The other side of Goa

Goan and music lover producer and cofounder 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 yearsOmar Loiola Pereira and Schubert FernandesThus 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 ldquoWe give music a different dimensionrdquo says Fernandes ldquoSounds 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 heardrdquoThe heritage concert is currently held in South Goa at Pereirarsquos ancestral homemdashSolar Loiola Pereira The twoandahalfhourlong concert has four parts First a tour of the house to understand Portuguese architecture and IndoPortuguese 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 danceThe 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 IndoPortuguese style such as the Mando Dulpods Dekhi and the Fado accompanied by dancers in traditional costumesCurrently a Goabased band the Entre Nos performs at every concert but Fernandes says that they will be expanding their portfolio of musicians dancers and location too ldquoWe are putting together an Entre Nos ensemble with a percussionist a double bass player and a trumpet player which is fundamental to Goan folk musicrdquo he tells midday They have also tied up with The Goan Kitchen a group of home chefs who have revived lost Goan and Portuguese recipes ldquoYou wonrsquot find some of the snacks and drinks that we serve anywhere in Goa These traditional dishes are not available commerciallyrdquo says FernandesThe 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 itemsSoon 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 ldquoWe have got an amazing response from Mumbai from people who want to experience the other side of Goardquo says Fernandes ldquoDue to the pandemic people have stayed here long enough to experience the beaches and parties and are now looking for something elserdquo The age demographic is usually people in their 30s to 40s who are ldquoover partiesrdquo ldquoOur larger objective is to preserve and further the chord of folk and traditional music to keep the Goan heritage and culture aliverdquo concludes Fernandes Sounds From Goa has a ticketed show once a monthWHAT Sounds From GoaWHERE Solar Loiola Pereira Benaulim South GoaWHEN August 20PRICE Rs 3000 per headTO BOOK soundinstoregmailcom 9819792973