Sangeet Mela 2019

ARCHIVE OF POSTS FROM SANGEET MELA 2019

FRONT PAGE

Australia’s premiere Indian classical music & dance festival, Sangeet Mela returns for its 5th edition on Saturday 30th March at Queensland Multicultural Centre. The main artists will be:
: Smt Charulatha Mani (Carnatic vocal)
: Tahir Faridi Sufi Qawwali Ensemble
: Sri Sangeet Mishra (sarangi)
: Sri Saikat Bhattacharya (sitar)
: Smt Sriranjani Chandramouli (Bharatnatyam dance)
: Sri Darshil Shah (bansuri)

The winners of the Sangeet Mela 2019 Rising Star Awards will open the festival:
 : Ku Saee Sane (Kathak dance with live ensemble)
 : Ku Aishwarya Jangam (Bharatanatyam dance)
 : Sri Siddharth Adityan (mridangam)

Delicious snacks and meals will be available courtesy of Brisbanecaters. 

Please note that dinner is only available if pre-ordered, and that tickets will be $10 extra at the door. We regret to inform that due to musician illness, accompaniment for Sriranjani Chandramouli’s dance performance will be recorded music, not live ensemble as previously announced.

Sangeet Mela 2019 is organised by EthnoSuperLounge in conjunction with Vishwa Events and a committee of Indian classical enthusiasts. Thanks go to our platinum sponsor Yoga King, silver sponsors Sitar Indian Restaurant, Homeopathy for Health, supporting organisation Sahaja Yoga, private sponsors Sri Gurbir Singh and Dr Mansey Kinarivala, media sponsors Brisbane Indian Times, Australian Indian Radio, and Indian News Queensland, and venue partner BEMAC.

PROGRAMME

Rising Stars Session: 2:30pm to 3:45pm

SANGEET MELA RISING STAR AWARD WINNERS:

~ INTERVAL ~

Afternoon Session: 4:00pm to 5:15pm

~ INTERVAL ~

Sunset Session: 5:35pm to 7:00pm

~ INTERVAL – DINNER ~

Evening Session: 7:45pm to 9:35pm

ACCOMPANISTS:
MRIDANGAM – Sri Sridhar Chari (Melbourne), Dr Kiran Varma
VIOLIN – Sri Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda (Sydney)
TABLA – Sri Shen Flindell, Sri Kushal Sami
VOCAL – Dr Mansey Kinarivala
PADHANT – Dr Helena Joshi

BHARATANATYAM ACCOMPANIMENT CANCELLED DUE TO ILLNESS:
VOCAL – Smt Susmitha Ravi
BANSURI – Sri Murali Ramakrishnan
NATTHUVANGAM – Smt Bindu Rajendren

ARTISTS

Smt Charulatha Mani (Carnatic vocal) - Charulatha Mani is an acclaimed singer of Karnatik Music, the Classical music of Southern India. Following a successful Chennai-based career of over two decades, in Karnatik performance, raga research, thematic Isai Payanam curation, and film playback singing, Charulatha Mani took up her Ph.D. at the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia, in 2016. Her doctoral work […]
Sri Sangeet Mishra (sarangi) - Maestro Sangeet Mishra is a talented musician and capable exponent of Indian music in the Benaras tradition. Sangeet comes from a long line of sarangi masters from India’s holiest city, Varanasi, and has performed with leading artists in India and around the world. He first learned to play sarangi from his father Pandit Santosh Mishra, […]
Tahir Faridi Sufi Qawwali Ensemble (Pakistan/Canada/Sydney) - Traditionally performed in Sufi ceremonies (Sama) in India and Pakistan, the music of Qawwali offers a light of inspiration, fanning the flames of divine love in the hearts of listeners. The poetry of Sufi mystics comes alive in passionate song and dynamic rhythm.  Tahir Faridi Sufi Qawwali Ensemble offer audiences an entrancing musical experience rarely experienced outside […]
Sri Saikat Bhattacharya (sitar) - Saikat Bhattacharya has been playing the Sitar for over twenty four years. Playing the sitar has been his passion and devotion. His motivation to learn came from his parents more particularly his mother. Saikat’s first teaching began in early nineties under the supervision of his first Guru Pandit Manilal Nag of Calcutta, in India. At […]
Smt Sriranjani Chandramouli (Bharatanatyam Dance) - Sriranjani Chandramouli is a Bharatanatyam performer and teacher adept in the unique Mellattur style renowned for its crisp adavus and intricate jathi patterns requiring greater flexibility from the dancer. Sriranjani’s strength lies in her exceptional command over rhythmic footwork patterns; a characteristic of the Mellattur style of Bharatanatyam that was developed by the much respected and versatile […]
Sri Darshil Shah (bansuri) - Financial Advisor by the day and Musician by heart, Darshil has been learning and playing Bansuri since 2002. Based in Brisbane, Australia since 2009, Darshil has a dream of passing on the legacy of the Ancient Indian Classical Music to cross-cultural communities and next generation of musicians. Born and brought up in Mumbai, he has […]
Sri Sridhar Chari (mridangam) - Sridhar Chari has been associated with the Australian music scene for over two decades. He has a rich musical background imbibed through his mother and furthered by many years of musical training when he took up the art of Mridangam playing. Today, he is a leading percussion player for Indian Classical music in Australia and has been performing the […]
Sri Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda (violin) - Kranthi Kiran Mudigonda had his initial training in music with Sri P.S.S.R Jagannatham and Sri N. C. Ramanujam. He had advanced training under eminent vidwan Sri Dwaram Satyanarayana Rao at Hyderabad. He is currently under advanced tutelage in vocal from Hyderabad Brothers and violin from Parur Sri M A Sundareswaran. He has a vast experience […]
Sri Shen Flindell (tabla) - Shen Flindell started learning tabla in Melbourne from Sri Debapriya Bhattacharya in 1994 and soon went to the holy city of Varanasi in India to study under Pt. Kaviraj Ashutosh (“Ashu Babu”) Bhattacharya, a great tabla master of the Benares Gharana. Shen is now mainly based in Brisbane, Australia, but typically spends several months of […]
Sri Murali Ramakrishnan (bansuri) - Murali Ramakrishnan is one of the senior Venu/Bansuri players in Australia. Murali learnt Karnatic (South Indian classical) music under the guidance of Sikkil Sisters Neela and Kunjumani. Murali had his training in Hindustani music from Pandit Krishnanand of Kirana Gharara. Murali draws inspiration from both music styles and creates soulful music that touches the heart. […]
Smt Susmitha Ravi (Carnatic vocal) - A powerful yet melodious voice, evocative method of rendition that reaches out to the audience and music that is the product of intense concentration and dedication are the characteristics that distinguishes Susmitha as a Carnatic Vocalist. Susmitha has, over the years, enthralled Carnatic music lovers with her vocal music performances in various Music Sabhas and […]
Smt Bindu Rajendren (Nattuvangam) - At Sangeet Mela 2019 Bindu Rajendren will give Nattuvangam accompaniment to Smt Sriranjani Chandramouli (Bharatanatyam dance). She performed Mohiniattam dance solo at Sangeet Mela 2016. Bindu Rajendren is a dance performer, researcher and educator who first forayed into the spectacular world of dance at the tender age of four. Dance and spiritual connection through Bhava […]
Dr Kiran Varma (mridangam) - Kiran is an expressive artiste who knows his rhythms! A warm, intimate and subtle style of rhythmic expression exemplifies Kiran’s performances. Dr. Kiran Varma was born into a music-loving family and grew up listening to Carnatic music. He embarked on his musical journey by learning Carnatic vocal at the age of 6 in Singapore. While […]
Dr Mansey Kinarivala (Hindustani vocal) - Dr. Mansey Kinarivala has previously performed vocal solo at Sangeet Mela 2015, and in 2014 gave vocal accompaniment to Smt Darshana Hingu (Kathak Dance). In 2019 Mansey will be giving vocal accompaniment to Ku Saee Sane (Rising Star Award – Kathak dance). Dr. Mansey Kinarivala started learning classical vocal music at the age of 6, […]
Dr Helena Joshi (Padhant – Kathak dance) - Dr Helena Joshi has performed Kathak dance solo at Sangeet Mela twice: first as a Rising Star Award winner in 2014, then as a featured artist in 2015. Now in 2019 she returns to give Padhant (recitation of bols) for her student Ku Saee Sane (Rising Star Award – Kathak dance). Dr Helena Joshi is […]
Sri Kushal Sami (tabla) - Kush started his journey in music when he was a mere three years old, whilst playing tabla for local religious functions. His first teacher was his uncle who gauged his interest in the instrument at an early age. He is currently a student of Punjab Gharana under the lineage senior disciples of Ustad Alla Rakha […]

RISING STARS

Sangeet Premi Rising Star Award 2019 Winners

Ku Aishwarya Jangam (Bharatanatyam dance) - Aishwarya Jangam’s journey with and love for Bharatanatyam began at the age of 6 in Bengaluru where she gained a firm grasp of the basics and gave her very first Bharatanatyam performances for 4 years prior to moving to Australia. This experience was formative in igniting her passion for this rich and intricate art and […]
Ku Saee Sane (Kathak dance) - Saee Sane started weekly classes in Kathak dance in early 2016 under the guidance of Dr Helena Joshi. By the end of the year, she had travelled to Pune, India to spend 2 weeks learning intensely from Guru Prerana Deshpande, and has continued lessons with Helena unstintingly since. She invests about 4 hours a week […]
Siddharth Adityan Sri Siddharth Adityan (mridangam) - Siddharth (Sid) Adityan started learning the Miruthangam in 2008 from Dr. Arthavan Selvanathan in Brisbane and has progressed immensely over the past ten years or so from playing basic thaalams and korvais to learning several nadais, edams and for the last several years, playing for songs of increasing complexity. Moreover, he has also studied under […]

SEE ALL RISING STAR AWARD WINNERS SINCE 2014 HERE.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY (2019):

As part of Sangeet Mela’s mission to foster Indian classical culture in Brisbane, several young artists will be given the opportunity to perform at the festival and will receive a “Sangeet Premi Rising Star Award”. Each year one or two awards may be given in each of four categories (Vocal, Instrumental, Percussion and Dance), each in the two broad genres of Hindustani and Carnatic Sangeet.

Download the Rising Stars Application Form (2019) here.
(Instructions on submitting your application are in the form.)

SANGEET PREMI RISING STAR AWARDS – CONDITIONS

  • Two genres – Hindustani, Carnatic
    Four categories – Vocal, Instrumental, Percussion, Dance.
  • Applications close Friday 1st February, 2019. Winners will be informed by Friday 15th February, 2019.
  • Winners must be available to present 20 minutes performance at Sangeet Mela 2017 on Saturday 2nd September at QLD Multicultural Centre, Kangaroo Point.
  • Winners in the Percussion category (eg Tabla, Pakhawaj, Miruthangam, Ghatam) may be requested to perform solo and/or accompaniment, hence must submit video evidence of both styles of performance.
  • Open to applicants born after 30th March 1993 (under 26 years old on the date of Brisbane Sangeet Mela). Previous Sangeet Premi Rising Star Award winners are not eligible to apply in the same category. It is expected that applicants will be capable of performing at a high standard approaching professional level. We do not recommend that young children apply unless they are unusually talented.
  • Entrants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents for at least 5 years to be eligible.
  • Judging committee may not give an award in some categories if the quality of applications is deemed insufficient. The award may also be granted to any individual deemed worthy by the judging committee, although they may not have officially applied.  In 2019 we hope to award 3-5 awards in the 8 overall categories. 
  • Past/planned study trips to India viewed favourably.
  • Applicants should submit the completed application form along with support material.
  • Compulsory support material – artist photo, biodata, and video file of applicant’s example performance.
  • Optional support material – press reviews, references from guru and/or other respected parties.
  • Entrants from outside the Brisbane region are eligible but must cover their own expenses to participate in the festival.
  • Winners may choose their own accompaniment for the concert, or have accompanists arranged by the Brisbane Sangeet Mela Organising Committee. Please note there is no budget for paying these performers.

It is hoped that these annual awards will encourage young students of Indian classical arts to pursue their practice diligently year by year, practise regularly with other musicians, give classical performances at community events, visit India for the purposes of taleem and riaz, and aim to present themselves as artists with attractive photos, biodata and video. In so doing we hope to foster the development of Indian classical music broadly in the community – those who do not win may benefit more in the long term than those who do!

Requirements for 20 minutes performance

HINDUSTANI:

  • Vocal – minimum 1 Chhota Khyal or Dhrupad bandish; other pieces may be classical or semi-classical.
  • Instrumental – performance of one raga including alap and 1 or 2 gats.
  • Dance – Classical Kathak or Odissi performance including one item for laya component and one item for abhinaya component.  May use live accompaniment or CD, but preparation of live accompaniment will be viewed favourably.
  • Percussion – Winners in the Percussion category may be requested to perform solo and/or accompaniment, hence video should be submitted demonstrating both:
    : 10+ minutes solo with naghma
    : 10+ minutes demonstrating accompaniment of vocal or instrumental music

CARNATIC:

  • Vocal – 2-3 minute raga aalaap, rendition of a kriti, Niraval (2 rounds of slow tempo and 3 rounds of fast tempo and chauka kaalam, if capable) and Kalpana swaram. Optional Thillana to complete 20 minutes.
  • Instrumental – equivalent to Carnatic vocal repertoire above.
  • Dance – Classical Bharat Natyam, Kuchipudi or Mohiniyattam performance including one item for laya component and one item for abhinaya component.  May use live accompaniment or CD, but preparation of live accompaniment will be viewed favourably.
  • Percussion – Winners in the Percussion category may be requested to perform solo and/or accompaniment, hence video should be submitted demonstrating both:
    : 10 minute accompaniment of Carnatic classical vocal/instrumental, demonstrating capacity to accompany songs through a combination of basic nadais, copying of sangathis and playing appropriate theermanams.
    : 10 minute solo item structured as appropriate for the relevant school (potentially including different nadais) with a farans and mohora-korvai.

Video submitted in application should reflect these requirements.

Download the Rising Stars Application Form here.

For further information, please email awards@sangeetmela.org

NEWS

Sangeet Mela 2019 report (9/4/2019) - Many thanks to all those who were part of a beautiful day of Indian classical music and dance: the artists, volunteers, sponsors, and thanks most of all the audience. It was a fine selection of performances. Thanks also to Brian Sullivan for these photos. See our Facebook album for more. Festival director Shen Flindell said […]
Five Years of Sangeet Mela (19/2/2019) - A tribute to the almost 60 artists who have performed at Sangeet Mela from 2014 to 2017, and a sneak peek at the featured artists coming up at Sangeet Mela 2019 on Saturday 30th March at Queensland Multicultural Centre. Visit www.sangeetmela.org for tickets and further info.
Menu for Sangeet Mela 2019 (13/2/2019) - The amazing chefs of Brisbanecaters are back at Sangeet Mela 2019 to treat us with the delicious meals and snacks along with very efficient service we enjoyed so much at the last Sangeet Mela. Vegetarian dinners will be available by pre-order only via our ticket website. Snacks and drinks will be available for purchase on […]
Announcing Sangeet Mela 2019 (28/11/2018) - The team behind Australia’s premiere Indian classical festival are excited to announce that planning for Sangeet Mela 2019 is well under way. The event will be held on Saturday 30th March and will feature Carnatic vocal by Smt Charulatha Mani, Qawwali ensemble led by Tahir Qawwal, sarangi solo by Sri Sangeet Mishra, Bharatanatyam dance by […]