4th Asia Music Summit kicks off in Kohima

KOHIMA — The 4th edition of the Asia Music Summit commenced at the Capital Cultural Hall in Kohima on Thursday with delegates and participants from across the country and around the world.

Speaking on the inaugural day of the three-day music festival set to feature a diverse lineup of artists, musicians, and bands, Nagaland Chief Minister described it as “one of the biggest and most high-profile events” that Nagaland has hosted.

He hoped the summit, organised by MusicConnect in collaboration with the Task Force for Music and Arts (TaFMA), would encourage, promote, and propel local musicians to greater heights and further enhance the growth of the music industry.

"Music and the arts have always been a way of life for the Naga people since time immemorial and have played a central role in all our activities. As such, stories have been passed down from one generation to another through songs. This tradition continues till today and has been to be a unifying force for us, and it has now emerged as one of our most positive ambassadors to the global community," Rio asserted.

Stating that the state has taken the music industry as a mission to nurture creativity from an early age and harness it as a collective mission towards societal transformation and the creation of opportunities, he added that today, they have become national and global ambassadors, and through their talents, the state is promoting the brand Nagaland and flexing soft power.

Kaushik Dutta, president of MusicConnect Asia, stated in his address that previous editions had successfully connected thousands of professionals across Asia and beyond and mentioned that one of their prime objectives is to ensure that music from Asia finds wider appreciation, listeners and viewers at the global level.

Abu Metha, advisor to the Chief Minister and Theja Meru, chairman of TaFMA, also addressed the inaugural programme.

The event will feature workshops, mentoring sessions, panel discussions, business networking, one-on-one sessions, and other activities over two days at RCEMPA, Jotsoma.

Delegates from over ten countries, more than 20 bands, renowned musicians, and artists are participating in the summit.