Statesman News Service

GANGTOK, April 27: Miss Albina Lepcha, a teenaged girl left the audience spell bound when she tuned her violin piece “Mozart 23 II movement” as solo at the Defense Auditorium in Gangtok last night.

Albina, a fifteen-year-old orphan girl from Gandhi Ashram (an orphanage school) in Kalimpong, was very keen on learning violin and she started learning to play the instrument at the tender age of seven when she studied in class I. “Violin is my life and I am in madly in love with the instrument. I forget everything when I listen to the tune of violin,” she told The Statesman during a short interaction at the event. “I started learning to play the instrument at school as it was a part of our curriculum. But later on I fell in love with the instrument,” she added.

She along with her other friends has performed in Darjeeling and Kalimpong several times but played here in Gangtok for the first time. She narrated that this instrument may be her weak point. When asked that which other musical instrument appealed to her, she replied, “Piano would be the other instrument which I like listening to but do not have any idea about the technicalities of the instrument. It would be best if I continue to play violin so I pledge to continue playing it” she added.

Not only Albina but also the little ones from Army School drew an audience of 500-odd people including both army men and civilians.

The audience applauded the children for their efforts during the performance. The Army School also had a choir and an orchestra amid the programme, which was started by Gandhi Ashram from Kalimpong.

Gandhi Ashram began with Ay Mere Watan Key Logo, Johnny’s Apple Eat Sweet and a medley of Hindi film songs, which really enthralled the audience.

The army school did not lag behind and performed a full version of Ramayana called Ram Baan in their theatre show.
State Governor Mr Sudarshan Agarwal and chief justice Mr AN Ray along with state army chief GOC Mr KVS Lolotra also graced the occasion. “It really mesmerised me when Gandhi Ashram performed the solo piece on violin and orchestra” said Mr Sudarshan Agarwal state Governor.

“Students should be given more time by their parents and teachers should guide them well for future” he added.
Mr Agarwal also felicitated some teachers and performers and appreciated them at the end of the function.