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ANNEX 1 Concert Programme Gireeshma (Summer) Natai Charukesi Sharad (Autumn) South of the River Jin Tune Ambush from Ten Sides Hemanta (Winter) Mohana Mo Li Hua Vasantha (Spring) Swallow Dhun Blue Little Flower Blissful Reminiscence ANNEX 2 Profile of The Indian Quartet The Indian quartet from Bhaskar’s Arts Academy, Singapore, is led by Singapore flautist and music director/composer, Ghanavenothan Retnam. This concert is the quartet’s debut and marks the first time the talented musicians from India, Singapore and Spain are working together, resulting in a colorful tapestry of music. Sri Ghanavenothan Retnam – Flute Singaporean Indian classical musician Ghanavenothan Retnam has carved a niche for himself in the arts scene in Singapore and abroad. Son of pioneer musician Sri R. Retnam, he was tutored by Pandit M. Ramalingam who nurtured his passion for playing the flute. With numerous performances to his credit and having accompanied internationally renowned artists, he is a most sought after musician for Indian dance and musical performances. His virtuosity in mastering the subtle nuances of the abhinaya has given his music for dance performances a lilting and ethereal quality. Ghanavenothan has also conducted two flute arangetrams for his students, a first in Singapore. For his outstanding contributions to the field of arts, Ghanavenothan was the first local Indian artiste to be awarded the prestigious “Young Artist Award” and bestowed the titles “Sangitha Kala Nipun” and “Singai Venugana Visharada”. He was also recipient of the Lifetime Achievement and Humanitarian Medallion conferred by the world peace and harmony organisation in New York, United States of America. Currently the Music Director at Bhaskar’s Arts Academy, Ghanavenothan also writes music for orchestras and ballets in arts festivals locally and abroad. Cultivating a unique artistry in cross-cultural collaborations, he explores highly innovative musical genres with a mystical exuberance. Beyond his artistic work, Ghanavenothan also serves on several of the National Arts Council (NAC) Advisory panels. He also plays an advisory role to the People’s Association (PA) and the National Youth Council (NYC). Ghanavenothan’s recordings, based on classical, devotional and East-West fusion, has been heard on the National Geographic, Animal Planet and the Discovery Travel channels. His stirring and emotive performances for dignitaries and royalty led him to record for a Walt Disney feature film. An avid reviewer and columnist in arts magazines, he also serves in various programming panels in NAC, PA and NYC. Sri Nantha Kumar - Tabla and Allied Percussions Nantha Kumar grew up in a family of artists, and started lessons at the age of five. Encouraged by his mother, a Bharatanatyam dancer, he studied the tabla under the supervision of Sri Sinniah (Singapore) and Sri Bairavan (India). 2 Following extensive training on percussions, he obtained a classical Indian music diploma. He had performed many concerts and dance dramas in Singapore before embarking on a cultural expedition to Europe. Nantha’s mastery in the African drum djembe, Latin congas and other percussion instruments from around the world has won him praise in international performances. Since 1998, Nantha has formed bands, composed music, played the tabla and incorporated new African, Arabic, Caribbean and Flamenco rhythms for groups and bands such as Sixun, Jaleo, Ketama and for some of the best musicians in Spain, France and Brazil. Although Nantha has made Madrid, Spain his home base since 1999, he continues to travel the world and has won accolades at prestigious music festivals such as the Gnaoua Desert Festival (Morocco), Montreal Jazz Festival, and New Orleans Jazz Festival. He has also toured New York City, Europe, Morocco, India, Singapore and Japan. In addition to teaching the tabla and other percussion instruments, Nantha is also part of the fusion groups Jaleo and Mukt. Sadanandan Arun – Veena Sadanandan Arun is a diploma holder in music for the veena from the Government of Kerala (India) and an ‘A’ grade artiste for All India Radio. With his vast experience and knowledge at vocals and veena, he also composes music scores for dance. His forte is the art of playing the tana, which gives a silken touch to his music and is also a versatile suddha maddala player who gives expressive rhythmic support for the Kathakali. Sadanandan is also a vivid and active performer for the reputed Sopanam theatre in Kerala, India, and has given solo performances in many cities within India as well as in the international arena. He now teaches veena at the Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society. Sri Santhosh Menon – Mridangam Santhosh Menon started learning the mridangam at the age of seven under Guru Madhavadas. He furthered his studies in percussion under the tutelage of Sri Palghat CS Krishnamoorthy and holds a diploma from the Swathi Thirunal Music Academy in Trivandrum, India. He is also a proficient performer of the maddalam, edakka, chenda, ganjira and other percussion instruments. Santhosh is also talented with the ‘morsing’, a mouth-resonated instrument also known as the ‘Jew’s Harp’ He has traveled widely to France, Egypt, Turkey, the Middle East, Mexico and USA. For his outstanding contributions, he was conferred the title of Sangitha Kala Nipuna in 2001 by Nrityalaya Aesthetics Society where he teaches. He has provided percussion accompaniment in all its dance and music productions and is an avid composer of innovative jathis used in Indian dance. His able accompaniment on the chenda for Kathakali complement the intricate 3 rhythms found in this dance form. He is also a favored percussionist of other arts groups, including the National University of Singapore Centre for the Arts. Profile of China Magpie Founded by Wu Tong, China Magpie made its debut at the Singapore Arts Festival 2004 with a musical arrangement entitled Jiangnan during the Silk Road Ensemble’s concert at the Esplanade Concert Hall. It has since performed at the Aichi World Expo, the Hollywood Bowl, as well as Carnegie Hall and the Tanglewood Center. Wu Tong – Sheng Born in 1971 to a musical family in Beijing, Wu Tong has become the most visible proponent of traditional Chinese music of his generation. From being the founding vocalist of Lunhui (“Again”), a pioneering Chinese rock band merging Western and Asian traditions, to performing with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, Wu has achieved an unparalleled populist following for Chinese music on three continents. Wu premiered Bright Sheng’s New York Philharmonic commission, The Song and Dance of Tears, in March 2003. During the same visit, Wu performed with three New York downtown musicians at Joe’s Pub to a sold out crowd. Between February and April 2004, Wu spent time at the Siemens United States of America headquarters to develop looping technology for a new electric sheng. Wu Tong made his Singapore debut with appearances in The Song and Dance of Tears with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in June 2004 during the Singapore Arts Festival and also performed at The Arts House with Singapore’s local artists led by Ghanavenothan Retnam. Wu continues to travel extensively with the Silk Road Ensemble on their international tours while remaining a chart-topping vocalist in China. Liu Lin – Zhongruan and Acoustic Guitar Liu Lin is considered as one of China’s most respected crossover musicians. His brilliant achievement in Chinese traditional, pop and rock music has made him one of the most frequently engaged and recorded Chinese instrumentalists in the world. Liu has performed in more than 30 countries including the America, England, Canada, Japan, Korea and Singapore. Broadcasting companies such as CNN, ABC Australia and CCTV of China have featured him. Liu is one of the most recorded guitarists in China. In the past 20 years, he has recorded more than 20 CD albums, major Asian films and his CD Made in China has coined “cool Chinese jazz.” As a lead electric guitarist, Liu has collaborated with more than 50 pop singers in Asia including Sun Nan, Han Hong, Liu Huan, Faye Wong, Andy Lau and Leon Lai. 4 Gao Xiang – Violin Violinist Gao Xiang has been cited by the New York Times as “a rare and soulful virtuoso.” Currently, he serves as the youngest Associate Professor of Music with tenure at the University of Delaware’s Department of Music. As a creative crossover musician, Gao composes, arranges and performs in the style of jazz, bluegrass, Asian folk, and South American music. In 1994, Gao became the first Chinese violinist to join the roster of Columbia Artists Management (CAMI), and began his professional solo career. Highlights of recent engagements include concerto appearances with the Detroit Symphony, Czech Philharmonic, Gothenburg Symphony-National Orchestra of Sweden, St. Petersburg Philharmonic of Russia, Estonia National Symphony, Mexico State Symphony, and Kansas City Symphony. With his strong interest in theatre and Asian traditional music, Gao created the Butterfly Lovers multimedia violin concerto, combining musical performance with synchronized visual presentation of ancient Chinese brush painting on screen and a dramatic reading (written by playwright Danny Peak) presented by two actors. The orchestral version will be premiered at the Meadowbrook Music Festival with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra this summer. Li Hui – Pipa One of today’s most promising Chinese artists, Li Hui has already won a number of competitions including the prestigious Beijing International Folk Instrument Competition in 2001. Highlights of recent seasons include solo performances at the Berlin Modern Music Festival, the Holland Festival, Singapore Arts Festival and the Lincoln Center Festival. Li was chosen by American composer Bright Sheng to perform in his opera Silver River, which featured a virtuoso pipa player on stage as a leading role. Born into a family of musicians, Li began music studies at the age of five. In 1982, after national auditions, the Central Conservatory of Music accepted her where she received her Bachelor and Masters degrees. Li became a faculty member of the Central Conservatory of Music in 1996. 5 ANNEX 3 Credit List Ghana Sangam Ghanavenothan Retnam, Programme Director Indian Quartet Sri Ghanavenothan Retnam, flute Sri Nantha Kumar, tabla Sri Sadanandan Arun, veena Sri Santhosh Menon, mridangam China Magpie Wu Tong, sheng, vocals Liu Lin, zhongruan and acoustic guitar Gao Xiang, violin Li Hui, pipa Special thanks to Bhaskar’s Arts Academy 6