Sangeet Premi Club is calling for young Indian Classical artists under the age of 25 to apply for the Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards, which will be presented at the inaugural Brisbane Sangeet Mela to be held on Sunday 7th September at Queensland Multicultural Centre (BEMAC) in Kangaroo Point.

The awards will be granted in four categories of Sangeet: Vocal, Instrumental, Percussion and Dance. The winners will be invited to participate in Brisbane Sangeet Mela, alongside high profile artists from Brisbane in collaboration with interstate and international artists.

The inaugural Sangeet Mela will feature two international artists: Govinda Chakraborty (Delhi) recently retired as professor of tabla at Kathak Kendra (the national Kathak dance college); Sangeet Mishra (Mumbai) represents the 8th generation of sarangi masters in his highly respected family. Both artists will be enriching the festival with their able accompaniment and dynamic solo performances.

Visiting from Sydney will be accomplished classical vocalist Dr Vivek Apte. Tabla master Maharshi Raval completes the roster of artists visiting Brisbane for the festival, joining local artists including Rahim Zullah (vocal), Saikat Bhattacharya (sitar), Darshana Hingu (Kathak dance) and Shen Flindell (tabla).

“We aim for Brisbane Sangeet Mela to be a prestigious annual Indian classical music and dance event recognised throughout the country for high quality of performances, fostering the development of Indian classical culture in Brisbane for years to come,” says Sangeet Premi president Yousuf Ali Khan. “The Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards will give young artists in our community recognition for their talent and hard work, and the opportunity to perform before senior artists and music aficionados.”

Further information on the awards can be found at www.sangeetmela.org/awards

Brisbane Sangeet Mela and the Sangeet Premi Rising Star Awards are made possible through the generous support of major sponsors Brisbane Indian Times, venue hosts BEMAC and additional sponsors Sitar Restaurant, Spirited Events and Target Tours and Travels.