The other side of Goa

Sounds From Goa has four elements—folk music, a heritage tour of a house, food and Indo-Portuguese dance. Pics Courtesy/Schubert Fernandes

Goan and music lover, producer and co-founder Schubert Fernandes conceptualised Sounds From Goa in the pandemic. Fernandes, a PR professional based in Mumbai, wanted to go back to his roots and collaborated with old friend, music director, and musician Omar De Loiola Pereira to bounce off some ideas. Pereira has been in the music industry for about 30 years.

Omar Loiola Pereira and Schubert Fernandes

Thus was born Sounds From Goa, a community that connects the audience to the sounds, songs, food, dance, and other heritage experiences from the culturally rich state. The duo realised that the way music was consumed in Goa was not ideal. "We give music a different dimension," says Fernandes. "Sounds From Goa is a broad platform for multiple art forms and one of them is the heritage home concerts. We create an environment where folk and traditional music can be best absorbed, felt and touched; not just heard."

The heritage concert is currently held in South Goa at Pereira's ancestral home - Solar Loiola Pereira. The two-and-a-half-hour-long concert has four parts: First, a tour of the house to understand Portuguese architecture and Indo-Portuguese cultural semblances; the second part offers food and beverages indigenous to the state. Part three comprises folk and traditional music; and the final leg sees a dance.

The concerts, which usually have a cap of around 30 people to maintain the intimate nature of the experience, are held in the grand hall of the house. The music element comprises one original and several renditions of traditional Goan folk songs in the Indo-Portuguese style such as the Mando, Dulpods, Dekhi and the Fado, accompanied by dancers in traditional costumes.

Currently, a Goa-based band, the Entre Nos, performs at every concert but Fernandes says that they will be expanding their portfolio of musicians, dancers, and location too. "We are putting together an Entre Nos ensemble with a percussionist, a double bass player, and a trumpet player which is fundamental to Goan folk music," he tells mid-day. They have also tied up with The Goan Kitchen, a group of home chefs who have revived lost Goan and Portuguese recipes. "You won't find some of the snacks and drinks that we serve anywhere in Goa. These traditional dishes are not available commercially," says Fernandes.

The traditional Goan cuisine they serve includes dishes such as Empadinhas de Manga, Balchao Toasties, Pork Pies, Letri Tarts, Angel Wings, Xarope de Brindao, Bebinca, among other items

Soon, Sounds From Goa will also be held in North Goa and other heritage homes in the state, but Solar Loiola Pereira will continue to be their base. "We have got an amazing response from Mumbai, from people who want to experience the other side of Goa," says Fernandes. "Due to the pandemic, people have stayed here long enough to experience the beaches and parties, and are now looking for something else." The age demographic is usually people in their 30s to 40s who are "over parties". "Our larger objective is to preserve and further the chord of folk and traditional music to keep the Goan heritage and culture alive," concludes Fernandes. Sounds From Goa has a ticketed show once a month.

WHAT: Sounds From Goa
WHERE: Solar Loiola Pereira, Benaulim, South Goa
WHEN: August 20
PRICE: Rs 3,000 per head
TO BOOK: soundinstore@gmail.com / 9819792973