LAHORE: The Lahore Arts Council has revived Gosha-i- Adab-o-Fun (corner for literature and art) after a gap of some two years.

Officials told Dawn that the corner had been established back in May 2012 at a red-brick cemented platform in front of the Alhamra Café to entertain music and art lovers. However, the facility could not sustain for more than a year owing to certain administrative blockades and security issues. Now it has been decided to hold musical performances from 4pm to 6pm on Wednesdays.

The first event will be held on April 1.

This exclusive corner is a gratifying outfit for all art lovers who want to spend quality time feasting their eyes and ears on melodies from film, folk, semi-classical and rap music.

A round cemented stage is the play station for jam sessions by musicians and singers who would perform every evening to a diverse audience. The major instruments that will be played frequently at the venue are flute, sitar, guitar, violin, and sarangi.

Executive Director Lahore Arts Council retired Capt Atta Muhammad Khan told this reporter that the corner had been revived for regular performances by students and teachers of music section of Alhamra Art Academy.

Mr Khan said the weekly music sessions were also open to participation by the general public in terms of performances, both vocal and instrumental. “The revival of the corner is also an open talent hunt initiative,” he added.

He said a team of three Alhamra officials was entrusted with the task of monitoring weekly performances at the corner. The three officials are Assistant Director (Admin) Syed Khurram Naveel, Display Officer Naveen Roma and Librarian Muhammad Arif.

Mr Naveel, being the team head, said weekly performances, which would be open to the general public, would have combined instrumental melodies and solo performances too. “We shall also invite mainstream vocalists and instrumentalists for exclusive performances to encourage the budding singers.”

He said the council had bought over 30 traditional cane chairs from Chiniot while the venue was being decorated with illuminations. It would be adorned with flowers, candles and other ornamentation for the inaugural ceremony.

He said the council would invite artistes, intellectuals, writers and students of music from different art institutions and private music academies fro the opening ceremony.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2015

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