I am in love with India already, gushes Captain Darren Wolfendale,Director of Music with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers,the English Military Band. Wolfendale is one of the conductors of the five military bands who arrived in the Capital today for the first Military Music Festival in Delhi,that starts on March 3. The festival comes around a month after the Beating Retreat Ceremony was held at Raisina Hill on January 29. Against the backdrop of the sun setting over the Purana Qila,men in fatigues from England,France,Bangladesh,Nepal and Sri Lanka will march to their respective army tunes. The Indian Armed Forces is geared for some interesting sessions in brass music,bagpipes and precision marching. The military bands of the nations participating are known to be excellent in terms of their music, said Virender Singh,Public Relations Officer,Indian Army. The bands will march to a variety of musical styles with ensembles that include the concert band,ceremonial band,party band,jazz combo,and a brass band. All the bands have arrived with their respective cultural troupes. The popular band from France,Music Main Army Band,will march to Summer 42. Led by Michel Moisseron,the band has performed the world over at prestigious music festivals. I am fond of Indian classical music. It is a great opportunity for us to showcase French military music, says Moisseron,who has served in the army for 30 years. As for India,our soldiers will march to the tunes of Sky Boat Song,Pipers Cave and Sare Jahan Se Achha. The performance will begin with the Pipes and Drums band,led by Naik Subedar Darshan Singh to be followed by the military band led by Subedar Major Ramesh with a significant influence of British music traditions. There is a full schedule of presentations of Kalaripayattu,Bhangra and traditional dances from Ladakh and Maharashtra,apart from dancers from the Northeast who will entertain the audience. Indian military bands play a lot of British tunes and are popular in England as well. I am friends with many musicians from Indian Army as we meet regularly at Edinburgh Music Festival. Its wonderful to know and learn a thing or two from the guys, says Wolfendale,who promises a selection of Scottish music as well. The finale on March 7 will be attended by President Pratibha Patil. Entry is open to public at Purana Qila on February 3 and Parade Grounds on February 5
