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Ensemble carries music from Delhi to Instanbul to Greencastle
Operating under the Sanskrit phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning, “the world is one family,” a multi-national ensemble will bring the music of various cultures to Greencastle on April 7 and 8.
Sandeep Das, Rajib Karmakar and the HUM Ensemble will present “Delhi to Istanbul” during a visit to DePauw University.
For centuries, the human spirit has been transcending literal and figurative borders to survive and thrive. Inspired by the confluence of cultures this brings, “Delhi to Istanbul” is a celebration of the shared history between India and Turkey.
Conceptualized as a journey between these two megaliths of the ancient world, the repertoire features an exciting collection of new compositions and arrangements drawing on elements of both cultural traditions. From Indian taal (rhythm cycles), Ragas and folk songs to Turkish makam and poetry, its transcendental music, at times foreign and others familiar, engages differences only to overcome them and takes listeners on a journey of new beginnings, poetry, faith, romantic yearning and divinity.
“Delhi to Istanbul” is the third initiative under the canopy of Das’ larger project, “Transcending Borders One Note at a Time,” which aims to harness the transformative power of music to inspire positive social change.
At 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 7, Das and Karmakar will present “The Raga Road to Bollywood” at Music on the Square, a performance that includes a free Indian dessert and tea.
Then at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 8, Das and the HUM Ensemble will present the “Delhi to Istanbul”Concert at Kresge Auditorium in the Green Center for the performing arts.
Tickets available at depauw.edu/greencenter
Hailed by The Sydney Morning Herald as a “creator of myths with Houdini-like skills,” Sandeep Das is one of the leading Indian Tabla virtuosos in the world today. Debuting at the age of 17 with legendary sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, he went on to establish a prolific international career that now spans more than three decades. He has collaborated with top musicians and ensembles from across the globe such as Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, with whom he has performed for the past 21 years, as well as Paquito D’Rivera, Bobby McFarin, and iconic orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony and Chicago Symphony, among others.
A Grammy-winning musician and Guggenheim Fellow, Das’ original compositions have been performed in more than 50 countries at venues like China’s Forbidden City Concert Hall, Australia’s Sydney Opera House and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
Das is the founder of Harmony and Universality through Music (HUM), a nonprofit organization in India that has promoted global understanding through music performance and provided learning opportunities and scholarships for visually-impaired children with artistic potential since 2009. In 2015, he established Das Tabla School, where he currently trains musicians from 6+ countries both online and in-person in Boston, MA. To learn more about him, please visit www.sandeepdas.com.
Tamer Pinarbasi is one of the most prominent kanun (zither) players in the world. Born in Turkey, he began his kanun lessons at the age of 10 and three years later started recording albums with top Turkish artists. At the age of 17, he began touring Europe, and after many performances throughout the world, he moved to the United States, where he branched out to explore jazz, funk, flamenco, Western classical and contemporary music styles with groups such as the New York Gypsy All-Stars and the Secret Trio.
Rajib Karmakar (sitar) is a Los Angeles-based performing artist, composer and educator who combines tradition with innovation to create new forms of musical expression. He received his musical training in sitar from Pt. Durgadas Karmakar and Pt. Ramdas Chakravarty and in vocals from Ustad Ghulam Akbar Khan. Drawing from this deep grounding in Indian classical music, Karmakar’s projects involve performances across the globe and work with studios such as Sony, Warner Brothers, Dreamworks, and Disney. He is the founder and current director of the Los Angeles International Music and Arts Academy.
A multifaceted artist, Jay Gandhi’s (bansuri) music is a reflection of an eclectic array of musical influences and many years of training under the inimitable legend of the bansuri, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia. He is an international performer, educator and a founding member of the Brooklyn Raga Massive, a groundbreaking NYC musicians collective. Gandhi was immersed in Hindustani classical music since his childhood, and through the years he has been fortunate to perform with many renowned artists from India and beyond, such as Ravi Coltrane, Reggie Workman, Jeff “Tain” Watts and Pharaoh Sanders.