MOKOKCHUNG, APRIL 2 (MExN): Lipokmar Tzudir, Director and Conductor of the renowned Mokokchung Chancel Choir of Nagaland has pioneered the path for the many musically talented youth of Nagaland by receiving the first ‘Ustad Bismilliah Yuva Puraskar’, Sangeet Natak Akademi’s (SNA) highest national honor for performing arts, on the 23rd of March 2007 at SNA Complex, New Delhi. He received the Award for his ‘creativity & composition’, in the Choral Music of Nagaland, also, the first to be awarded in the Country for ‘Excellence in Choral Music’. Lipokmar Tzudir received the award along with 32 young achievers from all over the country, in the fields of performing arts, such as drama, music, choreography, dance, etc.
The awards were given away by the Chairman of Sangeet Natak Akademi Ram Niwar Mirdha and the welcome note was delivered by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, Vice-Chairman SNA, while the vote of thanks was moved by Jayant Kastuar, Secretary, SNA. The solemn award ceremony was chaired by Sadna Shrivastav.
As part of the Award Festival, Mokokchung Chancel Choir was offered the opportunity to perform an hour long concert on March 24 at ‘Megh Doot’, Sangeet Natak Akademi Complex, New Delhi, where they enchanted the audience, comprising of Parliamentarians, renowned artistes, etc. The First part of the Concert was an excerpt from their Opera ‘Mejemsanger Naro’ in Naga folk motifs by Lipokmar Tzudir. The play metaphorically talked about a society which deteriorating as a result of greed, prejudice, hatred, thirst for power, etc. The Choral songs comprised of ‘Longtrok’, an Ao Naga folk song which talks about the origin of a community and establishment of society. ‘Isaiah 34’, talks about the wrath of God at those who disobey his commands and defiles His Creation. ‘Mejemsanger Naro’, metaphorically compares a fading flower to a generation which is immersed in activities of the dark. ‘Ya kechi Kangki’ asks about the cause for all turmoil in the society. ‘Ni aochiang,’ prayer song of repentance. ‘Pa nung sangang,’ a call to praise God for His mercy upon repentance and ‘Pelatepang’, rejoice people of God, for peace is at hand. In the 2nd Part of the concert, they performed mostly International folk songs and popular songs in choral setting, such as ‘Tabla’ by Lipokmar Tzudir, E-Bwana’, a Tanzanian folk song, ‘Rosas Pandan’, a Filipino folk song, ‘When you believe’ from the motion picture, “Prince of Egypt’ and ‘Circle of Life’, from the motion picture, ‘Lion King’, both re-arranged by Lipokmar Tzudir.
The guest pianist was Nise Meruno and the guest artiste was Imocha Singh, another recipient of the ‘Ustad Bismilliah Yuva Puraskar’ from Manipur.
