Major new 2012 programme announcement coming soon, four
commissions by some of the world's greatest composers on an
extensive UK tour
Svara-Kanti is a new
Indian/Western group that builds on the achievements of the
acclaimed Nava Rasa
Ensemble project to bring together virtuoso Indian and
Western musicians to combine two of the world's greatest and
most diverse musical cultures, creating powerful and
inspiring new music. Svara-Kanti merges dazzling
Indian classical traditions, evocative ancient Indian
folk music and the finest film songs (from the Golden Age to
Oscar winner AR Rahman) with
Western classical and jazz sounds.
Featuring visionary guitar
virtuoso
Simon Thacker, the beautiful voice of Japjit Kaur, Carnatic
(South Indian) violinist Jyotsna Srikanth, who has recorded
over 200 Bollywood soundtracks and is a Trinity College of
Music Fellow, and internationally renowned tabla player
Sarvar Sabri, who has a musical lineage stretching back ten
generations to the Royal Court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar,
Svara-Kanti combine their traditions
to create new sounds and expression delivered with depth and
virtuoso technique.
Svara-Kanti's current
programme features music by legendary sitarist and composer
Ravi Shankar, a mystical sixteenth century Rajput Princess,
Zakir Hussain and John McLaughlin from their seminal Shakti
collaboration, Bollywood's foremost songwriter (Slumdog
Millionaire Oscar winner) AR Rahman, a hauntingly reimagined
folk song by the legendary "Nightingale of Punjab" Surinder
Kaur, a beautiful love song by Asa Singh Mustana and a fiery
flamenco inspired Indian/Spanish gypsy showpiece. Major new
commissions for 2012 will be announced soon.
Japjit Kaurwas born in north India surrounded by classical and
Bollywood music and dance. She first studied Indian
classical music in Haryana at the age of 10 and was awarded
a first class division as well as a distinction by the
Pracheen Kala Kendra. Since moving to London she has
performed extensively and written in various Indian
languages and styles, including Bollywood, Bhangra and
Indian classical. In 2004 Japjit worked with Flatline Team
in collaboration with Motion Pictures on a project called 'Dilruba'
as a singer-songwriter and an actress. This was also short
listed for the LA short film festival. In late 2005 Japjit
was appointed as a weekend prime time radio presenter by
Panjab Radio and went on to study Hindustani vocals further
at the Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan Institute with Smt. Chandrima
Misra followed by tuition from Pandit Chiranjib Chakraborty.
She has also been studying Qawalli and Sufi music from Ustad
Ameer Khan Sahib. Since 2006 she has been working
extensively with renowned composer Niraj Chag and was
Musical Director and vocal coach for the Royal National
Theatre production of Rafta Rafta.
Dr. Jyotsna Srikanth
learnt the rudiments of the classical Carnatic music of
southern India from her mother from the age of three and
gave her first recital when she was just nine. Although she
has a profound respect for her heritage and performs in the
classical Carnatic style with an impressive combination of
emotional expression and masterful technique, she refuses to
be bound by tradition. She is also an accomplished Western
classical violinist and Jyotsna has played violin for over
200 commercial Indian films and has released many albums
internationally. She has received many national and
international awards and was recently conferred a
Fellowship in Carnatic Music from Trinity College of Music,
London.
Her many notable performances include:
Queen Elizabeth Hall; WOMAD; BBC Radio 3; Red Violin
Festival (Wales); Cleveland Music Festival; World Trade
Auditorium (Singapore); East-West International Music
Encounter (Bangalore).
Sarvar Sabriis an internationally renowned tabla
player/composer whose versatility and passion for the rich
diversity of the world's musical traditions has spurred him
to constantly experiment with other world-class musicians
and composers, and to extend the boundaries of his own
classical form.
Sabri is proficient not only as a soloist
but also works with many Indian classical vocalists,
instrumentalists and Kathak dancers. He regularly
participates in major music festivals held in India. He
makes regular appearances at the South Bank, London and has
also performed for the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 including the
South Bank Show. As a soloist, he has worked with the BCMG
in collaboration with composer Judith Weir, Bournemouth
Sinfonietta, East of England Orchestra and Sinfonia Baltica.
In 2006, he appeared with CBSO and in March 2007, he worked
with Viva Sinfonia (Derby). Sabri’s work can be heard on
numerous CDs playing with some of the world’s finest
musicians.
"an exuberant virtuoso display"
The Guardian "featured marvellous interaction between Thacker and
Srikanth and culminated in strikingly intricate, powerful
unison playing from all involved"
Glasgow Herald
