Mumbai's Oscar Castellino's song 'Rise to Mars' named anthem of Red Planet

Oscar Castellino

Mumbai vocalist Oscar Castellino's composition 'Rise to Mars' that has been named 'Mars Anthem' will be released online this month. The Mars Society, which happens to be the world's largest advocacy organisation for the Red Planet has given Castellino's song this honour.

The anthem will be the cynosure of all eyes at Oscar Castellino's California performance at the Society's 20th annual convention.

According to The Times of India, Castellino, who studied physics at St Xavier's College, contacted Dr Zubrin, president of the Mars Society, after which he learnt that they were looking for an anthem. Dr Zubrin is also a driving force behind the 'Mars Direct' design, which was adapted by NASA for its Mars mission.

31-year-old Oscar Castellino, whose family hails from Assagao in Goa, was discovered by the British-Indian soprano Patricia Rozario in 2011. He was a software analyst then.

Castellino is currently on scholarship at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

The Mars Society premiered the anthem in June at Cardiff, Wales with Castellino as a distinguished baritone, accompanied by the REPco Sinfonia.

In February last year, Oscar Castellino, and pianist Nadine Crasto performed operatic pieces to raise funds for students of St Xavier's College in Mumbai. The idea was to help fund higher education of college students who belong to disadvantaged backgrounds. This concert was part of the Operawala Tour of India, which was organised by the Italian Cultural Centre and supported by Furtados. The event generated Rs 20,000 while the annual college fee for each student is roughly Rs 4,000.