An evening of soulful rendition

Theme, a ten-year-old music school in collaboration with Kawai Pianos, offered the niche audience of Western Classical enthusiasts in the City an evening to remember.

The Young Performer, an event aimed at encouraging new talent in Western Classical music, began in all its frenzy with the first pair of artistes performing at the Theme music school venue.

“The aim of this project is to provide a platform for budding artistes,” said Ashwin Prabhakaran, marketing executive for Theme, South India.

When asked to elaborate, he said that the artistes were chosen based on auditions conducted at the music school.

“We plan to have recitals every month and request artistes interested in showcasing their talent to approach us, as they couldn't ask for a better opportunity,” he added.
The event comprised a piano recital by Anish Thomas Panikkar and a vocal recital by Tanisha Herbert; both students of concert pianist Neecia Majolly.

Anish, an engineer by qualification, has been playing the piano since the tender age of nine. He had a one-year long stint with Trivandrum based pop band Paradiso and was awarded the Diploma from London College of Music in August 2010.

He even had the opportunity to attend a master class with world renowned pianist Paul Stewart. 

He began his recital with Impromptu in G flat major, Op 90,No 3 by Schubert which had a calming melody. Invitation to Dance Op 65 by Weber, which was the second piece, was beautiful.

It tells a story of a couple at a ball with a young man asking a lady for a dance which is depicted by the slow opening and continues with them waltzing across the dance floor.
He also had an own composition lined up called Prelude No 1. It was very different and had a strange mystery to it.

He ended his recital with the best, a contemporary piano work called Sunflowers by Yu shi Wang. It was a charming piece of Chinese music that marked the perfect end for his recital.

Tanisha Herbert, an H R executive, who has been singing from the age of 14, won hearts with her soulful rendition of Gretchen am Spinnrade, another Schubert piece.

She personified Gretchen, the simple girl deeply anguished by the love she feels for the handsome Faust, who she has barely met. An illusion of the spinning of the spinning wheel was created by the piano.

She was accompanied by Neecia Majolly, who reined the piano with an electrifying command. The song O lead me written by John Fletcher from the English opera Bonduca describing the futility of war was also beautifully sung with Tanisha nailing every emotion.
Non so Piu by Mozart had a tinge of naughtiness to it complementing the wicked theme of the song. She ended her recital with I could have danced all night from the
musical My Fair Lady, which had the crowds smiling in approval.