Sangeet Mela 2015

ARCHIVE OF POSTS FROM SANGEET MELA 2015

FRONT PAGE

Experience the cream of Indian culture at Sangeet Mela 2015, Brisbane’s premiere Indian Classical Music and Dance event, to be held 2pm-10pm Saturday 19th September at QLD Multicultural Centre, 102 Main St, Kangaroo Point. 

Delight in the beauty and grace of Bharat Natyam dance, the exciting spins and footwork of Kathak dance in synchronicity with live tabla, dynamic sitar, peaceful bansuri flute, and awe-inspiring South and North Indian vocals by our headline artists Srimati Manda Sudharani and Kumar Gaurav Kohli. Featuring over 20 top local, interstate and international performers, Sangeet Mela 2015 will be grand celebration of Indian classical culture. Chai, snacks and meals by Sitar Restaurant will be available, to share in the company of fellow music lovers.

Book Tickets at tinyurl.com/SangeetMela2015

Organisers Sangeet Premi Club and EthnoSuperLounge are proud to announce our full programme:  Smt Manda Sudharani (Visakhapatnam) is an “A-Top” grade Carnatic Vocalist renowned for popularizing the format of ‘Pallavi Singing’ since the early 1980s. Pt Pooran Maharaj (Varanasi) is the son of the renowned Tabla Samrat of Benares Gharana, Late Pt Kishan Maharaj, and a senior representative of his lineage. He will be presenting a tabla solo and also accompanying Hindustani vocalist Kumar Gaurav Kohli (Punjab), an accomplished younger artist whose voice is reminiscent of Pandit Jasraj. The evening session will open with Kathak dance by Dr Helena Joshi (Brisbane), accompanied on tabla by Sri Shen Flindell and other local artists.

Also performing: Sri Sridhar Chari (bansuri, mridingam – Melbourne), Sri Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda (violin – Sydney), Sri Maharshi Raval (tabla – Sydney), Dr Mansey Kinarivala (Hindustani vocal), Dr Indranil Chatterjee (sitar), Ku Janani Ganapathi (Bharat Natyam dance), Smt Usha Chivukula (vocal), Sri Rahim Zullah (harmonium), Sri Joseph Abhay Nand (harmonium), Sri Murali Ramakrishnan (bansuri), and Sri Adarshbir Singh (dilruba).

The festival will open with performances by Sangeet Premi Rising Star Award winners Ku Roshini Sriram (Carnatic vocal), Sri Arthavan Selvanathan (mridangam), Sri Manbir Singh (Hindustani vocal – Sydney), Ku Mathuja Bavan (Bharat Natyam dance), and Sri Sanjeyan Sivaananthan (tabla).

Sangeet Mela 2015 flyer

Sangeet Mela 2015 is organised by Sangeet Premi Club in association with EthnoSuperLounge, with support from Platinum sponsor Dr Sanjay Joshi of Bayside Orthopaedics, Gold sponsors Target Travels & Tours and Sitar Restaurant, Silver sponsors Tamil Vazhai, Merv Smith Realty and Homeopathy for Health, supporting organisation SaReGaMa School of Music, exclusive media sponsors Brisbane Indian Times and Australian Indian Radio, and venue BEMAC. Please contact Shen Flindell on 0415106428 or shen@sangeetmela.org for all enquiries including how to support Sangeet Mela 2015 as a business or organisation.

PROGRAMME

NOTE THAT DUE TO THE EXTENT OF THIS PROGRAMME, IT MUST RUN ON TIME!
Please be sure to arrive in time to collect tickets and take your seat before the session starts. You may be asked to wait until an item has finished before entering the auditorium.

View the Sangeet Mela 2015 colour programme booklet PDF here

Afternoon Session: 2pm to 4:30pm

~ INTERVAL ~

Sunset Session: 4:50pm to 7pm

~ INTERVAL ~

Late Session: 7:45pm to 10:30pm


ACCOMPANISTS:
TABLA – Pt Pooran Maharaj (Varanasi), Sri Maharshi Raval (Sydney), Sri Shen Flindell
MRIDANGAM – Sri Sridhar Chari (Melbourne), Sri Gopinath Kathiravelu, Sri Arthavan Selvanathan
VIOLIN – Sri Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda (Sydney)
VOCAL – Smt Usha Chivukula
HARMONIUM – Sri Rahim Zullah, Sri Joseph Abhay Nand
BANSURI – Sri Murali Ramakrishnan
DILRUBA – Sri Adarshbir Singh

SM2015 programme cover

ARTISTS

Smt Manda Sudharani (Carnatic vocal) - Smt Manda Sudharani is an “A-Top” grade Carnatic Vocalist from Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. A proud disciple of “Vaayuleena Vidya Praveena”  &  “Sangeetha Kala Sagara”  Sri Ivaturi Vijayeswara Rao, who is known for the traditional Gurukula system of teaching. She is the first person to introduce and perform the  “Shat kaala Pallavi”.  She is the first […]
Pt Pooran Maharaj (tabla) - Born in 1952 in one of India’s most respected and well-known families of great musicians of the Benaras heritage, Pt Pooran Maharaj is the son of late Padma Vibhushan Pt Kishan Maharaj. He took Tabla training from his grandfather, Pt Kanthe Maharaj, the legendary Tabla genius of his time and later, from his father. Receiving […]
Kumar Gaurav Kohli (Hindustani vocal) - Kumar Gaurav Kohli started receiving training at the age of seven from his grandfather Sangeet Acharya Sh. Jagdish Raj Kohli, who belonged to Gwalior Tradition of Khayal Gayaki. In 2002 he followed the suggestion of renowned vocalists Pt Rajan Sajan Mishra to learn from Pt Ganesh Prashad Sharma (Disciple of Pt Bhola Nath Bhatt of Allahabad and Ustad […]
Dr Indranil Chatterjee (sitar) - Dr. Indranil Chatterjee, a medical practitioner by profession, started learning Indian classical music at a very early age, initially under Pandit Ashit Bannerjee (of Dagar gharana) and later under Pandit Manilal Nag of Bishnupur gharana. Dr. Indranil Chatterjee has performed extensively in music festivals in India and abroad. He is a regular performer in Brisbane’s […]
Sri Rahim Zullah (harmonium) - Rahim Zullah was born in Suva, Fiji. He comes from a family of music lovers with its roots in Indian classical music and has 5 CDs to his credit – Fiji Ka Safar (A Fijian Journey) Vol. 1 & 2, Tum Ho, Multi Faith Songs, and Music Masala – a spicy blend of Brisbane’s musicians, […]
Sri Gopinath Kathiravelu (mridangam) - Gopinath Kathiravelu became involved with Miruthangham at the tender age of six. He began his initial training in miruthangham under the tutelage of Jazhpanam S. Thurairaja. He recently moved to Australia and is continuing his advanced training under the tutelage of Sri Sridhar Chari. He regularly featured in concerts across Jaffna and Colombo during his […]
Ku Janani Ganapathi (Bharat Natyam dance) - Since a tender age, Janani has shown immense interest in Indian Fine Arts and her favorite among them has always been Bharatanatyam. She has learnt to dance in different styles: Tanjore, Pandanallur and Vazhuvur respectively, which have helped her to learn the specialities in the particular styles and improve her knowledge and skills in dance. […]
Sri Adarshbir Singh (dilruba) - Adarshbir Singh started learning esraj (dilruba) in 2011 from the great esraj player Ustad Sandeep Singh (Punjab). Adarsh has learned vocal from Professor Prem Sagar ji of Benaras Gharana. Adarsh is currently living in Brisbane and doing his Masters of Business from QUT. He had a great interest in learning instrumental music since he was […]
Sri Maharshi Raval (tabla) - Maharshi is a promising tabla player from Benaras Gharana (school) living in Sydney. Maharshi is a student of Late Pt. Nandan Mehta who was a disciple of the legend of Benaras Gharana Late Pt. Shri Kishen Maharaj and has been learning for the last 25 years at Saptak School of Music in Ahmedabad. He has travelled extensively to various […]
Sri Joseph Abhay Nand (harmonium) - Joseph Abhay Nand is a stalwart participant in the Brisbane Indian classical community. Originally from Fiji, he learnt harmonium from Ustad Mohammed Hussein from Pakistan and Ustad Mehmood Dholpuri from India. He is also accomplished in both tabla and vocal. He learnt tabla from his elder brother Sri Viveka Nand, Ustad Mubarak Khan, Pt Surendra Bhatt and Ustad Hashmat Ali Khan, […]
Smt Usha Chivukula (vocal) - Usha Chivukula is a passionate promoter of the Indian traditional performing arts, and an experienced performer in dance, drama and music herself. She received training in Carnatic and Hindustani vocal music, and also in the veena, for many years in India, before going on to be selected as an All-India radio artist. More recently Usha […]
Sri Sridhar Chari (mridangam) - Sridhar Chari has been associated with the Australian music scene for over two decades. He has a rich musical background imbibed through his mother and furthered by many years of musical training when he took up the art of Mridangam playing. Today, he is a leading percussion player for Indian Classical music in Australia and has been performing the […]
Sri Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda (violin) - Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda had his initial training in music with Sri P.S.S.R Jagannatham and Sri N. C. Ramanujam. He had advanced training under eminent vidwan Sri Dwaram Satyanarayana Rao at Hyderabad. He is currently under advanced tutelage in vocal from Hyderabad Brothers and violin from Parur Sri M A Sundareswaran. He has a vast experience […]
Sri Shen Flindell (tabla) - Shen Flindell started learning tabla in Melbourne from Sri Debapriya Bhattacharya in 1994 and soon went to the holy city of Varanasi in India to study under Pt. Kaviraj Ashutosh (“Ashu Babu”) Bhattacharya, a great tabla master of the Benares Gharana. Shen is now mainly based in Brisbane, Australia, but typically spends several months of […]
Sri Murali Ramakrishnan (bansuri) - Murali Ramakrishnan is one of the senior Venu/Bansuri players in Australia. Murali learnt Karnatic (South Indian classical) music under the guidance of Sikkil Sisters Neela and Kunjumani. Murali had his training in Hindustani music from Pandit Krishnanand of Kirana Gharara. Murali draws inspiration from both music styles and creates soulful music that touches the heart. […]
Dr Mansey Kinarivala (Hindustani vocal) - Dr. Mansey Kinarivala has previously performed vocal solo at Sangeet Mela 2015, and in 2014 gave vocal accompaniment to Smt Darshana Hingu (Kathak Dance). In 2019 Mansey will be giving vocal accompaniment to Ku Saee Sane (Rising Star Award – Kathak dance). Dr. Mansey Kinarivala started learning classical vocal music at the age of 6, […]
Dr Helena Joshi (Padhant – Kathak dance) - Dr Helena Joshi has performed Kathak dance solo at Sangeet Mela twice: first as a Rising Star Award winner in 2014, then as a featured artist in 2015. Now in 2019 she returns to give Padhant (recitation of bols) for her student Ku Saee Sane (Rising Star Award – Kathak dance). Dr Helena Joshi is […]

RISING STARS

Sangeet Premi Rising Star Award 2015 Winners

Ku Roshini Sriram (Carnatic vocal) - Roshini as a child exhibited an ear for music. She used to accompany her mother Smt. Harini Sriram on Thyagarajah Aradhanas in Wellington from her tender age of 2. She learnt her first music lesson from her mother Harini at the age of 4. She showed complete knowledge and understanding of shruthi and layam from the beginning. She […]
Sri Manbir Singh (Hindustani vocal) - Manbir was first introduced to Gurmat Sangeet at a young age by his grandfather, Bhai Prem Singh, who taught him Keertan and enrolled him in Gandharv Mahavidyalaya at the age of 8 to learn Tabla (Indian percussion instrument) under Pt. Madhup Mudgal. Manbir later went on to study under Giani Gurdev Singh, whom he accompanied […]
Ku Mathuja Bavan (Bharat Natyam dance) - Mathuja began learning Bharatha Natyam since she was five and has worked hard at perfecting the art form over the past thirteen years. Her Arangetram on the 21st July 2012 in Brisbane was a memorable event for classical dance lovers, and was carried out under the guidance of Mathuja’s Guru, Smt. Manga Surendran, founder of the Eswaralaya Kalaikoodam. […]
Sri Arthavan Selvanathan (mridangam) - Arthavan Selvanathan started learning the mridangam at the age of nine from Sri Ananthakrishnan Kailash, affectionately called Madhu. He also received intensive training from Madhu’s Guru, Sri Sriranga Rajapuram Jayaraman, and his son, Sri J Ganesan, in Chennai, India, during his visits to India over the summer holidays for over 6 years. In April 2007, […]
Sri Sanjeyan Sivaananthan (tabla) - Sanjey Sivaananthan began studying tabla in 2007 under Sri Shen Flindell. He attends weekly classes and regular performs at various concerts, e.g. the Annual Ashu Babu Memorial Tabla School Concert and the Woodford Folk Festival. Furthermore, in tandem with weekly classes, Shen organises lessons with other musicians, which enables him to refine the art of accompaniment. Sanjey performs […]

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY (2015):

As part of Sangeet Mela’s mission to foster Indian classical culture in Brisbane, several young artists will be given the opportunity to perform at the festival and will receive a “Sangeet Premi Rising Star Award”. Each year one or two awards may be given in each of four categories (Vocal, Instrumental, Percussion and Dance), each in the two broad genres of Hindustani and Carnatic Sangeet.

Download the Rising Stars Application Form here. (Instructions on submitting your application are in the form.)

SANGEET PREMI RISING STAR AWARDS – CONDITIONS

  • Two genres – Hindustani, Carnatic
    Four categories – Vocal, Instrumental, Percussion, Dance.

  • Applications close 5pm Friday 31st July 11pm Sunday 2nd August, 2015. (Deadline delayed as a result of applicant request due to school week schedule.) Winners will be informed by Saturday 15th August, 2015.

  • Winners must be available to present 20 minutes performance (15 minutes for percussion) at Brisbane Sangeet Mela on Saturday 19th September at QLD Multicultural Centre, Kangaroo Point.

  • Open to applicants born after 19th September 1990 (under 25 years old on the date of Brisbane Sangeet Mela). Previous Sangeet Premi Rising Star Award winners are not eligible. It is expected that applicants will be capable of performing at a high standard approaching professional level. We do not recommend that young children apply unless they are unusually talented.

  • Judging committee may not give an award in some categories if the quality of applications is deemed insufficient. The award may also be granted to any individual deemed worthy by the judging committee, although they may not have officially applied.  In 2015 we hope to award 4-6 awards in the 8 overall categories. 

  • Past/planned study trips to India viewed favourably.

  • Applicants should submit the completed application form along with support material.

  • Compulsory support material – artist photo, biodata, and video file of applicant’s example performance.

  • Optional support material – press reviews, references from guru and/or other respected parties.

  • Winners may choose their own accompaniment for the concert, or have accompanists arranged by the Brisbane Sangeet Mela Organising Committee. Please note there is no budget for paying these performers.

It is hoped that these annual awards will encourage young students of Indian classical arts to pursue their practice diligently year by year, practise regularly with other musicians, give classical performances at community events, visit India for the purposes of taleem and riaz, and aim to present themselves as artists with attractive photos, biodata and video. In so doing we hope to foster the development of Indian classical music broadly in the community – those who do not win may benefit more in the long term than those who do!

Requirements for 20 minutes performance (15 mins for percussion)

HINDUSTANI:

  • Vocal – minimum 1 Chhota Khyal or Dhrupad bandish; other pieces may be classical or semi-classical.

  • Instrumental – performance of one raga including alap and 1 or 2 gats.

  • Percussion (15 mins) – tabla or pakhawaj lehera accompanied by naghma.

  • Dance – Classical Kathak or Odissi performance including one item for laya component and one item for abhinaya component.  May use live accompaniment or CD, but preparation of live accompaniment will be viewed favourably.

CARNATIC:

  • Vocal – 2-3 minute raga aalaap, rendition of a kriti, Niraval (2 rounds of slow tempo and 3 rounds of fast tempo and chauka kaalam, if capable) and Kalpana swaram. Optional Thillana to complete 20 minutes.

  • Instrumental – equivalent to Carnatic vocal repertoire above.

  • Percussion (15 mins) – Thani Avarthanam concluding with Farans, Mohora-Korvai and Theermanam

  • Dance – Classical Bharat Natyam, Kuchipudi or Mohiniyattam performance including one item for laya component and one item for abhinaya component.  May use live accompaniment or CD, but preparation of live accompaniment will be viewed favourably.

Video submitted in application should reflect these requirements.

Download the Rising Stars Application Form here.

For further information, please email awards@sangeetmela.org

Sangeet Mela 2015 Workshop

Learn the language of tabla, science of the sound of tabla and maths of tihai formats from one of the best tabla maestros of Banares School of Tabla.  Pt Pooran Maharaj will present a tabla workshop in Oxley on the day following Sangeet Mela 2015, Sunday 20 September.

SCHEDULE:

  • 9-10am: session 1 – young students
  • 10am-1230pm: session 2 – intermediate/advanced
  • 1230-130pm: lunch and chat
  • 130pm-4pm: session 3 – advanced

PRICES: Session 1 $30, Session 2 $50, Session 2+3 $80

BOOKINGS/DETAILS: Contact Shen on 0415106428 or shen@sangeetmela.org

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NEWS

Sangeet Mela video playlists (18/4/2017) - We’re very happy to announce that all the performance videos from Sangeet Mela 2016 are now available online on both our Facebook page and Youtube.  Here are the Youtube playlists for each of the past 3 Sangeet Melas:
Video: Sangeet Mela 2015 Highlights (23/1/2016) -
Sangeet Mela 2015 – A glorious celebration of Indian Classical Culture (15/10/2015) - Article published in Brisbane Indian Times October 2015 edition, though with a smaller selection of photos: September 19 saw Queensland Multicultural Centre hosting Sangeet Mela 2015, Australia’s premiere festival dedicated to both Hindustani and Carnatic classical music and dance. The event was a big success, with the packed venue rejoicing in the resonant tones of […]
Sangeet Mela 2015 promo images (20/8/2015) -
2015 Sangeet Premi Rising Star Award Winners announced (19/8/2015) - We are proud to announce the winners of the Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards for Sangeet Mela 2015: : VOCAL (Hindustani) – Sri Manbir Singh (Sydney) : VOCAL (Carnatic) – Ku Roshini Sriram : BHARAT NATYAM DANCE – Ku Mathuja Bavan : MRIDANGAM – Sri Arthavan Selvanathan : TABLA – Sri Sanjey Sivaananthan They will […]
Book your earlybird tickets for Sangeet Mela 2015 now! (16/7/2015) - Sangeet Mela 2015, Brisbane’s premiere Indian Classical event, will be held 2pm-10pm Saturday 19th September at QLD Multicultural Centre, 102 Main St, Kangaroo Point. Please book now to avoid disappointment. Earlybird tickets at the concession price are available only until 31st July, and Gold and Silver reserved tickets are selling fast too. The evening programme alone is […]
Sangeet Mela 2015 Lineup Announced (17/6/2015) - Sangeet Premi Club are very proud to announce our headline acts for Sangeet Mela 2015, to be held on Saturday 19th September at QLD Multicultural Centre, 102 Main St, Kangaroo Point. Smt Manda Sudharani (Visakhapatnam) is an “A-Top” grade Carnatic Vocalist renowned for popularizing the format of ‘Pallavi Singing’ since the early 1980s. Pt Pooran Maharaj (Varanasi) […]
Support Sangeet Mela 2015 (12/5/2015) - Sangeet Premi Club in conjunction with EthnoSuperLounge are presenting Sangeet Mela 2015, Indian Classical Music and Dance Festival on Saturday 19th September at QLD Multicultural Centre, Kangaroo Point, and seeking sponsors and supporting organisations to enable us to promote Indian classical culture in Brisbane through this magnificent event. Please keep Sep 19 free in your […]
Call for Young Indian Classical Artists for Sangeet Mela 2015 (13/4/2015) - 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 […]