SAA-uk invite you to experience the sounds of Indian classical music that is the outcome of the very best training in Yorkshire. There will be a chance to savour performances on the santoor, an ancient string instrument native to Jammu and Kashmir with origins in Persia; the sitar, popularised by Ravi Shankar and The Beatles; and the sarod, a lute-like stringed instrument.
The show will also feature Leeds’ popular tabla player Sri Bhupinder Singh Chaggar, one of the leading disciples of the renowned tabla maestro and Gharanadar of the Benares gharana. This is a style of Indian tabla playing that goes back to Pandit Ram Sahai Ji, of whom Bhupinder is a direct descendant.
As well as playing with Guru Ji before a near full house in the Purcell Room at London’s South Bank Centre, he has also played cross-culturally with many different styles of music including flamenco guitarist Eduardo Neibla, Portuguese percussion maestro Rui Junior, Jocelyn Brown, Black Star Liner and hip-hop/drum ’n’ bass DJs. Bhupinder will duet with Arnab Chakrabarty, a virtuoso of the sarode, representing the Seniya-Shahjahanpur gharana.
I met SAA-uk’s Chief Executive Keranjeet Kaur Virdee over some rather refreshing Earl Grey tea on a blazing hot day at Leeds’ Wardrobe to discuss the show. Her emphasis is the passing on of the aural traditions of South Asian classical music and the importance of combining absolute beginners with musicians of an incredibly high level of attainment to show the breadth, depth and diversity of the SAA-uk learning programme.
She also, with considered sagacity, advises the audience, whether they be afficianados of the genre or complete newcomers, to approach the event with an open mind, a quest for knowledge and a sense of wonder. And explains such on-stage etiquette of kissing the maestro’s feet before performing in front of them as acknowledgement of how the attainment of musicianship on the passing down of tradition rather than anything more egotistical or self-interested.
Her enthusiasm is quite infectious, I simply can’t wait to see what will be three generations of musicians on stage, brought together by the concept of Virsa, to enlighten us all and demonstrate the importance of SAA-uk’s vision for creativity and self-development on all levels and for all ages.
The Virsa Festival takes place on the 25th July 2014, 7-10pm at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds