SAPNA’s 3-day music festival

The Sri Annamacharya Project of North America (SAPNA), launched in 1989 with a mission to promote Indian classical fine arts in the US, celebrated its entry into the 25th year by organising a three-day music festival that featured the who’s who of the Indian cultural scene.

 

During the festival which was held at the Wentz Concert Hall (Naperville), the SVS (Balaji) Temple (Aurora) and the Pfeiffer Concert Hall (Naperville), reputed Kuchipudi dancer Abhinaya Tapasvini Alekhya Punjala was conferred the ‘Srikalapurna’ title for dance for her lifelong accomplishments.

 

Dr TES Raghavan (CTU) felicitated Alekhya with Drs Sriram & Saradapurna Sonty.

 

During her acceptance speech, Sangeet Natak Academy awardee Alekhya recalled her first 1989 nationwide dance tour with the Sonty Sisters and attributed her success to her dance guru Dr K.Uma Ramarao.

 

She showered praise on Drs Sriram and Sarada Puna Sonty for their yeoman’s service ‘to preserve, promote, propagate and perpetuate’ Indian classical traditions in music, dance and literature in the US.

 

The grand finale concert on saxophone by Padmashri Kadri Gopalnath saw the Pfeiffer Concert Hall reverberating with ear-pleasing music even as legendary violin maestro A. Kanya Kumari , Hari Kumar (mridangam ) and Rajendra Nakod (tabla) made the occasion memorable with their perfect performances.

 

SAPNA’s music festival was supported in part by Sonty Renaissance International (SRI) Foundation, Illinois Arts Council Agency, Bharathi Theertha, Yedavalli Foundation, Susarla International Trust Academy, Shalagram.com and Vedamatharam, Ensemble of Ragas music academy.

 

SAPNA has won encomiums from non-resident Indians for regularly organizing conferences, exhibitions, dance ballets, music concerts, East-West fusion performances, guest lectures, etc. incorporating the philosophies of great maestros of Indian classical music.

 

SAPNA has been selected as one of the five finalists for the ‘100-cars-for-Good donation’ program of Toyota Motor Sales which offer a Toyota vehicle.