Indian Music & Dance

Autumn Season 2011London

Sunday 30th October 2011 @ 7:45pm

The KathakarPandit Birju Maharaj in performanceVenue— Purcell Room, Southbank Centre

This seasons dance highlights

Friday 18th November 2011 @ 8pm

NirmanikaThe Beauty of ArchitectureVenue— Bharatya Vidya Bhavan

Welcome to an Amazing Autumn season!Are you looking for an evening out that is different, exciting and memorable as at the same time?

Then look no further than our autumn programme! Come and join us and you will realise why spending an evening in the company of Milapfest is an occasion that is unique and memorable!

The season kicks off with Rhythm Yatra, an evening of scintillating drum beats displaying the intricate and musical rhythm patterns found in Indian music. Expect drama and excitement from this ensemble of internationally renowned percussion musicians.

October heralds a unique brand new musical concept uniting the deeply melodious Carnatic Veena with the rich sounds of a grand piano, in the company of two master musicians, Dr Jayanthi Kumaresh and Anil Srinivasan.

The month also sees an exciting collaboration between Milapfest & Sujuata Banerjee Dance Company. Legendary Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj fondly known as the father of Kathak, gives a rare performance accompanied by live music. November arrives with NIRMANIKA. This is a brand new Milapfest commission in partnership with the highly acclaimed Singapore dance company, APSARAS, and features six brilliant British dancers as well. New choreography and new music will combine to enthral your senses.

The first of December’s performances features the classic combination of Sitar and Tabla with two internationally acclaimed artists, and great friends of Milapfest, Gaurav Mazumdar and Kousic Sen.

To close the season, the latest Indian/Western supergroup Svara-Kanti perform Bollywood songs and evocative folk music, all reinterpreted with Western classical and jazz influences to create powerful and inspiring new sound. Described as “music of sinuous beauty” by The Scotsman, this is stunning end to an amazing autumn season!

Come join us in ‘Uniting Hearts through Arts!’

The Milapfest Team

Jayanthi Kumaresh Veena& Anil Srinivasan Piano

Rhythm Yatra

Saturday 29th October 2011 @ 7:45pmVenue— Purcell Room, Southbank CentreTickets— £15/ limited 50% concession available

Thursday 29th September 2011 @ 7:45pmVenue— Purcell Room, Southbank CentreTickets— £15/ limited 50% concession available

Indian music lovers are in for a treat with a confluence of two beautifully soft and melodic instruments, the veena and piano, as they are played together for the very first time in this special concert. The veena, an ancient stringed instrument from south India is loved for its sweet resonating sound. India’s foremost Veena player, Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh comes together with Anil Srinivasan, a musician pushing the boundaries of Indian classical music with the piano, creating a totally new sound for Carnatic music. Conceived and created by Milapfest in association with the artists, this never before heard combination, will excite and inspire listeners, and throw open the doors of opportunity for the future collaboration of eastern and western instruments.

“The best and most versatile Veena artiste we have today”. The Statesman

Anil Srinivasan & Jayanthi Kumaresh will also be performing in Liverpool and Manchester.For more information call 0151 291 3949.

The most flamboyant side of Indian Classical Music is often found in its scintillating drum beats. Displaying intricate and musical rhythm patterns, six internationally renowned artists come together to present a unique sound harnessing the power of percussion instruments from India and the West.

Prathap and Prakash are two brothers who are specialists in the field of the South Indian ghatam and the mridangam, two of India’s most traditional and popular instruments. They will be joined by the internationally renowned Kousic Sen on tabla, Benham on tonbak, a single-headed goblet drum, Bernhard Tallis on western drums and percussion and Chidambram on moorsing, to create this exciting percussion ensemble.

This programme was collaboratively created by the artists with Milapfest.

Sunday 30th October 2011 @ 7:45pmVenue— Purcell Room, Southbank CentreTickets— £25/ £20/ £17 limited 50% concession available

The KathakarPandit Birju Maharaj in performance

Milapfest & Sujuata Banerjee Dance Company are delighted to present a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the legendary Kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj in action with accompanying Live Music. The performance is complemented by a fascinating documentary that explores the life of this great artist. Quite simply, the dance event of the year in London.

Birju Maharaj, affectionately known as the father of Kathak, is recognised as having given a new dimension to Kathak by experimenting this technique with dance drama. He is currently the leading exponent of the Lucknow gharana of Kathak dance in India, and is a descendant of the legendary Maharaj family of Kathak dancers. He has toured extensively across the globe, given thousands of performances and held hundreds of workshops for Kathak students.

“One of the greatest Kathak dancers, as well as a creative genius”. Pt Ravi Shankar

Friday 18th November 2011 @ 8pmVenue— Bharatya Vidya BhavanTickets— £10/ £8 concessions

NirmanikaThe Beauty of Architecture

Architecture and dance have more in common than many of us think; both manipulate space, both create sculpted forms. Architecture and dance come together in a dynamic way with Nirmanika, a new dance production whose name means “architectonics” in Sanskrit. Specifically, Nirmanika explores various aspects of Indian temple architecture through the medium of Bharathanatyam dance. Through Bharatanatyam’s unique movements and expression, Nirmanika touches on concepts of geometry, space, structure, form, philosophy, history and more in five unique and beautifully choreographed dance pieces.

This exciting international collaboration between Milapfest, Esplanade Theatre, and Apsaras Arts, features twelve dancers from the UK and Singapore and will tour both countries in November 2011

Nirmanika will also be performed at The Esplanade Theatre in Singapore, and The Capstone Theatre in Liverpool. For more information call 0151 291 3949.

Thursday 8th December 2011 @ 7:45pmVenue— Purcell Room, Southbank CentreTickets— £12 / limited 50% concession available

Svara-Kanti

Svara-Kanti is the latest Indian/Western supergroup from visionary guitar virtuoso Simon Thacker. Four leading performers of Indian and Western music come together to present dazzling Indian classical traditions, Bollywood songs (including by Slumdog Millionaire Oscar winner AR Rahman) and evocative folk music, all reinterpreted with Western classical and jazz influences to create powerful and inspiring new sounds.

Svara-Kanti features award winning guitarist Simon Thacker, tabla maestro Sarvar Sabri, who has a musical lineage stretching back ten generations to the Royal Court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, Carnatic violinist Dr Jyotsna Srikanth, who has recorded over 200 Bollywood film soundtracks and is also a London Trinity College of Music Fellow, and the beautiful voice of Japjit Kaur.

“An exuberant virtuoso display”said The Guardian

Saturday 3rd December 2011 @ 7:45pmVenue— Purcell Room, Southbank CentreTickets— £12 / limited 50% concession available

Gaurav Mazumdar Sitar& Kousic Sen Tabla

The classic combination of Sitar and Tabla is beautifully demonstrated by two of India’s best musicians. Gaurav Mazumdar is a versatile performer and composer, originally discovered, inspired and tutored by Pandit Ravi Shankar to become the highly acclaimed and popular musician he is today. Gaurav is accompanied by charismatic Tabla maestro Kousic Sen, who provides the perfect foil for the Sitar.

“Gaurav Mazumdar, a sitarist without parallel among the scores of the new generation musicians”. Neighbourhood Flash, New Delhi

“The lively and spellbinding accompaniment of Kousic Sen strikes again and thrills the audience”. Anandabazar Patrika

Part of the Music for the Mind and Soul Series Part of the Music for the Mind and Soul Series

Get Involved!

You can help support our work and directly impact on people’s lives by joining our KALANIDHI programme. Please contact Milapfest on 0151 291 3949 for more information.

Samyo and Tarang offer inspirational performance opportunities and training for aspiring young musicians playing Indian music in the UK.For more information and an application pack please email samyotarang@milapfest.com or call 0151 291 3949

Auditions in London Autumn 2011

Kalanidhi Programme

Inspirational Performances, Connecting Communities, Transforming Lives.

tarang

Uniting Hearts through Arts

For further information please contact Tel 0151 291 3949Email info@milapfest.com

Milapfest is Britain’s premier Indian Arts Development Trust commissioning and touring high quality arts events thoughout the year. Look out for exciting events in your area - visit our website — www.milapfest.com

Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 4a Castletown Road,West Kensington, London W14 9HETel 02073 860 924 / 07775 578 552Web www.vanifinearts.net

Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XXTel 0844 847 9910Email customer@southbankcentre.co.ukWeb www.southbankcentre.co.uk

Programmes are produced in association with Vani Fine Arts.

‘Art washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life’Pablo Picasso

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