Fremont — The second All U.S.A. & CANADA MUSIC CONFERENCE AND COMPETITION was held on August 24 & 25th, 1985 at GRAMMER SCHOOL AUDITORIUM, FREMONT, CALIFORNIA. 101 Participants contested in 21 different categories of North and South Indian Classical Music and Dance forms. In all about 125 prizes, certificates and trophies were handed out.

This year for the first time ‘SHABAD’ was introduced as a category. In group 1 (110 yrs.) Ranjeeta Singh of San Jose, in Group 2 (1120 yrs.) Prabhleena Sangha of Hayward won respective first prizes. In group 3 (21 yrs. and up) Satpal S. Deol of Newark won the first prize. Gurkirpal Singh Sandhu of Hayward and Mrs. Jagjit Sighu of Bethesda, Maryland won second and third prizes respectively.

In classical music Mark Turnbull Dominated, winning 3 first prizes out of possible five. Ranjeeta Singh Prabhleena Sangha and Gurkirpal Singh Sandhu were declared group champions in their respective age groups.

Gurkirpal Singh Sandhu was adjudged champion of group champions winning 10 prizes out of 11 events that he participated in.

The general secretary of the competition and conference Mr. P.N. Joadder, an engineer by Profession, runs the Bhatkhande University in Union City. Mrs. Joadder teaches light classical music classes. Mr. Joadder himself composed the music for the Shabads that Prarhleena and Gurkirpal rendered.

Article extracted from this publication >>  August 30, 1985