Call for Young Indian Classical Artists for Sangeet Mela 2015

Sangeet Premi Club is calling for young Indian Classical artists under the age of 25 to apply for the Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards, which will be presented at Sangeet Mela 2015 to be held on Saturday 19th September at Queensland Multicultural Centre (BEMAC) in Kangaroo Point.  Entries close on 31st July 2015 and winners will be announced on 15th August.

The awards will be granted in four categories of Sangeet: Vocal, Instrumental, Percussion and Dance, in each of the two broad genres of Carnatic and Hindustani Sangeet. The winners will be invited to perform at Sangeet Mela 2015, alongside high profile artists from Brisbane in collaboration with interstate and international artists.

The inaugural Sangeet Mela in 2014 was a highly successful event, promoting Indian classical music and dance in Brisbane and around Australia. Highlights videos as well as full-length performances are available on the Sangeet Mela website, www.sangeetmela.org.

Sangeet Mela 2015 will include both North and South Indian classical music and dance and the programme is already looking very exciting. Senior tabla master in the prestigious Benares Gharana, Pt Pooran Maharaj (son of late Pt Kishan Maharaj), and brilliant vocalist Sri Kumar Gaurav Kohli are already confirmed, as well as last year’s Rising Star Dance Award winner, Helena Joshi, performing Kathak dance with live accompaniment. The Carnatic music programme is yet to be finalised but is expected to be a highlight of the festival.

“We aim for Brisbane Sangeet Mela to be a prestigious annual Indian classical music and dance event recognised throughout the country for high quality of performances, fostering the development of Indian classical culture in Brisbane for years to come,” says Sangeet Premi Club acting president Yousuf Alikhan. “The Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards will give young artists in our community recognition for their talent and hard work, and the opportunity to perform before senior artists and music aficionados.”

Further information on the awards can be found at www.sangeetmela.org/awards

Sangeet Mela 2015 is seeking business sponsors and cultural organisations to support the event. For more information please contact shen@sangeetmela.org.

Sangeet Mela 2014 report

This article was originally printed (with just 2 photos) in the October 2014 (Diwali) edition of Brisbane Indian Times. For more photos please visit our Facebook album.

Sangeet Mela 2014 Report
“Actually that was the first time I’ve been to a classical concert, and I really enjoyed it. I’m much more interested in my tabla practice and seeing more concerts now.” (18 year old tabla student”
“I think the Indian community were sceptical about what kind of event it would be and didn’t turn up, but now that we know just how good a classical Sangeet Mela can be I promise I will bring lots of friends next year.”
“Thanks and congratulations for organizing such a beautiful event!!”

These are some quotes from attendees of the inaugural Brisbane North Indian Classical Music and Dance Festival, Sangeet Mela 2014. It was artistically a magnificent event but unfortunately the audience did not reflect the quality of the performances.
Ku Lillian Warrum (Odissi dance – Melbourne)
 
Ku Anjuha Ketheeswaran (sitar – Rising Star Award winner) accompanied by Sri Shen Flindell (tabla)

Sangeet Mela 2014 opened in the early afternoon with a beautiful Odissi dance performance by Lillian Warrum from Melbourne. The opening session also included performances by young artists receiving the Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards. Anjuha Ketheeswaran presented Raga Madhuvanti on sitar; Rising Star runner-up in the vocal category Eman Rawi presented a beautiful khayal in Raga Bhimpalassi and showed that he certainly has a bright future; percussion category winner Arka Tito Basu played tabla solo in Jhaptaal and Teentaal. The first session concluded with special guest vocalist from Sydney Dr Vivek Apte, who presented a wide range of compositions in Ragas Miya Malhar and Hameer.
Sri Eman Rawi (vocal – Rising Star Award runner-up) accompanied by Sri Maharshi Raval (tabla – Sydney)

Sri Arka Tito Basu (tabla solo – Rising Star Award winner) accompanied by Sri Joseph Abhay Nand (harmonium) and his guru Sri Shen Flindell (tali)
Dr Vivek Apte (vocal – Sydney) accompanied by Pt Govinda Chakraborty (tabla – Delhi), Sri Joseph Abhay Nand (harmonium), and Sri Sangeet Mishra (sarangi – Mumbai)
 
The late afternoon session opened with Rising Star dance award winner, Ku. Helena Joshi, with live accompaniment by Shen Flindell (tabla) and several other notable local musicians. It was indeed a very impressive performance and the highlight of the Rising Star Award performances on the day. The final Rising Star Award performance was presented by young vocalist Senjuti Maitra who sang a Khayal on Raga Desh followed by a bhajan. One of day’s highlights followed, with a tabla solo by Pt Govinda Chakraborty of Delhi, followed by duet in Rupak Taal with Shen Flindell. Rahim Zullah sang Raga Behag in sitarkhani teentaal, finishing with tarana in drut teentaal.
Ku. Helena Joshi (Kathak dance – Rising Star Award winner) accompanied by Sri Shen Flindell (tabla), Smt Menaka Visvanathan Thomas (vocal), Sri Joseph Abhay Nand (harmonium), Sri Murali Ramakrishnan (bansuri)
Ku. Senjuti Maitra (vocal – Rising Star Award winner) accompanied by Sri Arka Tito Basu (tabla) and Sri Joseph Abhay Nand (harmonium)
 
Tabla duet by Pt Govinda Chakraborty (Delhi) with Sri Shen Flindell (accompaniment by Sri Sangeet Mishra, sarangi – Mumbai)
 
Sri Rahim Zullah (vocal) accompanied by Sri Maharshi Raval (tabla – Sydney), Sri Joseph Abhay Nand (harmonium) and Sri Sangeet Mishra (sarangi – Mumbai)
 
The evening session was worth the ticket price alone, opening with Kathak dance by Darshana Hingu, starting from Raga Shankara in Rudra Taal, followed by Teentaal and finally a Thumri. The Kathak dance performances with live accompaniment were very popular with the audience. Nothing quite matches the excitement of dancer’s movements in synchrony with live tabla and vocal.
Smt Darshana Hingu accompanied by Sri Shen Flindell (tabla), Dr Mansey Kinarivala (vocal), Sri Joseph Abhay Nand (harmonium), and Sri Murali Ramakrishnan (bansuri)
 
Saikat Bhattacharya performed a heavenly Raga Bageshree with tabla accompaniment by Maharshi Raval (Sydney), and finally came the genuine grande finale, sarangi solo by 8thgeneration master Sangeet Mishra accompanied by Pt Govinda Chakraborty on tabla, who both entranced and dazzled the music lovers in attendance with Raga Charukeshi and Mirzapur Kajri.

Sri Saikat Bhattacharya (sitar) accompanied by Sri Maharshi Raval (tabla – Sydney)

Pt Govinda Chakraborty (tabla – Delhi)
Sri Sangeet Mishra (sarangi – Mumbai)
 

Though the audience was smaller than expected, the passion shown by all in attendance demonstrated that there is a place for Indian classical culture in Brisbane, and the organisers have high hopes that Sangeet Mela will become a successful annual event not just attracting audiences from our local region by from all around the country.

End of night cast photo
 
For more photos please visit our Facebook album.

Sangeet Premi Rising Star Award 2014 Winners

Sangeet Premi Club are proud to announce the 2014 winners of the Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards. Please check the Sangeet Mela 2014 Programme page for their performance times.

Helena Joshi (Kathak dance)Ku. Helena Joshi (Kathak dance) – Helena Joshi has learnt many styles of dance in the past including Indian, Bollywood and various western styles of dance including jazz, tap, ballet, latin and contemporary dance. However she always had this intuitive feeling and resonance towards Classical Indian Dance. Two years ago whilst studying Medicine, destiny answered her intention and introduced her to her Guru Prerana Deshpande whilst […]
Senjuti Maitra (vocal)Ku. Senjuti Maitra (vocal) – Senjuti Maitra started taking formal lessons in classical music in Kolkata, Agarpara from Amit Chakraborty, Bhavna Sangeet Academy. Since moving to Brisbane in 2008 she is continuing lessons through Skype from Amit Chakraborty. Ragas learnt so far: Bhairab, Emon, Bilabal, Kaafi, Bhupali, Bageshree, Brindabani saarang, Khambag, Bhimpalashri, Ashabori, Desh and Durga. She has performed commercial and semi-classical music several times on […]
Anjuha Ketheeswaran (sitar)Ku. Anjuha Ketheeswaran (sitar) – Anjuha Ketheeswaran commenced learning Sitar in March 2011 from Smt Shrabani Choudhury of Vishnupur Gharana. Notable performances have included ‘Nrityanjali’ – Indian Classical Dance Festival at BEMAC and several festivals at Sri Selva Vinayak Kovil. Anju has been accompanied by several tabla players including Shen Flindell (Founder of Ashu Babu Memorial Tabla School) and Dheeraj Shrestha (Conductor at Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University). […]
TitoSri Arka Tito Basu (tabla) – Arka Tito Basu has been learning tabla for 11 years now, since 2003, and recently received a distinction in the Grade 8 Tabla Exam from Pandit Ram Sahai Sangeet Vidyalaya (PRSSV), London. He has also received three first places in the Ashu Babu Memorial Tabla School concerts and has had the opportunity to perform with his guru-ji Shen Flindell […]

Call for Young Indian Classical Artists

Sangeet Premi Club is calling for young Indian Classical artists under the age of 25 to apply for the Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards, which will be presented at the inaugural Brisbane Sangeet Mela to be held on Sunday 7th September at Queensland Multicultural Centre (BEMAC) in Kangaroo Point.

The awards will be granted in four categories of Sangeet: Vocal, Instrumental, Percussion and Dance. The winners will be invited to participate in Brisbane Sangeet Mela, alongside high profile artists from Brisbane in collaboration with interstate and international artists.

The inaugural Sangeet Mela will feature two international artists: Govinda Chakraborty (Delhi) recently retired as professor of tabla at Kathak Kendra (the national Kathak dance college); Sangeet Mishra (Mumbai) represents the 8th generation of sarangi masters in his highly respected family. Both artists will be enriching the festival with their able accompaniment and dynamic solo performances.

Visiting from Sydney will be accomplished classical vocalist Dr Vivek Apte. Tabla master Maharshi Raval completes the roster of artists visiting Brisbane for the festival, joining local artists including Rahim Zullah (vocal), Saikat Bhattacharya (sitar), Darshana Hingu (Kathak dance) and Shen Flindell (tabla).

“We aim for Brisbane Sangeet Mela to be a prestigious annual Indian classical music and dance event recognised throughout the country for high quality of performances, fostering the development of Indian classical culture in Brisbane for years to come,” says Sangeet Premi president Yousuf Ali Khan. “The Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards will give young artists in our community recognition for their talent and hard work, and the opportunity to perform before senior artists and music aficionados.”

Further information on the awards can be found at www.sangeetmela.org/awards

Brisbane Sangeet Mela and the Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards are made possible through the generous support of major sponsors Brisbane Indian Times, venue hosts BEMAC and additional sponsors Sitar Restaurant, Spirited Events and Target Tours and Travels.