and The Consulate General of India, Guangzhou, China, in collaboration with the Rattle & Hum Music Society, Nagaland.
Ever since its inception in 2009, the Handshake Concert which is being initiated by the RHMS has been receiving massive response both nationally and internationally. It has been the endeavour of the RHMS to create platforms for the talents of the country, and even this year, the RHMS is looking ahead to the Handshake Concert at China with lots of positivity. Through the concert, the organizers aim to bring the world closer through music, art and culture.
A total of 19 artistes from India will be performing at the concert to be held at the Kunming Theatre, with the aim to showcase the rich cultural heritage of the country to the international community through the medium of music, dance and performing arts. The platform will also be shared by three groups from China, the RHMS members informed.The Indian contingent would be led by Khriehu Liezietsu, Parliamentary Secretary for Music Task Force, Youth Resources & Sports and State Lotteries, Government of Nagaland. The team will also have the presence of Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Grammy winner and global ambassador of Handshake Concert.
Other team members include - Voices of Hope, Tetseo Sisters, Purple Fusion, Himanshu Balkrishnan Mohan (Tabla), Guru Rewben Mashangva, the folk music stalwart from Manipur and RHMS executive members. The team will depart on November 25 from Kolkata and will return on November 28.
It may be recalled that the Handshake Concert, in the past years, had been successfully held in Mumbai (2009), New Delhi (2010), Bangalore (2011), Bangkok - Thailand (2012), Jakarta - Indonesia (2013) and Yangon - Myanmar (2014). Above that, two Handshake Concerts were also held at the Raj Bhavan, Kohima in 2013 and 2014 respectively in the month of December.
The idea of the Handshake Concert was born out of the North East India Music Festival, coinciding with the World Music Day and organized by the Rattle & Hum Music Society (RHMS) under the patronage of North East Zone Culture Centre, Government of India on June 21, 2008 at Shilpgram, Guwahati, it was informed.
With the Handshake Concert becoming global now, the RHMS members present at the press conference, said that the concert is essentially a link towards building better international understanding and respect and appreciation for each other’s culture, combined with an impressive goal to bring different genres of music including western, classical, pop, rock, folk and fusion to one single stage.
They (RHMS members) were delighted that the concert is growing bigger and more impressive with each passing year.
RHMS member Neingulie Nakhro said “The RHMS was formed to create platforms for upcoming talented youths, and we are happy that we have not deviated from our objective.”
“Not only would this concept bring musicians closer together, but also promote goodwill and universal friendship,” he added.
“The Handshake Concert has given the opportunity for Naga musicians to share the stage with renowned musicians, to the extent of rubbing shoulders with so many international musicians across the world,” said Rüguokhrietuo (Desmo) Kesiezie, vice president of RHMS.
RHMS general secretary Wenitso Kapfo said, “The country and particularly Nagaland have been able to achieve friendship and trust-building through the Handshake Concert.”
At the press conference, it was also informed that a university from Thailand will be making a visit to Kohima Science College this year in November end.
The said visit is part of the educational exchange programme which was initiated through the Handshake Concert in Bangkok, Thailand in June 2012, led by former Minister Küzholüzo (Azo) Nienu.
The Handshake Concert, which also aims at facilitating educational exchange programme. And even this year, the organizers informed that they have plans to collaborate with the Chinese Academy of Science, Institute of Botany.
Rattle & Hum Music Society is a registered non profit organization, which seeks to educate artiste from the field of music, art, dance, theatre and literature of their role in the formation of culture/counter culture. THMS also strives to provide a platform to artiste to showcase their works of art to facilitate the building of networks, whether artistic or commercial.
