CHENNAI’S CONNECTION WITH LONDON OLYMPICS

Members of Chennai-based band Staccato are going to the London Olympics — not as spectators, but performers. On July 30 and August 2, they will occupy the coveted main band stand and perform a string of their compositions. The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) has requested them to also perform at various other parts of the Olympic Park on these days.“Staccato is one of the two bands selected from Asia. The other one is from China,” says its percussionist P.D. Balasubramanian. “These bands were chosen ahead of hundreds of others that had sent in their compositions.”

The judges were sent two of Staccato’s songs, ‘Sounds Of Air’ and ‘Salsa’, and a set of sample tapes that included percussion grooves. ‘Sounds of Air’ is led by the flute play of Sruthi Saagar, the band’s key player.

The violin-heavy ‘Salsa’ is a product of the group’s interaction with musicians from across the world during their visit to Rio De Janeiro in 2011 for the finals of an out-of-the-box percussion event, ‘Tum Tum Pa’ that was staged across 30 countries.

The band is likely to go in full strength, as they would be required to perform in front of 2,50,000 spectators and on a stage that can accommodate around 40 musicians.

It consists of Sruthi Saagar, Vikram Sarathy, P.D. Balasubramanian, Ajay Gnanasekaran, Tapas Naresh, Kaashif Rafiq, Rohit Krishnamoorthy, Vandana Srinivasan, Aishwarya, Manoj Kumar and Shallu Varun.