Bhubaneswar, Feb. 1: The open-air amphitheatre of Utkal Mandap reverberated with musical renditions by the Indian Naval Band, which performed here during Bharat Parv celebrations.

The evening started with the arrival of Governor S.C. Jamir and his wife. The band played the national anthem followed by Colonel Bogey March, a musical piece from the concert march genre composed by Lieutenant F.J. Rickets of the Royal Army. The band also played Movie Adventures composed by John Williams. Commander Satish K. Champion was the conductor of the band. He made his musical debut on the harmonica and had passed a series of piano examinations under the aegis of Royal School of Music.

Champion was commissioned into the musician cadre of the Indian Navy in 2001 and completed his potential bandmasters course from the music wing of Army Education Corps at Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh. He composed Tippy Toes, the third piece played by the band.

The audience was enthralled when the band played Chinni chinni assai from the Tamil movie Rojawas. It was followed by Renaissance Vande Mataram composed by Squadron Leader G. Jayachandran. The programme was aimed at acquainting the people with the capabilities of the naval band.

The one-hour performance showcased the prowess of the naval musicians who performed a wide genre of music that catered to the tastes of the audience. The band played military tunes such as Tri-Services Marching Medley blending it with Saare jahan se achha. They played Jai Ho from the movie Slumdog Millionaire and Kal Ho Na Ho from the movie of the same name.

The band also played the patriotic number Aye Mere Watan Kelogon composed by C. Ramachandra.

As many as 40 skilled musician sailors of the Indian Navy performed at the concert. ShubhankarMishra, 21, an engineering graduate said he wanted to join the Indian Navy. "The Indian Naval Band is one of the best in the country. I could not have missed the concert," he said.

Earlier, movies on the Indian Navy and its Eastern Command, whose headquarters is located at Vishakhapatnam, were played on LED screens at the concert venue. The origin of the band dates back to 1945 when it was formed with a handful of naval musicians. The concert ended with the band playing the national anthem. Flag Officer Commanding-in-chief Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral HCS Bisht hosted the event that was co-ordinated by the young officers of the Indian Navy.