MUSIC

It is impossible to imagine Goa without music! Either you hear the faint strumming of a guitar or loud techno beats, an Indian classical vocalist’s rendition of a soulful raga at one of the many concerts of Hindustani music held here or your feet will start moving to the lively rhythms of popular Konkani music of their own accord. It is often said that Goans have music in their blood, a statement that gathers momentum with the sheer bounty of musical genres present and flourishing in Goa.

The plethora of styles range from indigenous music played on traditional instruments like the ghumot, dhol, mridanga, nagado and others to Western classical music using the piano, violin, cello, drums, guitar, organ, trumpet and saxophone to fusion music and more. Hindustani classical music is deeply enjoyed in Goa as is Choral music and Fado, a style of Portuguese singing known for its expressive melancholic character. The unique Monte Music Festival has become a highlight of Goa’s cultural calendar and celebrates dance, heritage and music drawn from both Indian and Western traditions. A number of prominent musicians and singers from

Goa drawn from both the Eastern and Western styles of music have made an indelible contribution to the world of music. Most notably, these include Lata Mangeshkar, referred to as the Nightingale of India, Asha Bhosle, Remo Fernandes, Lorna Cordeiro, known as the Nightingale of Goa, Fadista Sonia Shirsat, composer Anthony Gonsalves, Jazz saxophonist Braz Gonsalves, classical vocalist Kishori Amonkar, Dinanath Mangeshkar, Kersarbai Kerkar and more.

Electronic dance music or EDM, particularly a style called Goa Trance has its origins in the hippie scene in Goa. The psychedelic beats of Goa Techno propelled the State of Goa on the global musical map and Sunburn – the annual 3 day EDM Festival has grown to become one of the world’s biggest music festivals, drawing a huge crowd to its shores.