A group of young men and women are putting together a cultural programme that promises to not only explore and expose varied talents but also present a fusion of music and dance that would highlight the variety of colours, costumes and melody of India.
‘Idhayam’ (meaning Heart), a Wellington based Band, will present the programme titled, ‘Ilamai’ (Youth) at the Expressions Art Centre, located at 836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt at 7 pm on Friday, August 22 and Saturday, August 23.
Fusion of Talent
Master of Ceremonies Yasodha Narayanan said that ‘Ilamai’ is a joint venture with Jaymesh Master, a visual artist and Ratna Venkat, a classical dancer, based respectively in Wellington and Auckland.
Among the musicians are Anantha Narayanan (Alto Saxophone, Percussion), Benjamin Stegmann (Flute), Blain Fitzpatrick (Bass Guitar), Dexter Stanley-Tauvao (Drum Kit), Fraser Walker (Keyboard), Ikram Singh (Tabla), Mahathi Balajee (Violin, Vocal), Nithya Gautamananda (Kanjira) and Sam Smith-Nakamura (Guitar).
Danesh Silvam, another youngster from the Capital has designed the sets and created the digital effects.
Art Exhibition
The works of Jaymesh will be on display at the venue as guests gather for a short refreshment and beverage before the commencement of the Programme.
Yasodha said that Jaymesh is inspired by myths, the people of New Zealand and the unity that he observes among the rich and diverse cultures from all over the world.
“In his Exhibition under the theme, ‘Passport: A walk through Asia,’ Jaymesh directs the viewer to feel the experience of the people, memories that have shaped him and his connection with his homeland and heritage. His vision with this exhibition is to help build awareness, respect, and friendship between cultures,” she said.
Seasoned performer
Describing Ratna as a professional Classical Dancer, trained in the South Indian styles of Bharata Natyam and Kuchipudi, Yasodha said that she has performed at a variety of events including ‘Tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary’ at the residence of the Governor-General in Auckland (2008), Asia-Pacific Culture Day in Taipei (Taiwan, 2013), Diwali in (New Zealand) Parliament (2013) and the annual Mother Teresa Interfaith Meeting (Auckland, 2013).
“Ratna said that she is looking forward to collaborating with ‘Idhayam,’ using her traditional art forms to express her journey and integration into the New Zealand society, blending her Indian heritage with Western upbringing,” Yasodha said.
Collective effort
Established last year as a Carnatic Fusion Collective, ‘Idhayam’ is a collaboration of young people playing Carnatic and Hindustani music with a contemporary twist.
“Classical and traditional songs are fused with a variety of genres including jazz and funk to bring a new and distinct brand of New Zealand music. The musicians come from a variety of musical and cultural backgrounds, including South Indian and Punjabi communities and the New Zealand School of Music (NZSM),” Yasodha said.
“The Group has a number of successful performances to its credit, including Diwali in (New Zealand) Parliament (2013), NZSM Concert alongside Concert Pianist Ludwig Treviranus (2013) and the Upper Hutt Festival of Cultures as part of Pataka Museum’s Winter Concert Series (2014),” she added.
| What: ‘Ilamai,’ Youngsters in Concert
Who: ‘Idhayam’ a collaborative Group Where: Expressions Art Centre, 836 Fergusson Drive, Upper Hutt When: August 22 & 23 at 7 pm Tickets: $20 (Adults), $15 (Children, Students and Seniors)
$60 (Family of two adults and two children) Contact: Phone (04) 5272168; Website: www.expressions.org.nz Yasodha 021-1320118; Email: yasodha.narayanan@gmail.com
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