Qld Sangeet Mela Assoc presents an evening of Hindustani classical music featuring Australia’s leading bansuri artist, Sri Vinod Prasanna.
7PM SAT 16 SEP
Sunnybank Church of Christ Hall, 105 Station Rd, Sunnybank
PROGRAMME:
7pm: Sitar – Smt Shrabani Choudhury, with Pankaj Navlekar (tabla)
730pm: Interval – samosas and chai will be served courtesy of Brisbane Indian Times
8pm: Bansuri – Sri Vinod Prasanna, with Shen Flindell (tabla)
TICKET BOOKINGS: https://www.trybooking.com/CKKKA
FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/events/1031357061358529
ARTIST BIOS:
VINOD PRASANNA (BANSURI):
Born into one of India’s greatest flute-playing families, award-winning bansuri (flute) virtuoso, Vinod Prasanna shines as an outstanding performer of authentic traditional and contemporary Indian music. Vinod’s emotive melodies, exquisite improvisations and divine flute song distinguish his performance of Indian classical, world and meditation music. Simply, Indian music at its finest.
Since being initiated into the Benares Gharana of tabla by Pt Ashutosh Bhattacharya in 1994, Shen Flindell has grown to become one of Australia’s leading tabla players. He is the accompanist of choice for Indian classical artists visiting Brisbane, and also performs in fusion groups such as Tibet2Timbuk2. He is best known for his beautiful sound and supportive accompaniment. In 2019 Shen instigated the founding of Queensland Sangeet Mela Association (QSMA), to foster the development of Indian classical music in Queensland. Shen loves bringing people together to unite through music, whether it’s playing with his many young students or collaborating with top musicians from around the world.
SHEN FLINDELL (TABLA):
Since being initiated into the Benares Gharana of tabla by Pt Ashutosh Bhattacharya in 1994, Shen Flindell has grown to become one of Australia’s leading tabla players. He is the accompanist of choice for Indian classical artists visiting Brisbane, and also performs in fusion groups such as Tibet2Timbuk2. He is best known for his beautiful sound and supportive accompaniment. In 2019 Shen instigated the founding of Queensland Sangeet Mela Association (QSMA), to foster the development of Indian classical music in Queensland. Shen loves bringing people together to unite through music, whether it’s playing with his many young students or collaborating with top musicians from around the world.
SHRABANI CHOUDHURY (SITAR):
A distinguished Sitar player of Vishnupur Gharana, Shrabani Choudhury has been performing in numerous concerts in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney for the last 20 years. She initially learnt sitar from her guru late Shri Nikhil-Ranjan Das from Vishnupur Gharana and then received training and guidance from the renowned sitar player late Pt. Soumitra Lahiri. Since her first widely acclaimed solo performance at the age of 15, Shrabani has been a regular performer, music teacher and still possesses a keen passion for further learning. Shrabani has been a regular performer in various Swaramohini concerts, Cultivart series organized by BEMAC, Queensland Multicultural Music Festival, Queensland Sacred Music Festivals, Music by the Sea, Brisbane River Festival and Chanel Nine’s The Shak, nationally broadcast programme.
The classical music that Shrabani Choudhury plays comes from the heart and soul and fills the mind of audience with a sense of peace, joy and happiness.
PANKAJ NAVLEKAR (TABLA):
Pankaj Navlekar is a Classical Tabla player of the Hindustani (North Indian) style of playing, and has been a resident of Brisbane since 2011. He was introduced to the classical tradition of Tabla playing at a very early age of 10, in his hometown in India. After learning Tabla for 6 years in a local music school in his hometown of Jabalpore, he was introduced to the ‘Gurukul’ tradition of learning under the tutelage of Pandit Gopalrao Wadegaonkar. Pankaj has received training in the Farookhabaad style of Tabla playing – some famous artistes from which include Ustad Amir Hussein Khan and the legendary Ustad Ahmed Jaan Thirakwa. Pankaj calls Brisbane his home and has been a regular performer in Brisbane’s Classical and Semi-Classical music circles and has accompanied vocal and instrumental artists from within Brisbane and overseas.