Nepalise folk music treat for Holyhead's Ucheldre Centre

Oct 29 2008

THREE of Nepal’s finest traditional musicians will be performing at the Ucheldre Centre in Holyhead as part of their Welsh tour.

Trio Naatyswora will be playing traditional Nepali folk instruments including a Nepali Drum and a bamboo flute during what is one of their first performances outside the sub-continent.

The trio’s repertoire includes tunes dating back to the 12th century as well as women’s songs, ballads, religious and sacred music, and music relating episodes from the great Hindu epics such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana. The trio’s aim is to preserve and present authentic folk music and protect the countries musical heritage. The popularity of folk music is in decline in Nepal and many of the forms, and even the instruments, are facing extinction.

In 1997 a member of the band founded the Nepali Folk Musical Instrument Museum (NFMIM) and it is now the biggest and most comprehensive in Nepal.

NFMIM wishes to not only raise the status of musicians but also, in future years, they hope to establish a research centre and college of folk music which will offer training, accreditation and certification for performing musicians.

They already provide bursaries for the education of talented poor children, and medical treatment for impoverished musicians.

Trio Naatyaswora will be performing at the Ucheldre Centre on Sunday, November 2 at 7.30pm.

For more information phone (01407) 763361.

Prior to the performance, the Ucheldre restaurant will be serving Nepalese food at £5 a head from 6pm.