Voice of India Debojit Saha writes about his preparations for his forthcoming tour of Canada...
Dear friends, I am all set for my forthcoming tour of Edmonton, the capital city of Alberta, a province in Canada. I have been invited by an Indian expatriate community to Edmonton to be part of the famous Bongo Mela, a traditional fair. The fair, an annual affair, is a perfect platform for showcasing the best of Indian tradition and culture with special emphasis on indigenous Bengali culture. I have a special concert at the mela, scheduled for the second week of July.
I am getting ready to enthral the audiences with some of the finest Bengali tunes ever composed. I am also planning to perform Rabindrasangeet at the soiree. And, of course, my concert will include the best of Bollywood music.
Going to Canada is always special for me, as during my last performance in several places in that country, I had developed a special bond with many Assamese and Bengali residents. I am looking forward to meeting them soon.
The people of Indian origin in Canada have a deep love for music. Many of them regularly practise classical Indian music and some of them are indeed very talented. It is always nice to go back to such a place and perform in front of audiences that are so musically inclined.
Perhaps it is in the environment of Canada, which is rather soothing and calm, that all become sensitive and receptive towards music. In fact, during my last visit to Canada, many even expressed their desire to learn music from me.
But I feel that being a student of music myself, it is not appropriate for me to teach anyone. But I do have a plan to become a bridge between the music enthusiasts of Canada and gurus of classical music from India.
In this way, the best of Indian teachers can visit Canada and impart training in music to aspiring singers. I had organised a project of this kind in Guwahati with the help of my guru Askaran Sharmaji.
My forthcoming visit to Edmonton also holds great significance at a personal level because it will be a great opportunity for me to share a few moments with my wife Vandana. In fact, the organisers of the fair have specially invited Vandana to accompany me during the tour. This is my first tour outside India with Vandana since winning the Voice of India title.
These days I have a rather hectic schedule. But Vandana has been a very understanding wife. I hope the trip will compensate for the time I have missed out with Vandana.
