Students from 17 schools and colleges across Goa – including St Xavier’s College, Mapusa and Carmel College, Nuvem; swapped their usual classroom session for an educational stint at a concert, ‘Cantaram for the Community’, a musical outreach event organised by Dona Paula-based Communicare Trust, which is marking its 20th anniversary.
Held at Carmel College, Nuvem, and St Xavier’s College, Mapusa, earlier this month, the twin concerts mixed live renditions of classic Konkani cantaram with vinyl listening sessions and quizzes, giving students a closer listen to the music that once defined Goa’s soundscape.
The vibrant cultural event celebrated the rich musical heritage of Goa in the presence of enthusiastic students, introducing them to the familiar-yet-forgotten melodies of classic Konkani music through two live performances and vinyl listening sessions.
Dr Glenis Mendonca, head of the Department of English at Carmel College, Nuvem, said: “I think what stood out for me was the camaraderie, quizzes and interaction with the students. I feel this was a brilliant initiative for the students, with some of them even ending up dancing to the music!”
Sofia Haokip, a student of Navy Children School, Dabolim, who has never seen a shellac disc before, said, “I’ve heard and seen gramophones in books, but today I got a chance to experience it in person. I saw the way it rotated and the different disc sizes.”
The twin events began with a lively performance by the versatile musical collective Entre Nós, featuring Molbailou Dou and a Claudia medley, followed by an engaging session with vinyl record collector Leaxan Freitas, who offered insights into vintage music formats, including shellac and vinyl records and the functioning of an analogue gramophone.
Students were invited to witness the demonstration firsthand, giving them a chance to understand the evolution of how Goans consumed music through time, from shellac discs and gramophones in an era gone by to digital platforms today.
The stories and sounds of some of Goa’s most influential cantaram composers and singers, like C. Alvares, Joe Rose, Frank Fernand, Ophelia Cabral and Antonette Mendes, many of whom are now unfamiliar to younger generations; were brought alive.
The cantaram performances were accompanied by interactive quizzes and each artist’s legacy was highlighted with renditions of their iconic songs, like Chris Perry’s Nachom-ia Kumpasar, Frank Fernand’s Sobit Amchem Goem, C Alvares’ Bencdaita Pai and many more.
Manager at Communicare Trust, Nalini Elvino de Sousa said: “Communicare has long engaged with music and we realised many children today have never seen vinyl, tapes or shellac discs. ‘Cantaram for the Community’ aims to show how music and technology evolved, from shellac to vinyl to digital, while reconnecting youth with Goa’s cultural roots.”
Over the last 20 years, the Communicare Trust has been earnestly working towards preserving culture through a wide range of programmes, events and workshops. The ‘Cantaram for the Community’ programme is supported by the Maria Crescencia Menezes Memorial Educational Trust, which has championed the Trust’s work over the years.
