Daryll Garcia
Auckland, June 26, 2024
Triveni is a unique music concert featuring globally renowned Zakir Hussain, Kala Ramnath, and Jayanthi Kumaresh organised by Society for Performing Arts, NZ (SPANZ). The event will be held at Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre, Auckland on June 29, 2024 from 6:30 pm to 8:30pm. Tickets for the Auckland concert can be purchased here.
Zakir Hussain
Zakir Hussain, the leading classical Tabla virtuoso of our time, is celebrated in both the percussion field and the global music world as an international phenomenon and one of the most esteemed and influential musicians. As the foremost disciple of his father, the legendary Ustad Allarakha, Zakir began his professional career at twelve, performing with India’s greatest classical musicians and dancers. By eighteen, he was touring internationally with great success. His exceptional accompaniment, solo performances, and genre-defying collaborations, including pioneering efforts to foster dialogue between North and South Indian musicians, have elevated the Tabla’s status both in India and worldwide, bringing it to new heights of recognition and appreciation.
From Indian Newslink February 1, 2005 Issue:
For all the accolades, awards, citations, gold albums and the international attention that he continues to get as the greatest Tabla player in the world, Zakir Hussain considers himself a novice in the field.
“I am not a good Tabla artiste yet, which is why I am not quitting. I am still in the process of discovering myself,” he told Indian Newslink.
Zakir believes Indian art is alive and well.
“Contrary to what some people may think, Indian classical music does not face the challenge of extinction. It continues to grow and contribute to the international music scene. Traditional music including Indian, Western, African and Jazz form the foundation on which every other form has been established,” he said.
Be it playing for Sarod maestro Ali Akbar Khan, Kathak master Birju Maharaj, Sitar king Ravi Shankar, Santoor wizard Shivkumar Sharma or working for his own album, Zakir displays the same anxiety to perform well.
Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Zakir’s contribution to the world of music has been unique, with many historic collaborations including Shakti, which he founded with John McLaughlin and L Shankar, the Diga Rhythm Band, Making Music, Planet Drum with Mickey Hart and recordings and performances with artistes as diverse as George Harrison, Joe Henderson, Van Morrison, Jack Bruce, Tito Puente, Pharoah Sanders, Billy Cobham, the Hong Kong Symphony and the New Orleans Symphony.
His biography is characterised by milestones, achievements and awards. He says he began learning the Tabla under the tutelage of his father, the great, late Ustad Alla Rakha at the age of four and began touring with him eight years later. He was honoured with the ‘Padma Bhushan’ award by the Indian president in 2002.
In recent years, he composed soundtracks for the films Ismail Merchant’s directorial debut In Custody, Bernardo Bertolucci’s Little Buddha and Shaji Karun’s Vanaprastham, a Malayalam that bagged the Best Film Award at the 19th Istanbul International Film Festival and the Indian National Film Awards in 2000.
Apart from being a composer of the opening music for the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympics, he composed music for the San Francisco ballet company Lines and the San Francisco Jazz Festival in 1998.
How do modern young men and women react to classical music?
“With great appreciation,” he said, “Indian youth for instance, are highly educated, motivated and proficient in a variety of professions and in demand worldwide. They are not pawn-chewing, illiterate or socially insensitive people. They understand and appreciate music and express a keen interest in learning its varied forms.”
Kala Ramnath
Maestro Kala Ramnath, known for her ‘Singing Violin,’ is one of the world’s most exceptional and inspirational instrumentalists. Her playing is featured on the Grammy nominated project Miles from India, and her compositions appear on the Grammy winning album “In 27 Pieces” and the Kronos Quartet’s 50 For The Future. The UK based Songlines magazine recognized Kala Ramnath as one of the world’s 50 best instrumentalists and selected her album Kala as one of its 50 best recordings. She made history as the first Indian violinist to be featured in the violin Bible, The Strad, and was the subject of a solo essay in the third edition of The Encyclopedia- Rough Guide to World Music. Her contributions also grace Hollywood soundtracks, including the Oscar-nominated Blood Diamond.
Most notably, in May 2017, she was awarded the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar for her contributions to the violin in Hindustani Classical Music.
Jayanthi Kumaresh
Dr Jayanthi Kumaresh is India’s leading ambassador for the Saraswathi Veena, the National Instrument of India. As an artist, collaborator, composer, researcher, creator, pioneer, and educator, her achievements over the past 35 years truly embody India’s rich musical heritage, making her one of the legendary Veena masters ever produced by the country.
In addition to performing at numerous prestigious venues and festivals across India, Jayanthi has graced many international festivals, including the San Francisco Jazz Festival, Darbar Festival London, Celtic Connections in Scotland, Queensland Music Festival, Darwin Music Festival, Adelaide Music Festival, BBC Proms London, and notable venues such as the United Nations in New York, the Palladium in Indiana, Théâtre de la Ville in Paris, and the Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle.
She has received numerous awards in India, including the “Sangeetha Choodamani,” “Kalaimamani” from the Government of Tamil Nadu, “Veena Naada Mani,” “Kala Ratna,” “Sathyashree,” “Gaana Varidhi,” and has been a ten-time recipient of The Music Academy, Chennai’s “Award for Veena,” as well as the “Sangeet Shikar Samman” and “Indira Sivasailam Endowment Medal,” among others. As a pioneer in her field, Jayanthi has introduced the Veena to audiences worldwide in various formats.
About SPANZ
The mission at SPANZ is to honour and preserve the traditions and heritage of all communities while embracing cultural diversity. By organizing workshops, performances, and international exchange programs, SPANZ intend to serve as a bridge between cultures, fostering dialogue and mutual understanding while celebrating the traditions of India and New Zealand, fostering dialogue between Indian and Western music, showcasing Māori culture, and celebrating the diversity of both countries, SPANZ strives to create a global community united by a shared passion for the performing arts.
Daryll Garcia is an Indian Newslink Audience Engagement Expert based in Auckland.
