their houses during the evening hours. Western traditional music Goa, a part of India since 1961, had been part of Portugal for over 450 years and hence has closer connections with Western classical and popular music. Use of Portuguese music and other western music is popular specifically at most Catholic weddings and celebrations. Live bands are a celebratory feature at such weddings, sometimes substituted by a Disc Jockey instead. Over the centuries, indigenous Goan music was blended with European music, particularly that of Portugal. Hence Goan music uses western styles, notes and musical instruments more significantly than regional Asian variants. The Goa Symphony Orchestra was founded by António Fortunato de Figueiredo in 1952 and the Goa Philharmonic Choir was founded by Lourdino Barreto. The Monte Music Festival hosted by Lisbon-headquartered Fundação Oriente, in partnership with the hotel Cidade de Goa is one of the premier cultural events on Goa’s crowded calendar. Every year, the three-day concert features both Indian and Western classical music along with dance performances held at the spectacularly situated Capela do Monte, high above the old capital of the Estado da India (former Portuguese state). The area is a UNESCO world heritage site. The recently introduced annual two-day Ketevan World Sacred music festival offers music programs, courses and conferences with artists from several traditions around the world including Carnatic, Christian, Sufi, Hindustani, Jewish, Orthodox and many others. Artists like Santiango Girelli (orchestra conductor from Argentina), Rocio De Frutos (soprano from Spain) and Leo Rossi (violinist from Argentina) have participated in past events. Tiatr Another major attraction of the Goan music industry is the Tiatr derived from the Portuguese word 'teatro''' meaning theater. It is a type of musical theatre still very popular with Goans, resident in Goa or Bombay as well as with expatriates and resident communities in the Middle East, London and other major western cities (where Konkani speakers have a considerable presence). The dramas are performed in the Roman Konkani dialects and include music, dancing and singing. Tiatr performers are called tiatrists. Songs integral to the plays are known as 'Kants'. Other songs, called kantaram are generally either comedic or based on topical, political and controversial issues that are interspersed through the performance. These musical interludes are independent of the main theme of the play. The songs are often satirical and unsparing of the politics and politicians of Goa. The music is provided by a