Utsho Shondha: A night of music and meaning

The trio was an hour into their performance at the Krishibid Institute Auditorium (KIB) when Rituraj, trying to step things up a notch, addressed the crowd saying, "I'm going to try something audacious now."

Even though the musical evening by that point had witnessed Rituraj Baidya, Masha Islam and Sanzida Mahmood Nandita craftily churn out a plethora of classical music numbers including Bangla and a few Urdu/Ghazal songs, trying to attempt Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's 'Ore Piya' was no mean feat.

Probably that is why Rituraj also said, "It'll take me six or seven lifetimes to master his [Rahat Fateh Ali Khan] skills but let's see how this goes."

Oh, it went more than just fine. 

As a matter of fact, his cover brought in the biggest cheer of the night and when you factor in the crowd— a seated and rather aged but musically nuanced set of people, it bears testament to how well Rituraj executed the iconic song.

His high notes didn't go off pitch once, and as the tempo of the song picked up with the succeeding verses, the crowd couldn't help but clap at the dexterity with which Rituraj delivered his sargams—sequences of musical notes used to represent specific pitches.

Rituraj's performance of 'Ore Piya' was just one highlight of Utsho Shondha – a fundraiser by Utsho Bangladesh (community-based organisation) for underprivileged children held on 25 October. His co-performers, Masha and Nandita, also showcased impressive musical depth. 

The event featured a mix of solo and duet performances from the three artists, filling the evening's setlist with a rich variety of songs over the course of a couple of hours.

Nazrul Geeti was heavily featured on the show with one of the first ones of the night being performed by Masha. The song 'Amar Aponar Cheye Apon Je Jon' started with an intro melody on the keyboards, the same bar played twice with the latter being an octave higher, and as soon as Masha's voice kicked in, it was pure bliss.

The song had the tabla and the drums—two sets of percussion instruments playing in the background in unison and to my novice ears, the song sounded off-beat.

Catching up with Masha backstage later on, not only did she correct me regarding the tempo of the track but also stated that she actually welcomes multiple sets of percussive instruments because it adds an extra zing to the overall sound.

"It's not an offbeat song. In classical music and in Nazrul geeti, we often try some vocal transitions now and then which requires the tempo to shift up and down within the song. It's intentionally done to add some nuances," said Masha.

Nandita brought elegance to her covers of songs by artistes from across the border, especially impressing the crowd with her rendition of Lata Mangeshkar's 'O Mor Moyna Go.' 

The upbeat tune highlighted groovy segments from the band, particularly the guitarist, while Nandita's pitch remained precise. However, her voice in his particular song had a bit too much of a reverb for my liking. In a surprise twist, the trumpet player switched to a flute, adding a timeless charm that perfectly complemented the Bangla song's melody.

The night's final song was a duet by Nandita and Rituraj, a performance that, while anticipated, delivered in quality. Fans familiar with the duo would recall their collaboration from Coke Studio Bangla's first season, where they covered Kazi Nazrul Islam's 'Bulbuli.' This powerful duet brought the evening to a memorable close.

Nandita's attempt to cover Arati Mukherjee's 'Ei Mom Jochonay' was also very well received by the crowd. The song started off with a whistle segment from one of the instrumentalists and featured a segment of tremolo picking from the guitarist which sounded particularly daft.

In the show's final moments, the singers let go of their chairs to perform standing solos. Rituraj paid tribute to Bangla band music, covering an iconic song by Nagarbaul James, following Masha's solo. Masha, who had focused on classical and Nazrul geeti pieces throughout the night, took a refreshing pop turn with her rendition of Lucky Akhand's ever-so-famous 'Amay Deko Na.'

The night's final song was a duet by Nandita and Rituraj, a performance that, while anticipated, delivered in quality. Fans familiar with the duo would recall their collaboration from Coke Studio Bangla's first season, where they covered Kazi Nazrul Islam's 'Bulbuli.' 

This powerful duet brought the evening to a memorable close.

While the event was centred on music, it held a deeper purpose, supporting a significant cause.Organised as a fundraiser for underprivileged children, it provided a platform to make a meaningful impact through Utsho's sponsorship schemes. By contributing, attendees could help give a child the opportunity to pursue their dreams and build a brighter future. The organisation encourages student sponsorship as well where anyone can partake and pay from anywhere in the world through their website.