Media Release
Doha, Sep 19: The stage is set for the semi-finals of Gulf Voice of Mangalore -3 Qatar chapter. Qatar’s best 12 are well-prepared and awaiting September 21 to set the Al Ghazal stage on fire.
It’s going to be a tough competition as stated by the MCA’s organizing team and qualified judges are on their way from Mangalore. MCA’s GVOM team has done its best to select the best three judges from Mangalore - experienced, qualified and capable - to choose the finest two voices to represent Qatar, who will compete with the best voices from Kuwait, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia.
The eminent judges for Qatar semi-finals are:
Prem Lobo
One of the ace singers of Konkani, Prem Lobo has been gifted with a melodious romantic voice which ruled the Konkani Stage for over 40 years. Having started singing at a very young age, he sang with 'Konkan Kogull' Wilfy Rebimbus from the very first “Wilfy Nite” in 1969. He has rendered his voice for 249 Wilfy Nites and 42 Albums. He staged his first musical show “Premal Saanz’’ in 2010, composed over 25 songs with lyrics and music, brought out his maiden album “Premall Ulo' in 2010, and sang for Mangalore Akashvani.
Prem is also a dramatist and writer, with four novels, 60 short stories and poems in leading Konkani magazines to his credit. He is a retired employee of Corporation Bank, an active member of Milagres parish council, member of the finance committee and a choir member. He is the convener of Konkani Natak Sabha singing competition. Presently, he is the director of MCC Bank Ltd.
Allwyn Noronha
Well-known musician and composer, Allwyn Noronha is professionally a high school mathematics teacher in St Joseph’s PU College, Bajpe. He is the choir master of Bajpe parish. He has trained Bajpe parishioners to win diocese-level singing competitions organized by the Konkani Natak Sabha for three consecutive years, and also judged the above competitions for three consecutive years. He has vast experience in judging singing competitions in and around Mangalore.
He has composed many songs and brought out two music albums “Bhangramani” and “Bhogthiponi” and composed and arranged music for “Bhogthiponi”. The songs from the audio “Bhangramani” have won several prizes specially, the most favorite being “Pondar Thujya” He has staged seven musical nites, sung for several musical albums and harmonized several devotional albums. He was a vocalist for the bands “Human Bondage” and “Cosmic Rays”. He presently runs a one-man band called “Micro Band”.
Ashith Pinto
Ashith Pinto has been a sound engineer for 8 years at Sandesha Digital Studio Mangalore and has recorded over 500 albums, documentaries, jingles etc for all the Konkani legends and budding artistes. He is a bass guitarist and has played for more than 200 musical shows and more than 180 music albums with eminent Konkani music personalities.
He has composed music for 10 music albums, one of which was adjudged the best Konkani Album at the Global Music Awards in 2009. He has been playing the guitar for over 16 years, and has worked as a guitar tutor and trained many students. He is presently working at Technicolor, Bangalore as a quality control (QC) engineer.
Compere : Cyril Gregory Sequeira - CGS Tacode
The compere for the evening will be none other than MCA’s own Cyril Gregory Sequeira, popularly known as CGS Taccode.
A well-known writer in Konkani who has written several stories, poems and humourous works for the past forty years. His column “Pugyeto” in Raknno weekly named was very familier among the Konkani people. More than 25 books of his have been realesed, among which are Sister Shobha, Dukam and Kuniyegarachi Khun are the novels.
He has written many humorous books like Pugyeto, Pokana, Bulbule, Sulsule and his new humour work “Thamde Gule” will be released on this occasion. He written 12 social, comedy and radio plays. He has worked as a sub-editor in Raknno weekly and as editor in Kanik and Umalo papers. He has received Goa Academy award for his book “Dukam”, Konkani Sahitya Academy Award for 'Sulsule' and has been honoured with Daiji Dubai Literary Award. He was worked in Dubai and Qatar for a few years. Presently he is running real estate business in Mangalore. Being MCA's founder member and having worked in the executive committee for the first two years, the association is proud of the immense contribution of CGS to the Konkani literary field and will honour him on this occasion.
Along with the GVOM semi-finals, the evening will also comprise various performances from local talents – comedy skits by Aloysius D’Souza, Charles D’Mello Pangla, Sandeep Noronha, Anil Cutinha and Clement Saldanha.
Popular Qatar singers Joyce Mascarenhas and Rupert Lobo will join the guest judges to perform some beautiful songs.
Qatar’s budding talents Sana Britto, Rupal Aroza, Rhea Castelino, Emilita Martis and Cybil D'Souza will dance to popular Konkani tunes.
Joswin Pinto
Joswin Pinto, ace musician from Mangalore will join Qatar’s “Music City” to support the emifinalists with splendid foot-tapping music.
Delicious “Noven Jevan” from Mangalorean cuisine will be served for all. The entry is free for all and MCA invites all Konkani lovers of Qatar to be a part of this event and encourage the budding talents.
Gulf Voice of Mangalore - Season 3