The Melharmony Foundation (MF) is a 501 c (3) not-for-profit in USA that endeavours to propagate the concept of Melharmony, which explores chords and counterpoints based on melodic progression – in contrast to the conventional approach centered on harmonic progression.
VISION: To take the concept of multi-cultural diversity to the next logical step of multi-cultural unity through Melharmony, that bridges the diverse concepts of melody and harmony.
MISSION: To commission original orchestral and ensemble creations and enter into collaborations with orchestras as well as eminent artists and scholars of various systems that can attract audiences of diverse cultures.
Performances, Festivals, Seminars & Research:
Exposure, Education & Engagement:
Some of the activities that the Melharmony Foundation has initiated and carried out include:
Melharmony concerts featuring Classical, Jazz, Rock and World Music stars have been held in several parts of the world over the years.
The Twin-Composer Melharmony Festivals initiated in 2013 in cities like Madison, Chicago, Minneapolis etc have blazed a new trail in world music with their unique approach of featuring master-composers who influenced the development of melody and harmony in different parts of the world. Prominent Western composers include J S Bach, Mozart and Beethoven who were paired with Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi, Tyagaraja and Muttuswami Dikshitar respectively. The festival in 2019 will be devoted to Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi and Bach.
Typical Twin Composer festivals feature
(a) Traditional melodic works
(b) Harmony centric compositions and
(c) Melharmonic creations and arrangements specially commissioned by the Foundation.
The festivals concerts by professional as well as student orchestras and artists, dance & theater presentations, competitions, and at times include interactive panel discussions/academic sessions/lectures on the works of the featured composers.
These have enthralled and engaged diverse audiences and enhanced deeper appreciation among them for systems other than their own.
Melharmony in Europe & UK and other countries
Melharmony had been premiered in Oct 2000 in UK and subsequently, concerts with European Orchestras had been held in Germany, Switzerland etc. In Aug 2017, the city of Goettingen in Germany hosted a 3-day Melharmony Festival featuring a handpicked Quintet from the Gottingen Symphony led by John Sebastian Sommer as well as artists of Euro Jazz Ensemble Jurgen Bliebel (Piano) & Raimond Moritz (Sax). The Melharmony concert by the Goettingen Youth Symphony conducted by Daniel Eismann was an added attraction. Melharmony concerts have also been held in India featuring world-class artists.
Melharmony Festivals for Climate Crisis
The Melharmony Festival in Madison, WI on Nov 11 & 12, 2017 was among the first to raise awareness and funds for the Combating Climate Change (CCC) Project of the Melharmony Foundation. The Foundation has since presented several such events to raise funds or awareness for environmental action in various cities and also supported and engaged with students, who are the rightful inheritors of this planet.