The Regional Centre for Excellence for Music & Performing Arts (RCEMPA), Jotsoma, Nagaland, on Tuesday (April 30, 2019), came alive as the first Kohima Arts & Jazz Festival was celebrated on the occasion of International Jazz Day.
The daylong event was organised by Nagaland College of Music & Fine Arts (NCMF), in association with Music Task Force (MTF), Nagaland.
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Chris Jazz Trio began the eventful musical day, which also witnessed the participation of musical stalwarts from Nagaland like Ameu Üsou Zao & the Choir, Tetseo Sisters, Blue Print, Virie, Nagagenous, NCMFA Jazz Ensemble and Mengu Suokhrie.
Earlier in the week, on Monday (April 22) MTF project director Dr Hovithal Sothu said, "The festival is aimed to promote local talents and musicians. We want to give them a platform to perform."
"Not just IJD, but MTF will celebrate different genres of festivals this year in Nagaland. This will generate more avenues for young talents."
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2011 declared April 30 as International Jazz Day to "to highlight jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe."
The idea was born out of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and jazz pianist Herbie Hancock.
Hancock and the UNESCO Director-General chair IJD and it is recognized on both UNESCO and the United Nations calendars.
The lead organizational partner for IJD is the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz- an American NGO.
The NGO is also chaired by Hancock.
It coordinates activities in the UNESCO member states as well as the Global Host Celebration.
Events in the Host City culminate in an All-Star Global Concert, which involves over two-dozen jazz musicians from around the world performing in or around a historical landmark.
The 2017 edition of IJD was hosted by Havana, Cuba.
In October 2017, UNESCO announced that St. Petersburg, Russia and Sydney, Australia would be respectively hosting the 2018 and 2019 IJD.
At the global celebration, around 200 countries participate in IJD every year.
Apart from concerts and jam sessions, events include workshops, conferences, and community outreach.
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