 Mozart Meets India
 'Mozart Meets India' is a uniquely creative music project presented by Tamil Maiyam, the makers of Thiruvasagam in Symphonic Oratorio.
The project aims to gain global reach for Indian classical music. It would transcend genre, cross cultures and certainly create an attractive sound track for the world music lovers. While retaining classical virtuosity, the creation will reflect a new age cool, said Rev Jegath Gaspar Raj, chairman of Tamil
Maiyam.
The project began this way: Joseph Enok, Paul Pandian and Arun Veerappan have been working for the last 15 years on an experiment to see if the melodic depth of Carnatic ragas could be integrated with the discipline of Western harmony. Rev. Jegath Gaspar Raj heard this over a dinner and evolved a concept and music plan: Mozart Meets India.
 The concept is simple: Six ragas, namely Kaapi, Panthuvarali, Sindhubhairavi, Bilahari, Sankarabaranam and Hamsananthi, known in Hindustani as Zaare, are first treated by a solo classical instrumentalist or vocalist. Then each piece is given elevated elegancy and solemn majesty with a creative symphonic harmony. The most significant aspect, however, is that at no point the two systems of music clash or compromise, or even slightly adjust. Both systems will maintain their pure grammar in absolute details, yet blending smoothly.
Therein lies the creative challenge for envisioning and creating the orchestral score which is being done by a team of gifted young musicians under the leadership of a village-born music prodigy, Nellai
Jesuraj.
 "We have a profound message here for the nation, world and life in general: That integration is possible with everyone retaining their individual identities fully. We just need creative cooperation and openness to embrace another stream. But, it is certainly not hybrid fusion!" said
Jegath.
The grandeur, however, comes in the spectacular ensemble of musicians and musical instruments, more than 75 in number. To begin with, the stalwarts of classical music are there: Kadri Gopalnath, Bombay Jeyashree, O S Arun, Embar Kannan, Kishore and A K
Devi.
 The global partnership is brought in by Arun Pandian - a US-born Indian, and his team. Arun Pandian is an extremely talented young guitarist who plays for the world music icon Carlos Santana and the queen of hip hop Lauryn Hill. Arun hit the music circles with his play in Lauryn Hill's 1998 solo debut, 'The miseducation of Lauryn Hill'.
"We are also planning to use a string quartet from Europe to give touch to the string component of the symphony part. For global sound sensitivity we plan to do the final sound mixing in the US," said
Jegath.
 The climax will come in the last week of June when the 60-minute album, Mozart Meets India, will be launched with a live concert. "It will be a bold effort to create a uniquely Indian symphony orchestra which could theoretically become a stand-in symphony orchestra for Chennai. With Chennai becoming the key southern corridor for IT, education, healthcare and culture, enhancing the art capacities of the city will certainly add further attraction to potential global travellers," he added.
The proceeds from the live concert will go towards the Give Life project jointly run by the Shriram Social Welfare Trust and Tamil Maiyam, a project that resembles the Integrated Child Development Services of the Government of India providing micro nutrient security, scholarship and career guidance to poor and orphaned children.
 "Thiruvasagam Symphonic Oratorio by Ilaiyaraaja - our first big time music project - could not serve the objective of taking Indian music globally as the music was predominantly tied to Tamil lyrics. But Mozart Meets India will no doubt serve that lofty objective as it is an orchestral symphony. It will attract the world music lovers, crossover music lovers and the new youth of India," said Jegath, adding that the initial reaction to the sample from 30 persons abroad was "extremely positive".
"We plan to sell 2,00,000 CD/DVDs in the first two weeks of the launch and touch a million copies in two years. The name 'Mozart Meets India' is more symbolic than meaning any real adaptation from Mozart. The Mozart celebrations all over Europe did have an influence over the choice," Jegath said.
 Rev. Jegath Gaspar Raj is the key anchor behind the project just as he was behind the Thiruvasagam Symphonic Oratorio project, supported by Joe Arun, Kanimozhi, Jerard, Akhila Srinivasan, Satheesh David, Rev Vincent Chinnadurai, K Pandia Rajan, Arun Veerappan and Dr Anandam among others.
For further details, contact:
Rev. Jegath Gaspar Raj
Good Will Communications Ltd,
68 (Old No. 150),
Luz Church Road,
Mylapore,
Chennai 600 004.
Mobile: 94440 72217
jegath66@yahoo.co.uk
R Rangaraj
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