Kolkata :

He claims that he only managed to chew on the harmonica that his father gifted him at the age of four. His father, however, believed that there was something in the way he played it. By the age of six, he was playing a piano and barely six year’s later, he was invited to the Teen Murti Auditorium in New Delhi to play the piano on the occasion of the bicentenary celebrations of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This child grew up to be Lt CdrSatish K Champion, principal conductor of the Navy’s Eastern Command Band that is presently in Kolkata.

“I am from Chennai but was born and brought up in Mumbai. My father was in the Navy as well. After starting with the piano, I passed a series of examinations under the aegis of the Royal School of Music, London. Even then, I had not planned a career in music but took up computers. This was when the two officers from the music wing of the Navy retired and they started looking for talent. I was selected,” Champion told TOI.

Joining was not even half of the job done. Over the next few months, he had to gain sufficient mastery over several musical instruments and had to pass several rounds of tests. After all, he was to be a conductor. Champion is also formally trained on the trumpet apart from the piano and has several musical compositions to his credit.

On Sunday evening, Champion and the members of his band mesmerized the audience at Lascar Memorial. The selection of tunes was done to suit the occasion. While numbers like Colonel Bogey (of Bridge on the River Kwai fame) got people clapping, many in the audience were tapping their feet during the Rock and Roll medley. The Xylophone solo ‘Tipy Toes’, composed by Champion was also a hit as was Henry L Kling’s composition ‘Piccolo Duet’.

On Monday, the band performed at the ICCR Auditorium. On Tuesday, it is scheduled to perform at the Tollygunge Club. This back to back schedule hasn’t been easy for the band.

“We are hardly getting any time to rehearse. After all, the selections will have to be different for every location. The compositions will depend on the audience and the ambience. We have to adapt to the changes at each location. However, I have full confidence in the members of the band and they are doing their best,” Champion added.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Kolkata / by Jayanta Gupta, TNN / November 10th, 2014