Music will play when the clock strikes 11:11

Music lovers in the city will get to experience a first-of-its-kind live concert on April 3, where Electronic Dance Music will meet Western classical. City-based DJs Ajmal and Manny, who recently released an electronica album titled 11:11, will be performing tracks from along with six members of the Madras Chamber Orchestra (MCO), who will infuse sounds of string instruments with it.

What started off as just an experiment resulted in this full-length album, recorded on Submerge Music, Ajmal recalls. “A year and a half ago, Manny and I decided to collaborate for a pet project together and just as an experiment, we composed three EDM tracks. We were so happy with the results that we decided to turn it into a full-fledged album and added eight more songs to it — thus was born 11:11,” he says.

The duo goes back nearly 15 years, and first met at a renowned nightspot in Nungambakkam. “Manny hails from the Middle East but when he came to India to pursue a degree in music from SAE institute, he found the potential to settle down here and develop a career in music. That brought him to Chennai, where he eventually settled down. Since we shared similar interests, we hit it off and the rest is history,” he smiles.

When asked why they chose this title for the album, he explains, “Throughout the past year, all of us associated with this project have been seeing the ‘1111’ number sequence, when we pick up our phones or go somewhere — completely coincidentally. 11:11 is also considered an auspicious time, so we decided to go with this name, and restrict the number of tracks to eleven.”

Wanting to do something unique using their creation, Manny and Ajmal approached six members of Madras Chamber Orchestra, who call themselves The Madras Strings, to collaborate for a live concert. Jerry Fernandes, lead violinist of MCO, shares, “We have travelled the world playing classical music with the best of the best but have never done anything like this before. We are very excited to be part of the project and I am sure that the audience will love the experience.”

Conducted by Nishadhan from Ireland, who has written a special score for the musicians, the event will also feature Rachna on vocals, Vivin on the keyboard and Bruce Lee on the guitar. The closing set will be performed by DJ Skip, one of the country’s most popular turntablists, with a special remix set that will feature Commercial and Hip-hop music.

“This is not a regular party. It’s a performance featuring some of the best musicians in the business from across India coming together for a very special showcase. We have carefully put together the complete experience with the visuals, lights and decor for the evening to create an emotive atmosphere,” says Manny on a concluding note.

To be part of 11:11 Live, visit Radio Room on April 3 at 8 pm.