In Nov 2016, the Melharmony Foundation established a first-of-its-kind, National Level student-centric, multi-cultural orchestra, called the North American Melharmonic Honors Orchestra (NAMHO).
Vision & mission: The NAMHO vision has been to expose talented young artists to exciting musical concepts and repertoire from diverse cultures at an early age, aid in their musical development which enables them gain opportunities to perform music in all parts of the world that attracts diverse audiences. The mission has been to blend the different shades of talents from diverse genres & cultures of music to create one bright colored and expressionist ‘soundscape’! In other words, NAMHO artists have aimed to embrace the best of both melody and harmony to create a melharmonic whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
Primary objective: The artists aim to practice, perfect, perform and preserve melharmonic repertoire across the world in diverse venues, events and festivals.
The Orchestra’s other aims include the following:
(a) To give students a global perspective of human genius in music
(b) To provide exposure to several types of improvisation, enhancing their creative and cognitive skills
(c) To help their personal development as well as social skills
Students are primarily selected based on training and competence in Western Classical (in strings, woodwinds, brass & percussion). About 15-20% slots are also open for exponents of other systems such as Jazz/Pop/Chinese/Indian etc. Those interested in gaining Admission.have to take the NAMHO Online Auditions.
Opportunities: The Foundation will explore performing, collaborative or recording opportunities for the NAMHO every year in traditional as well as alternate venues & events in different cities. If enrollments and quality necessitate, NAMHO may subsequently be branched into Symphony, Chamber, Strings, Percussion Ensemble, Quartets, Trios or City/State-centric units.
Spirit of NAMHO: Melharmony is about creating exciting new music that captures the essential spirit and aesthetics of diverse traditions and NAMHO will endeavor to exemplify this with excellence. If you are talented and also passionate about learning musical approaches from various parts of the world, trying out new types of melodies & rhythms and exploring the magnificent synergy between melody and harmony through Melharmony, NAMHO is the way to go! Learn about the NAMHO vision, mission and objectives and apply!
Eligibility: NAMHO is an equal-opportunity orchestra and open to any student based in North America irrespective of their country of origin, race, religion or other considerations. The applicant’s birth date must fall between May 1, 2004 and May 1, 1989, inclusive. The Application/Audition fee is a non-refundable $10.
Exemptions: Age exemptions will be made for prodigious talents in any music system. If you feel that your child qualifies, do send us short video samples along with your application and specify the achievements of the application such as awards/prizes won and/or major performances presented in order to be considered for age exemption.
Conductors: The Foundation aims to invite quality conductors in various cities to be in its Conductors Council and feature them in NAMHO concerts.
Composers: The Foundation aims to commission or support composers of diverse genres to write melharmonic pieces for NAMHO. Already written music will also be performed, if suitable for the orchestras.
Repertoire: NAMHO will endeavour to present 3 types of repertoire:
(a) Commissioned original melharmonic & melharmonic arrangements of traditional melodic works
(b) Western Classical harmony-centric repertoire of master composers like Bach & Mozart
(c) Melodic creations of composers of Indian Classical and other systems in the world such as Tyagaraja, Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi and Muttuswami Dikshitar.
Level of Difficulty: The levels of the repertoire chosen will range from simple middle/high school level short pieces to professional level sophisticated ones but members will be assigned parts commensurate with their respective levels.
Performance: NAMHO artists will be available to perform “Melody, Harmony, Melharmony” concerts in any type of venue including schools, colleges, private or corporate events and Twin-Composer Festivals like OVK-Bach, Dikshitar-Beethoven & Tyagaraja Mozart festivals. Typical concerts can showcase melody-centric, harmony centric pieces played in traditional style as well as melharmonic repertoire.
Configuration: NAMHO will be anchored by students of Western Classical and complemented by exceptionally talented artists of other systems including jazz & world music.
Instruments: NAMHO will feature not only classical symphony instruments but also jazz/world instruments including sitar, chitraveena, erhu, thor, oud, tabla, mrdangam or other percussion.
Voice: At this time, NAMHO will not include voices but it may occasionally use guest vocalists. However, young Carnatic vocalists interested in joining the Melharmony Foundation’s vocal-centric Vintage Virtuosos – USA ensemble can email us.
Scores: Students must be able to read Western Scores or transcribe the composition in a notational style (like Indian/Chinese) that they can understand during practice/performance.
Practice: Since NAMHO is a multi-city member orchestra, members will be sent and/or given online access to scores/videos/audios of the compositions. They are expected to follow both the written music as well as the audio/videos during practice. Each NAMHO member is be required to spend a minimum of 1-2 hours per week on practice and listening (based on parts assigned).
Rehearsals: Members are encouraged to schedule periodic live rehearsals with other NAMHO artists in their locality/city, whenever possible. Melharmony Foundation will also schedule such rehearsals when composers/conductors are available in the area. Concert rehearsals with the entire orchestra will typically be scheduled on the day of the performance in various cities and 1-3 days prior, based on logistical considerations.
North American Melodic Ensemble (NAME) is a first-of-its-kind multi-cultural Vocal-Instrumental orchestra dedicated to pursue, perfect, project & preserve Melodic Masterpieces of various Traditional & Folk systems in the world such as Carnatic, Hindustani, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Korean, African, Aboriginal and Irish, to name a few. NAME also will present Operas, Musicals and short skits on various subjects including the lives of master composers such as Tyagaraja, Dikshitar, Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi as well as mythological or historical themes such as Ramayana or Mahabharata.
Auditions for NAME are slated to open from 15 May, 2016 and those who gain Admission can be part of the World Premiere during the Melharmony Festival in Nov 2016 as also other performances of the ensemble across North America.
Eligibility: NAME is an equal opportunity ensemble open to any talented & passionate student, teacher & professional or part time performer between ages of 6 and 66 residing in North America whose date of birth falls between May 10, 2010 & May 10, 1950 who has received training for a minimum of 2 years.
Spirit of NAME
If you are talented and also passionate about polishing & presenting the authentic rich repertoire of Master Melody Composers and also find excitement in exploring the incredible melo-rhythmic subtleties of diverse melodic systems such as Carnatic, NAME is the way to go!
How is NAME different from other ensembles?
Benefits of joining NAME
(a) Individual skills will definitely be enhanced in being a part of a mega artistic initiative like NAME which provides exposure to brilliant creations of great masters, techniques of approaching them and rendering them with relish and polish, much of it will be applicable to each artist’s solos as well.
(b) Group skills and ability to blend in will also be honed, something not often found in melody based systems in many parts of the world.
(c) Quality artists will be given leadership roles which will enable them to further their own skills as mentors as well as performers.
Instruments: The Ensemble will be anchored by Voices but open to exponents of any instrument in the world such as harp, violin, chitravina, sitar, erhu, pipa, rebab, oud, tar, veena, tabla, flute, mrdangam, khanjira, ghatam etc.
Opportunities: Melharmony Foundation will explore performing and recording opportunities for the ensemble every year in traditional as well as alternate venues & events in different cities. NAME will also explore collaborations with quality musicians, dancers, and other orchestras/ensembles.
Notation & memorization: Students must be able to read or transcribe notations in their respective systems (such as Carnatic or Chinese). Though melodic compositions are generally presented in unison, NAME will be made colorful by assigning specific parts to various artists. All NAME Vocalists are expected to memorize their parts while percussionists and melody instrumentalists may write & refer to their parts/cues on stage.
Training: Since this is a multi-city member ensemble, members will be given online access to videos/audios of LIVE CLASSES of the compositions. They are expected to precisely follow the details and styles of the versions of each composition. Each member is required to spend a minimum of 3 hours per week on practice and listening (based on parts assigned).
Faculty Forum: Melharmony Foundation will invite quality gurus and mentors from diverse systems in the world to be a part of the NAME Faculty Forum to work with and enhance the quality of the ensemble. The Faculty Forum will also be open to scheduling additional individual/group sessions for interested members live or online for a fee.
Rehearsals: Members are encouraged to schedule periodic live rehearsals with ensemble members in their locality/city, periodically. Melharmony Foundation will also schedule localized rehearsals when one of the Directors/Faculty are available in the area. Concert rehearsals with the entire ensemble will typically be scheduled on the day of the performance in addition to 1-3 days prior, based on logistical considerations.
Exemptions: Age exemptions will be made for prodigious talents or senior citizens in voice/any instrument. If you feel that you or your child qualifies, you may apply for Audition. The decision of the Directors will be final.
Applications for NAMHO Online Auditions have been open from 12 May, 2016 for eligible students of any system including Western Classical, Jazz, Indian Carnatic/Hindustani Classical, Chinese, African & Persian.
Applications for NAME Online Auditions have been open from May 15, 2016 for eligible applicants in the age group of 6-66 (those born between May 10, 2010 & May 10, 1950) in systems such as Carnatic, Hindustani, Chinese, Middle Eastern, Korean, African, Aboriginal, Irish etc.
Application Fee: $10 per application and it has to be accompanied by a completed Form and an online link to a 3-4 minute video of the applicant.
Irrespective of the system of music you represent, you will be evaluated and admitted into NAMHO & NAME based on fundamental international criteria and quality of tone, tune & tempo as well as your command and control over your genre. Selections are based on the quality of both content & delivery.
NAMHO Applicants:
The Melharmony Foundation is committed to making its programs accessible to all interested students and families. Program fees, grants, sponsorships and donations to the Melharmony Foundation help us sustain our programs.
(a) FEES: The fees for NAMHO and NAME has been set at a very nominal one time payment of $350 per year, payable upon selection. Audition fees are $10 per application for both orchestras.
(b) DISCOUNTS: (i) Families enrolling siblings enjoy a discount of 10%.
(ii) Those who enroll for both NAMHO and NAME get $100 off.
(c) FINANCIAL AID: Based on other funding sources, Melharmony Foundation will endeavour to provide Partial Financial Aid for qualifying students. Awards are based on financial need, not on the musical ability of the applicant. Consideration is given to each student’s attitude and evidence of responsibility. Families receiving financial aid are asked to support NAMHO & NAME through non-financial means such as frequent volunteer service. The recipients of such aids are encouraged to make the most of this gesture, as reflected by their progress and quality of music.
North American Melharmonic Orchestra (NAMO)
The Melharmony Foundation proposes to also create the North American Melharmonic Orchestra (NAMO) with professional artists in due course. Artists interested in joining NAMO can email us.
The Foundation requests NAMHO Family members and others to join our Volunteer Circle and:
