North Indian Sarod & Tabla Recital

Soumik Datta

Trained by the legendary Sarod maestro Pandit

Buddhadev Das Gupta, the young Soumik Datta
plays his Sarod with an elegant, poignant style
of his own.

Having authored three albums, he is recognised as a major young British talent within the Indian classical music world. His solo performances and collaborations have led to him winning several awards both in India and in the UK. He has also collaborated and toured with Talvin Singh, Beyonce, Shankar Mahadevan, Bill Bailey and has his own world fusion band 'Samay' . Presently completing a Masters in Composition at Trinity College of Music, he is working towards connecting the improvisational aspects of Indian classical music with elements of orchestra, electronica and film.

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

CHINESE GUZENG RECITAL

SUN ZHOU

Sun Zhuo, a professional guzheng player, holds BMus and Mmus degrees in Zheng performance from the Central Conservatory of Music, Beijing and is now a PhD candidate in Ethnomusicology at SOAS, University of London, researching guzheng music. Born in Xi'an, China, Zhuo learned the zheng as a child from her mother Qu Yun, a well-known representative player of the Qinzheng style (Northwest China). She is actively involved in contemporary music performancesin the UK and has published several CD and VCD albums of zheng music.

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

A JAPANESE KOTO WORKSHOP CONCERT – AN INTRODUCTION TO KOTO MUSIC: ITS HISTORY, TECHNIQUES AND CHARACTERISTICS

DR AYAKO HOTTA-LISTER

Dr Ayako Hotta-Lister learnt the koto in her childhood, and later sangen under Tokue Nonaka & others of the Miyagi School of Koto, and passed the prestigious examination ( Kyoshi-Shiken ) to be fully qualified as a teacher for the both instruments. She has been teaching performing, giving lecture/workshop concerts in Japan, Britain, Hong Kong.

Dr. Hotta-Lister will introduce the koto instrument and a brief history with visual aid. There will be demonstration on both the traditional and contemporary koto composition. She will also demonstrate its singing, with audience participation. There will be a rare opportunity for audiences to try the koto .

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

UNDERSTANDING KUNQU OPERA - TALK AND DEMONSTRATION

KATHY HALL

Following Kathy's inspiring talk-demonstration on Beijing Opera last October, she returns to the AMC to unravel the mysteries of Kunqu (Kunqju), which the Chinese call ‘the mother of opera‘ from a practitioner's perspective. She will explain the essentials of this refined art, and demonstrate the use of voice and the movements with fan, sash and watersleeves. Audience participation will be invited. In 2005 Kathy was supported by a Churchill Travelling Fellowship to study the role of the guimendan (‘refined young lady') under Wang Fengmei of the Zhejiang Kunju Opera Troupe. Last December, an Arts Council England (London) grant enabled her to study the role of the zhengdan ('first dan') with Liang Guyin of the Shanghai Kunju Opera Troupe. Kathy has performed extensively, including at the Venice Biennale Theatre Carnival in 2006 as well as UK-wide.

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

Persian Santour Recital

Farshad Mohammadi (santoor)

Mohammadi began studying the santoor from an early age. His principle teachers were Parviz Meshkatian and Pashang Kamkar. He has worked on projects such as Sufi Trance , a film by Christine Taylor for BBC Prime (winner of the best short film in Chicago International Film Festival, nominated for the best sound effects for the Edinburgh Festival). He has also performed as a soloist in Europe, and Iran as well as many international festivals. Farshad is a research associate of Ethnomusicology and performance for the Faculty of Music at SOAS (University of London).

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk
• £3

Explaining the Jaipur Gharana- Talk and Demonstration

Mohammed Sayeed Khan is a distinguished classical singer, who, with his brother Mohammed Rashid, became known as Khan Bandhu during the 60's and 70's. Sons of a very great sarangi player, Ustad Abdul Majid Khan, Mohammed Sayeed gives the texts for many compositions of North Indian classical music. In this evening, he will discuss and sing some of the compositions of the Jaipur Gharana, made famous by Ustad Allahdiya Khan and Kesarbai Kerkar. There will be a vocal recital in the Khyal style, and also compositions from his book: Sangeet Ke Jawaharat

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk
• £3

Huong Thanh – Traditional Vietnamese Music Workshop

Its geographic location has enabled Vietnam to absorb some of the richness of the musical traditions of neighbouring countries such as India and China

Vietnamese sing to express suffering, sorrow…. Vietnamese sing in the pagoda to pray, in the temple to the spirits, in the rice fields to relieve pain….

Huong Thanh is the great female interpreter of traditional Vietnamese music. The artists have spent their life far from their country, and their music expresses their longing to return. They offer, through the crystalline voice of Huong Thanh, an interpretation of this music bringing out the diversity of the regional flavours and style from all across Vietnam.

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk
• £3

Tarun Jasani's series of student concerts

Indian Music Recital
1st Half - Khyal

Poonam Panesar - Vocal
Manjeet Rasiya - Tabla
Tofail Ahmed - Harmonium

2nd Half - Tabla Duet

Resham Singh Lall - Tabla
Janan Sathiendran - Tabla
Anoop Singh – Dilruba

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

A Touch of Class: Khyal Workshop
Piu Sarkhel (vocal) with Akbar and Babar Latif Khan on tabla

Piu is a rising star singing in the style of the Indore gharana, established by the great legend of Indian classical music the late Ustad Amir Khan. Piu has a wonderful vocal technique as well as lovely voice – allowing her to sing stunning fast tans with a command over sargam and taal.

Tabla players, Akbar and Babar, are the highly talented sons of the great master of the Delhi Gharana of tabla, the late Ustad Latif Ahmed Khan.

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk
• £3

Korean Kayagum Recital
Ji-Eun Jung

Ji- Eun Jung holds a BA in Korean Traditional Music from Ewha Women's University and MA in Asian Religious Music from Dong Gook University .She is also a Chairwoman of Department of Traditional Instrumental Music of Gyounggi province. Ji-Eun is also a member of the Madangnory Mitchoo Korean traditional Orchestra. She gave numerous concerts in Korea, Canada, US and UK. She will introduce the Kayagum, Korean traditional string instrument in this first event of the Strings of Asia series.

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk
• £3

Talk and Demonstration Japanese Koto
Dr Ayako Hotta- Lister

Dr Ayako Hotta-Lister learnt the koto in her childhood, and later the sangen under Tokue Nonaka & others of the Miyagi School of Koto, and passed the prestigious examination (Kyoshi-Shiken) to be fully qualified as a teacher for the both instruments. She has been teaching performing, giving lecture/workshop concerts in Japan, Britain, Hong Kong. In this talk on a traditional Japanese musical instrument called the koto, which has been around since the 8th century, Dr Hotta -Lister will give an introduction to the instrument, its history, music, music scores and techniques. She will also demonstrate a variety of pieces from the 17th century to modern, including the classic pieces accompanied by poem singing.

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk
• £3

Chinese Guzheng Talk and Demonstration

Details to be confirmed

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk
• £3

Afghan Rubab & Tabla Course
John Baily & Yusuf Mahmoud

The rubab, a short-necked double-chambered plucked lute with sympathetic strings, is considered to be the national instrument of Afghanistan.

John Baily started playing the rubab in 1973 as the student of the famous Ustad Mohammad Omar. John Baily is Emeritus Professor of Ethnomusicology at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Yusuf Mahmoud is from a celebrated family of Kabuli musicians and a descendant of that early court musician Gamu Khan. Yusuf has performed in many parts of the world, accompanying Indian and Afghan musicians, and also khatak dancers.

This is an excellent opportunity for rubab and tabla players to improve their skills and to receive some direct teaching of performance techniques and repertoire. Each week, the participants will deal with compositions in a different melodic mode (rag , or maqam).

The master classes are not intended for absolute beginners, and students need to have their own instruments. Rubabs should be tuned to D.

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

Indian Music Winter School
Purnima Chaudhuri, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Pt.Suresh Talwalkar

Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, described as ‘the musicians' musician' by the Indian Financial Express, is a noted resident guru at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy and has nurtured many students of high calibre.

Purnima Chaudhuri is considered today as one of the finest exponents of the beautiful art of thumri and a fine teacher.

Pt. Suresh Talwalkar believes that the “Guru Shishya Parampara” (the passing down of knowledge through successive generations) is the soul of Indian classical music and he is an ardent follower of the same principle. As a guru, his teaching abilities and expertise are unmatched. He counts among his disciples, some of the best tabla players of the new generation.

Beginners attending the Winter School will have the benefit of being with great exponents of their art, while more advanced students will gain substantially from such a rarely available opportunity.

The Winter School will be held at the Asian Music Centre and at the adjacent Tech Music Schools, the two leading institutions in West London dedicated to the art of musical teaching!

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

Workshop on the music of Azerbaijan

The art of a shig is an ancient bardic tradition that belongs mostly to the old Turkic world. An ashig is a poet, composer, singer, musical performer and occasionally dancer who beats on the strings of the saz and improvises serenades and ballads. Mugham refers to both a melodic style and to a genre of traditional music.

• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

Tibetan Workshop with the Monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery (India)

An opportunity to meet the Buddhist monks from Tashi Lhunpo Monastery. Gain an insight into Tibetan monastic life: the robes, the music and the use of the system of dialectical debate; the mudras (hand gestures) used within the tantric tradition of ritual prayer and the magnificent costumes and dance in the Gyutor Festival at the Tibetan New Year.

• £3
• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

Tibetan Mountains Songs with Soname

Born in the Tibetan countryside, Soname moved to England where she has been developing a singing career and brought to European audiences the traditional music from her distant homeland. Her songs reflect different styles including both powerful mountain songs, and songs with a spiritual influence. Soname's voice is awesomely powerful with a haunting passion that reflects the joy and beauty of the Tibetan landscape.

• £3
• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

Strings of Asia Series Okinawan Court Music from Japan with Shinjin Kise

The Sanshin (literally meaning Three strings) is an Okinawan musical instrument and precursor of the Japanese Shamisen. Its close resemblance in both appearance and name to the Chinese Sanxian suggests its Chinese origins. Shinjin Kise is one of the foremost Okinawan classical Sanshin musicians and former professor at the Okinawan Arts University. He is also the President of the Restoration of the Uzagaku 7 Music and of the Royal Court of Ryukyu Arts Association, as well as a member of the Council of the Association of Traditional Arts of Okinawa.

• £3
• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

Beijing Opera Demonstration and Workshop with Qin Liang

Professional Beijing Opera actor, Qin Liang, will introduce Beijing Opera history, role types, painted-faces, costumes, voice, movements, and show a short video. She will demonstrate movements and voice in part costume with a 15-meter long ribbon. The audience will be invited to join in basic movements and singing at the end.

Qin Liang graduated in Daomadan (military Lady's role) from the Performance Department of the National Academy of Chinese Opera, Beijing, in 1999. She graduated in 2002 from the Music Education Department of the Wuhan Conservatory of Music, majoring in Dance, after which she worked as a teaching assistant for the Hubei University of Technology for three years.

• £3
• Venue: Asian Music Centre
• Contact: AMC Education Team 020 8749 9584 or info@amc.org.uk

Spring School

Ronu Majumdar will give bansuri flute classes on Sunday afternoon, February 7 from 2.00pm to 6.00pm at the Asian Music Centre, 1-2 Bradford Rd, Acton, W3 7SP. Additional classes can be arranged upon request on February 9, 11 and 12 from 6.00pm to 8.00pm. For more information contact the Education Team: Jasel@amc.org.uk

India's Ace Flautist, Ronu Majumdar needs no introduction to music lovers all over the globe. By virtue of his phenomenal talent, he and the Bansuri are literally synonymous. Ranendranath Majumdar, popularly known as Ronu Majumdar is a force to reckon with in the realm of Indian classical music both as a thinking musician and scintillating performer. Ronu Majumdar began playing the flute under the guidance of his father Dr. Bhanu Majumdar, late Pt. Lakshman Prasad Jaipurwale and finally the revered Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao. He was also fortunate to receive training from his grand guru Pt. Ravi Shankar. A powerhouse performer, Ronu Majumdar is firmly rooted in the Maihar gharana which has also given shape to sturdy musical oaks like Pt. Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.

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