By Shruti Baruah

Guwahati witnessed one of the most awaited biennial events of the year on January 19 at Pragjyoti ITA, Machkhowa. I was immensely fortunate to witness the magic of the musical night unfolding live in front of my eyes. Every performance was at the peak of its emotional expression and profundity, showcasing the talent of both the teachers and students alike. 

Cadenza is the brain-child of Promiti Phukan, an accomplished pianist. She is also the founder of The Cadenza Music Academy that is nestled in the heart of Guwahati honing students in their musical craftsmanship and stage ready confidence. The academy is adorned with a squad of highly accomplished teachers like Gorisha Nath for Vocals, Prayashi Borah for Piano, Kailash Sarma for Guitar, and Writam Changkakoty for Keyboard who are extremely talented in their respective musical abilities combining both artistic and pedagogical skills. 

The event kick-started with Yanni's classical piece Until the Last Moment, symbolising a note of promise to cling on to the entire show, followed by a musical choir of Sungwoo Jung-A's English version of a popular Korean song Beyond my Dreams rendered by some of the academy's youngest music enthusiasts. Piano solos like Bumble Boogie by Jack Fina demonstrated sheer vivace. 

The musical evening was packed with a powerhouse of Piano duets like Hoagy Carmichael's Heart and Soul, Catbus by Japanese composer Joe Hisaishi, French love song Love Story by French singer-songwriter Indilla, Taylor Swift's iconic track Love story, classic Ukrainian folk song like Yikhav Kozak Za Dunai, Grammy award winner songs like Viva La Vida by Coldplay, classic tunes like Lavender's Blue, title song of nostalgic anime Doraemon, the viral love ballad Golden Hour by American singer-songwriter Jvke allured the audience by its captivating melodies and left us all in a swirl of musical notes. Alongside, chamber-like Piano trio acts like Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel, timeless folk tunes like Camptown Races danced across the piano keys and festooned the musical soirée. 

Albert Lavignac's classic composition Galop Marche, a themed piano recital featuring eight hands on one piano enchanted and had the audience bouncing along with their energetic performance by its unique dramatization alongside the piano recital. The rollicking fun and clever humor of this timeless piano composition redefined its elegance in the piano keys. The harmonious coordination and playful act of 8 hands on 88 keys worked like a charm in my heart.

Classic rock ballad Hero by Mariah Carey was executed with a newfound zeal by a choir performance showcasing singers of various age groups. Bon Jovi's iconic rock anthem Living on a Prayer presented by a curated team of academy's teachers and students gave us a glimpse of stage harmony and live instrumentation showcasing the amazing stage preparedness of the students. 

Mashups like Jericho by Iniko and Michael Jackson’s They Don't Really Care About Us were seamlessly extravagant and beautifully choreographed. Not just that, The Rock and Roll guitar group's performance captivated the entire auditorium with its crisp and woody sound, swaying everyone to its rhythms. The ambient music of Hans Zimmer's Interstellar's main theme played on keyboards was expertly orchestrated and brilliantly performed, transporting us straight into a timeless and mysterious outer space. 

Originals like Echoes of us, a recently released original score written and composed by Promiti Phukan, was performed by her very own band The Piano Affair giving the audience an insightful experience. The soul stirring lyrics and the skillfully rendered composition of this ballad shall stay etched in my memory. Furthermore, the assemblage witnessed an original song written and composed by a 10-year-old student of the academy. The song titled "All About Me" reaffirmed the academy's credentials. 

Somebody to Love by the iconic band Queen rendered through the voice of a young Freddie Mercury accompanied by a stellar choir alongside Piano and guitar gave the classic hit a fresh take. The audacity of the vocalist's stage presence nearing the charisma of Freddie himself was simply the bee's knees. 

Record holding and internationally acclaimed performer the 11-year-old Rose Dam Roy played classic piano masterpieces like Intermezzo Op 118 no.2 by Brahms and Chopin’s Fantaisie Impromptu graced the evening with her sheer brilliance of emotive and expressive piano playing. 

Famous Bollywood singer Caralisa Monteiro, known for her soulful chartbusters like Janne Kyun from Dil Chahta Hain and Phir Dekhiye from Rock On, honoured the event by her stellar performances on songs like Make You Feel My Love, Dream on by Aerosmith and Phir Dekhiye from Rock On accompanied by piano and guitar by the students and teacher of the academy.  

The bright and bouncing notes on the piano, orchestrated harmonization of melodies on the keyboard, warm and crunchy sounds of the guitar strings, and the velvety vocals bejeweled this magical musical soirée from the most delicately nuanced pianissimo to bold fortissimos – and all the subtle shadings in between. Nonetheless, all our hearts raced with their musical prowess and left us waiting for the next edition of Cadenza.