Being gifted with a musical ear, some musicians can play any instrument without the assistance of notations. But there are handfuls reading and writing music and playing several instruments simultaneously.
Arambol-based Martinho Xavier Fernandes
popularly known as Martin on the tiatr stage, was born on August 5, 1969. His
father, late Luis Manuel Fernandes was a musician and would play the trumpet
fluently. “He would accompany the choir master of the Arambol church, late
Caetano D’Souza for various feasts in the village,” he informed.
Martin’s uncle, Aleixo Fernandes, who was
a musician and played the violin and trumpet, taught him the nuances of music
at the age of 16. “Initially, it was reading and writing the ‘solfagio’,
followed by playing the violin,” he shared, “and finally the blowing
instrument, trumpet.”
During that period of learning music for almost
one year, Martin simultaneously would accompany his uncle and play in the brass
band for village feasts and tiatrs. “But performances were for festive
occasions only within the village,” he noted.
Apart from learning music from his uncle, Martin was equally
observant and would admire the musicians around him. On one occasion, he noted
Joaquim D’Souza’s brother, late Manuel D’Souza playing the saxophone.
Martin was highly impressed by his performance for feasts and
took fancy to that particular blowing instrument. With enough knowledge of the
trumpet, he picked the saxophone in 1972 and learnt it all by himself.
When it comes to the blowing instrument saxophone, Martin
explains that there are three varieties, namely soprano, alto and tenor. He
preferred to practice and play the soprano as it carries two tones together—the
higher notes of a trumpet and lower notes of a saxophone.
After Martin learnt the soprano saxophone, he purchased the alto
and tenor saxophones as well and enjoyed playing all three. “The desire to
learn instruments was always there in my heart,” he confesses, “and over a
period of time the distant dream became a reality.”
Martin met mestro Babush Fernandes from his own village. He was
instrumental in grooming Martin still further by teaching him other techniques
involved in playing the blowing instruments.
“For almost 6 years,” admits Martin, “mestro Babush taught me to
write and arrange music, which is not an easy task initially. There are many
things involved in it. But he is grateful to his mentor for moulding him into
what he is today.
While Martin was in the process of learning the intricacies of
music, Minguel de Arambol, another noted musician, welcomed him into the tiatr
field. His first entry in the tiatr world came about in Aleixin de Morjim’s
tiatr ‘Sarpanch’ in 2015, followed by ‘Facebook’, ‘Hanv Jiklom’, ‘Bore Dis
Kedna Ietole?’ and several others.
During performances in tiatrs, Martin encountered Dominic,
another musician from his own village, who introduced him to Ives Tavares’
tiatr ‘Padr Agnel Sant Kedna Zatolo?’. He also performed for the same
director’s second production ‘Sot Khoim Asa?’
Martin also performed in Elvis/Carmin’s tiatr ‘Khuris Moddlo
Bhavart Toddlo’. “Performing for different tiatr directors only helped me to
gain mastery and gain confidence while performing,” he said.
Dominic de Arambol also introduced Martin to Menino de Bandar
and he performed in 5 tiatrs, which included ‘Uzvadd Tuka Diun’, ‘Tum Sun vo
Avoi?’ and ‘Senior Citizen’.
As far as writing and arranging music was concerned, the musical
skills of Martin were not tapped until he found an opportunity at the Kala
Academy’s annual tiatr competition.
“It was Vanita Correia’s tiatr ‘Vingans’ to be staged at the
KA’s ‘B’ group tiatr competition 2020,” Martin recollected. “Although the band
leader had penned music for the songs, at one point of time he could not make
it for the rehearsals due to some commitment out-station.”
Xavier de Moira invited Martin for the show and he assisted in
penning music for the remaining songs that needed notations to be jotted down.
“It was a moment to prove my caliber and grabbing the opportunity and timely
help rendered worked to mine and everyone’s advantage,” he shared.
After Covid-19 set in and tiatrs came to an abrupt halt, Martin
joined the choir at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Arambol under the
leadership of parish priest, Fr Roland Linn.
Since childhood Martin was very fond of songs by legends Alfred
Rose and S Lemos. “Some of those yesteryear songs of those stalwarts were on
the tip of my tongue and listening to those golden oldies prompted me to learn
music,” he shares.
To be a good musician, “learning the ‘solfagio’ is a must,”
Martin admits bluntly. “But if you have an instrument with you, it could be an
added advantage as it helps to get familiarized with the sound. Otherwise the
vocals are sufficient to learn the basics.”
Today’s youth are reluctant to learn the blowing instruments
with the fearful thought that it is difficult. “Blowing instruments are all about
techniques,” he conceals, “and there is a lot of scope for blowing instruments
as you can easily produce your own sound and music, unlike instruments like the
guitar or the keyboard.”
“When you play the blowing instruments,” Martin shares out of
his personal experience, “apart from performing, be it for any festive
occasion, it equally gives you that listening pleasure.”
“The
amateurs who venture and then give up blowing instruments carry a weird thought
behind their minds—blowing instruments demand a lot of energy and strength.
But, it is not so,” Martin states. “Today, there are many youngsters from
Salcete (both boys and girls), unlike those in the Bardez taluka, who are
picking up, learning and performing exceptionally well with the blowing
instruments,” he reveals.