An evening of Indian Classical/Contemporary Music and Dance featuring the internationally renowned Guru Karaikkudi R. Mani in concert with leading Australian and Indian musicians.
8 November 2008, 6.30 pm
Bankstown Town Hall Auditorium
Cnr. Rickard Road & Chapel Road
Bankstown
Tickets: Reserved – $40 l Adult – $25 l Concession – $18
For Bookings please call: 9646 4279 l 0434 002 990
On Saturday November 8 a sensational concert, ‘Unity in Diversity’ is being presented at Bankstown Townhall Auditorium. The concert will feature six virtuoso musicians from India, led by world famous mridangam maestro Guru Karaikkudi R. Mani collaborating with four highly renowned Sydney musicians led by sitar virtuoso Sarangan Sriranganathan.
The brilliant Bharathanaatyam dancer from Hydrabad, Rajeswari Sainath, will conclude the evening with a spectacular performance with local dancers from the Natanalaya Dance Academy.
Completing the line up of international guest artists are B.V.Balasai (Indian Bamboo Flute), U.P.Raju (Electric Mandolin), B.V.Raghavendra Rao (Violin), V.Suresh (Ghatam), and Madhusudhanan (Percussion)
Local percussion stars, Ben Walsh (Percussion) and Bobby Singh (Tabla) join renowned Australian jazz musician Sandy Evans (Saxophone) to add to the diversity and excitement and of the evening.
The Indian and Australian musicians will create a kaleidoscope of new sounds fusing ideas from West and East, North and South to expand the boundaries of music.
Don’t miss this opportunity to witness a new major force in Indian Classical/ Contemporary music and Dance.
Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani is one of the greatest exponents of Carnatic music, the classical music of South India. A composer, vocalist and renowned virtuoso performer on the mridangam, he is also known for his willingness to share the vital principles of his tradition with musicians who are interested to work with those principles. He is just as interested in applying his musicianship to the challenges thrown up by meetings with non-Carnatic systems. He has recently recorded with Paul Simon.
He has influenced and inspired countless aspiring students and masters within his field, and one can say without any sense of hyperbole, that he is one of the finest musicians on the planet, one of the select few who appear in one’s lifetime.
Guru Mani is well known to Australian audiences for his collaborations with Paul Grabowsky and The Australian Art Orchestra (AAO), having performed with them at The Sydney Opera House and at major festivals around the world.
Sarangan Sriranganathan is appreciated both in the field of fusion music and in the world of Indian classical music as an international phenomenon. A classical sitar virtuoso, mesmerizing singer and excellent keyboard player, his consistently brilliant and exciting performances have established him as a national treasure in his own country, and gained him fame all over the world.
B.V.Balasai, hailing from a family of rich musical tradition is an accomplished, and immensely popular flautist. His remarkable modern outlook and adaptation to new ideas, has taken him to great heights, proving his versatility, not only in Indian classical music but also in the Indian cinema industry and fusion music.
Rajeswari Sainath, a dynamic and versatile dancer has carved a niche for herself in the field of Indian Classical dance. She is a brilliant dancer with an imaginative splendor that goes beyond mere
technique. A superb stage presence, refined artistic sensibilities and a deep knowledge of tradition, has made Rajeswari a true artiste of the Pandanallur tradition of Bharathanaatyam.
Sandy Evans is well known to Australian audiences. She performed on the roof of the Opera House at the dawn of the new millennium to billions of people around the world on live television. She is a driving force behind many of Australia’s leading jazz groups. Sandy has received many awards including the Inaugural Bell Award For Australian Jazz Musician of The Year and three ARIAs. Sandy is a featured soloist in the AAO’s collaborations with Guru Karaikudi Mani. Performances by Ben Walsh and Bobby Singh are a much talked about highlight for Sydney audiences. They are well known for their amazing artistry in percussion trio Circle of Rhythm and Indian fusion band DHA among many others.
Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani- Mridangam and Konnakkol
Sarangan Sriranganathan- Sitar/ Vocal
Jayalukshimy Kandiah- Choreography and Director- Natanalaya Dance Academy
Rajeswari Sainath- Bharathanatyam Dance and Choreography
Sandy Evans- Saxophone (tenor and soprano)
Bobby Singh- Tabla
Ben Walsh- Drums and Percussion
V Suresh- Ghatam
B V Balasai- Bansuri (Indian Bamboo Flute) and Silver Flute
B V Raghavendra Rao- Violin
U P Raju- Electric Mandolin
V B Madhusudanan- Tabla and Percussion
Tickets are available at Excellent Jewellers (Wentworthville), Pyramid Video and Spice (Flemington), Rams Food (Flemington) and Bundu Khan (Auburn).
For further details please visit www.sarangan.com
Smoking, Video and Flash photography Prohibited
