Amateur Singers Team up With Pros at Biennale Music Show for Patients

KOCHI:
A doctor, a businessman and a bank employee matched professional singers note for note as they rendered a medley of soulful melodies for patients at the Government General Hospital today at the weekly Arts and Medicine programme of the Kochi Biennale Foundation.
Dr. Sreelakshmi, a Gynaecology house surgeon at the hospital, and Manoj Kumar Varapuzha, a businessman, and Silja, a co-operative bank employee from North Paravur, joined singers Shaiju Louis and Albi Daniel from Angamaly on the 181st edition of the show today.
The programme began with Manoj’s rendition of the evergreen song ‘Chandana Manivathil’ from the 1988 movie Marikkunnilla Njan.
Albi followed up with ‘Melle Melle Mukhapdam’ from the movie Oru Minna Minunginte Nurungu Vettam. Two duets by Silja and Manoj , ‘Kai Kudanna Niraye’ sung by K J Yesudas and S Jaanaki from the 1993 movie, Maya Mayooram and ‘Pookal Panineer Pookal’ sung by K J Yesudas and Vani Jayaram from the movie Action Hero Biju added pep to the show.
Shaiju, a professional singer with over 25 years experience rendered a Tamil and a Hindi song apart from the Malayalam song he sang with Albi. Shaiju has a music troupe – Angamaly Melodies.
Dr. Sreelakshmi crooned evergreen songs ‘Satyam Shivam Sundaram’ and ‘Cheera Poovukalkkumma kodukkana’. Between them the singers presented fourteen songs much to the delight of the crowd.
“Programmes of this magnitude should reach out to more people through hospitals. The initiative taken by KBF is praiseworthy and we are indeed blessed, inspired and encouraged to be a part of the show which offers solace to patients,” said Manoj.
‘Arts and Medicine’ is an initiative of the KBF in association with Mehboob Memorial Orchestra and is sponsored by CAFS (Casino Air Caterers & Flight Services). The weekly programme to bring the therapeutic effects of live music to patients was introduced in 2014.