International Harmony showcases global musicianship

Photo Courtesy of Sahithya Dinakar

International Harmony, which took place last Friday, showcased the talents of several diverse on-campus music groups.
The three-hour-long concert was referred to as a “Night of Musical Delight,” held in Under the Couch, a venue located in the Student Center. Admission was free, and drinks and snacks were provided.

Musical talents came from the India Club at GT, Pakistani Students Association and Christian Campus Fellowship.
PB&J, an Indian Fusion Band, led off the night with a great performance. The band performs music with base influences in some forms of Indian Classical Music. The group capped off their debut with “Maaeri,” an Indipop number with Hindustani roots. Lead singer, Akilesh Natarajan, enjoyed the experience of performing in front of students.

An early performance featured Alaap, a Pakistani band with Bollywood and Punjabi
songs

“I believe PB&J is unlike any other group you can find on campus simply because of its focus on classical music… as well as its passion to show Tech crowds the beauty behind classical music,” Natarajan said.

Attendance at the event was maximized as students packed in to get a taste of culturally diverse musicians. One Tech student, Aswin Natarajan, noted the value in exposure to different vibes from across the globe.

“Music is a very sincere form of communication and when you hear different types of drum beats, melodies, and harmonies ,you are afforded the opportunity to see a unique expression of another culture,” Natarajan said.

Another early performance featured Alaap, a Pakistani band that played Bollywood and Punjabi songs. Karen Cruz, a first-year INTA major, appreciated the group’s vitality.

“I definitely enjoyed the second group because of the rap segment, Karen said. “It’s my favorite genre so hearing it in another language was awesome.”

Capping off the first half of the night was The Tides, a rock and roll band formed by four high-school friends in 2011 who now attend Tech. A few of the group’s biggest influences include The Beatles, Coldplay, CCR and The Who. The quartet added an abundance of contagious energy as students enjoyed their performance.

Taal Tadka blends South Asian music with Western influences

“The Tides was definitely one of my favorite bands that played; I loved it. I’m not usually a big fan of rock music but I enjoyed this group for their great great bass and guitar [players]. They had a lot of energy,” said Puja De, a fifth-year ME major.
A few more talented groups included Taal Tadka, an Indian a cappella band that sings mash-ups and Zameer, an Indian rock band playing covers of famous Hindi and English songs.

Taal Tadka, formed in 2007, blends South Asian music with Western influences. The group travels the country performing at a range of universities including Duke and Carnegie Mellon. They currently have a hit single titled “I’m Yours/ Tere Bina” that is available on iTunes.

Pavleen Thukral, a first-year CS major and performer in Taal Tadka, was impressed with the turnout at this year’s event.
“We never expected the turnout to be so high. We expected 50 people to attend and there were 150 there. We really had fun, and I think everyone did a good job of bringing an international feel to the event,” Thukral said.

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