The orchestra mainly showcases Sri Chinmoy's spiritual compositions. Photo: Gandharva Loka

It was a cosy evening in New York, back in 2009, when renowned Bangladeshi artiste Rezwana Chowdhury Bonna met an orchestra performing at the same concert as she. Their performance was soulful. Renata Dessallien, the then UNDP Resident Representative to Bangladesh and an ardent follower of the troupe, was also at that show. She wanted the troupe to perform in Bangladesh.
Later, Bonna and Renata had a meeting with one of the members of the orchestra, Christina Vilupti Barrineau, and together they set a date for a Dhaka concert. That's how the troupe -- Gandharva Loka Orchestra -- first came to the country, where it's founder and mentor, Sri Chinmoy, was born. It was December 13, 2009.
The orchestra mainly showcases Sri Chinmoy's spiritual compositions and occasionally highlights other maestros such as Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. Sri Chinmoy, who died in 2007 after forming the troupe, wrote nearly 14,000 verses, mostly in Bangla.
Since it's inception, the orchestra [featuring over 100 expert musicians from all over the world] has been performing at major cities -- New York to Moscow, London to Dhaka.
“Sri Chinmoy was our teacher. He was from Bangladesh, and like every Bangladeshi, he loved music. Music was an inseparable part of his life. The first time we came here, it was like coming home,” says Christina Vilupti Barrineau, who is in Dhaka now to hold a couple of concerts.
“We are learning his verses all the time. Even though we do not know all the words we try to feel the spirituality, the awareness deeply woven in each of his songs,” she adds.
This time she is the team manager but she informs that all the members are volunteers.
In 2007, before he passed away, Sri Chinmoy asked Panchajanya, now the leader of the orchestra, to form a troupe. During his lifetime, they performed three/four times.
The orchestra will hold two concerts along with Bonna's troupe, Shurer Dhara. The first show will be held today at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre [only for invitees] and the second show will be held tomorrow at Rabindra Sarobar. The 80-member troupe will join over 100 from Shurer Dhara and 30 slum children. The nearly two-hour show will feature 19 compositions. Several original new compositions will be performed at the concerts.
Aside from Panchajanya, the show will also feature other conductors.
Vilupti informs, prior to a concert, they usually call the members from different parts of the world. They meet where they are supposed to perform five or six days prior to the show. They rehearse from dawn to dusk, and get ready for the show.
“The Dhaka shows are a perfect example of this,” she says. “We have God's grace that is why it is possible to arrange such programmes in such short notice. Moreover, all the members are Sri Chinmoy's followers and it is a big inspiration.”
The core aspect of Chinmoy's philosophy is showcased through his works. “He used music to help us understand the path we have to take,” says Vilupti.
“We follow him like a teacher who taught us how to meditate and find peace. You don't have to give up your religion to walk his path,” she adds.
“His philosophy is that music is the language of humanity”.
The troupe performs in Bangla. However, as the members are not Bengalis, sometimes they mispronounce words. Vilupti hopes that these mistakes will be tolerable as the troupe sings from the heart. Members are still learning the traditional way of sub-continental singing, she informs.
The use of instruments range from esraj, tabla, dhol and harmonium to violin, cello, viola, flute, clarinet, tambourine, keyboard and piano. Some instruments from the Middle East such as duduk and oboe are also featured at times.
All the followers of Sri Chinmoy are vegans. The reason is: “if you eat meat, the consciousness of the animal still remains in it, which triggers aggression.”