Dover Lane Music Conference, one of the largest Indian classical musical events, has been held in Kolkata for the past six decades. It all started on a sudden impulse in 1952 when a few music lovers of Dover Lane and adjoining localities in the Gariahat area of southern Kolkata, with relentless effort and dedication staged a three-night cultural programme, which included drama, songs and music, both classical and light.
Music par excellence at the Conference
Galaxy of stars
There is hardly any maestro of Indian classical music, either living or dead, who has not performed here. The list includes: DV Paluskar, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Tarapada Chakraborty, Chinmoy Lahiry Amir Khan, Bhimsen Joshi, Balmurali Krishna, Nazakat and Salmat Khan (Pakistan), Nisar Hussain Khan, Manas Chakraborty, Ajoy Chakraborty, Rashid Khan, Gangubai Hangal, Hirabhai Barodkar, Kesarbai Kerkar, Sarswati Rane, Naina Devi, Kishori Amankar, Parween Sultana, Bismillah Khan, Ali Akbar Khan, Ravi Shankar, Vilayat Khan, Nikhil Banerjee, MS Gopalkrishnan, Hariprasad Chaurasia, Shiv Kumar Sharma and many more to name.
Conserving the heritage of classical music
To name a few of the great percussionists who participated in the various music sessions at the conference: Samta Prasad, Keramatullah Khan, Anokhilal, Kanthe Maharaj, Kishen Maharaj, Alla Rakha Khan, Shankar Ghosh, Swapan Chowdhury, Zakir Hussain.
All-night musical extravaganza
This festival provides a wonderful platform for the younger generation to come and perform with the best in the art. Every year a number of youngsters come and display their skills in front of a huge crowd.
Anoushka Shankar will return to Dover Lane Music Conference this year
To accommodate the increase in audience, the venue has shifted to Nazrul Mancha on Southern Avenue in Kolkata. The festival has however retained the name, Dover Lane Music Conference, as it has become a well-known brand name. This year it would be four night-long sessions from January 22 to January 25. The auditorium with a seating capacity of 3,500 gets packed with music enthusiasts from around the country during the event.
Not just a music fest
Apart from organising the annual music conference, Dover lane Music Conference is also involved in organizing a few other events throughout the year. At least four periodic music sessions are held every year where young and promising talents are invited to perform their renditions. The Dover Lane Music Conference also organises a Classical Dance Festival annually. Eminent performers like Roshan Kumari, Chitra Visheswaran, Sanjukta Panigrahi, Sonal Man Singh, Leela Shyamson, Shovana Narayan, Sutapa Talukdar, Birju Maharaj, Kelucharan Mahapatra and Chitresh Das, among others, have performed here. It also conducts a talent search contest every year to give recognition to young talents.
Kaushiki Chakraborty - a regular performer
Where to contact:
The Dover Lane Music Conference
18/2, Dover Lane,
Kolkata – 700020,
Phone: 033- 24618137
E-mail: doverlanemusic@hotmail.com
musicdoverlane@gmail.com
Nazrul Mancha
Rabindra Sarobar
Kolkata - 700029
Phone: 033-24666720
Here is the complete schedule for the 62nd Dover Lane Music Conference, 2014
