HYDERABAD: November is when you expect cool breeze to embrace the city and bright rays to turn mellow. It’s when people don’t mind a long day out, especially an evening of music to celebrate the mildly changing mood of the season. And The Hindu November Fest has created a distinct cultural atmosphere with a soundscape that spans climactic zones, geographical boundaries and musical genres.
The 2016 edition, starting from November 25, is going to be no different. Through the three days of the festival, ustads, Bollywood singers, classical dancers and global fusion artistes will explore the essence of collaborations even while showcasing their individual creative strengths.
The fest opens with Ustad Rashid Khan and Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, who will facilitate a voice-string meeting with their Naad-Ninaad jugalbandi. Ustad Rashid Khan, star of the Rampur-Sahaswan gharana, grew up in a home that resounded with alaap , sargam , tarana and khayal . Though he took time to understand the importance of carrying on a family legacy, Rashid Khan finally underwent regimental training under his maternal grand uncle Ustad Nissar Hussain Khan. Today, his music is a beautiful synthesis of traditional values and contemporary insights.
Gharana (Etawah), dharohar (seventh generation in a lineage of instrumentalists) and taalim (10 hours of training under father-guru Ustad Aziz Khan) defines Shahid Parvez Khan’s musical journey too. The sitar that he picked up at age three has taken him around the world and made him a premier performer.
The ustads will unravel the soul of ragas as they scale up and move down octaves, embellish their renditions with sparkling swar patterns and give a glimpse of their impeccable technique.
Fusion of dance & drums
What happens when Japanese Taiko drums and Indian classical dance come together? The result is Chi Udaka, which will be performed on Day Two. ‘Chi.’ means earth in Japanese and ‘Udaka’ is water in Sanskrit. The collaboration will delve into the traditions of the art forms to find common new-age expressions. The intricate and graceful dance moves of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi are courtesy Australia-based Anandavalli’s company, Lingalayam. The music is composed by Taikoz, founded in 1997 by drummer Ian Cleworth and shakuhachi player Riley Lee, whose musical vocabulary also includes flute and cello. The dancers and drummers raise the beat in unison for a seamless cross-cultural exchange, driving home the point, art is universal.
Chi Udaka India Tour is supported by the Australian Government through the Ministry for the Arts Catalyst funding, the Australia-India Council of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Australian Consulate-General, Chennai.
Cabaret retro
Can any festival be complete without a dose of retro tunes? This year, November Fest pays tribute to the cabaret dancers of Hindi cinema with some memorable, groovy numbers. Many of them are heard loud and clear as remixes by DJs, but Mumbai-based Kakar Sisters (Akriti, Prakriti and Sukriti) will render them in their original form. The sisters who are the voices behind many Bollywood hits such as ‘Iski Uski’ ( 2 States ), ‘Saturday, Saturday’ ( Humpty Sharma Ki Dulhaniya) , ‘Kar Gayi Chull’ ( Kapoor and Sons ), ‘Pehli Baar’ ( Dil Dhadakne Do ) and ‘Bheeg Loon’ ( Khamoshiyaan ) also perform live shows around the world. They will bring alive the sensuous jives and moves of Helen, Bindu and Aruna Irani and others through their singing.
Venue: Ravindra Bharathi
Date: November 25, 26, 27
Time: 7.30 pm
Sponsors:
Event Manager – Showspace
Ticket prices : Rs. 750, Rs. 500, Rs. 300
Early bird offer – 20 per cent (Available only on The Hindu website)
Tickets can be purchased at www.thehindu.com/tickets2016 and bookmyshow.
For enquiries, please call 72999 11222
Follow The November Fest:
Website: thehindu.com/novemberfest
Facebook: The Hindu November Fest
Twitter: @THNovFest
Instagram: @THNovFest
