Society of Poetry and Indian Music

News & Events Archive

Saudha Bangla Music Festival

 

Venue: On in Keats House London

RadhaRaman Folk Festival 2024 | ??????? ??? ???? |

 

Venue: On in Leeds and Bradford

Baul & Vaishnav Music Festival 2024

Curated by poet Ahmed Kaysher, the festival offers a series of ecstatic performances of Bengali Baul & Vaishnav music by number of Baul and Vaishnav music and dance, recitation from the ancient texts by leading spoken-word artists, brief discussion on these two major philosophical movement of Indian sub-continent that evolved from Hindu and Muslim (Sufi) faith and had hugely influenced the music, literature, arts of the whole sub-continent. 

 

 

Baul & Vaishnav Music Festival | Victoria Park

Sunday 09 June 2024 at 2pm

Victoria Park Bandstand, Grove Road, E9 5DU

The session features hanunting music performances by Sufi Amir Muhammed, Juber Akhtar Suhel, Lalon singer Eltut Jannat, Beauty Shil with Yamin Chowdhury on Tabla and poetry-eading by Amy Neilson Smith, John Farndon, Sarwar E Alam and Shmim Shahan along with dance performance by Monirul Islam Mukul and Sewli Bhattacharyya. 

 

Baul & Vaishnav Music Festival |  Keats House 

Saturday 20 July at 6pm

10 Keats Grove,London,NW3 2RR

 

The session at Keats House will feature hypnotic recital of spiritual Vaishnav music merging with spiritually inclined poetry and the idea of spirituality of a major English poet John Keats.  

Free Registration Link:

Baul & Vaishnav Music Festival | Keats House Tickets, Sat, Jul 20, 2024 at 6:00 PM | Eventbrite

Baul & Baishnav Music Festival | Canary Wharf Rooftop Garden

Sunday 21 July at 4pm

Rooftop Garden, Canary Wharf, Crossrail Place, London E14 5AB

 

Free registration:

Baul & Vaishnav Music Festival - The Space

 

 

Venue: From Jun 9, 2024 to Jul 21, 2024 in Victoria Park London, Keats House, Canary Wharf Rooftop Garden London

Saudha-Jibanananda Festival

Rich Mix, London, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

Friday 1 March 2024 at 6.30pm


Jibanananda Festival is returning to Rich Mix, London for the fifth year to celebrate the legacy of Poet Jibanananda Das with an evening of readings and performances that reinterpret his major works.

Curated by Ahmed Kaysher, the festival is featuring performances and re-interpretation by poet John Farndon, British Bulgarian poet Dr Snezhina Gulubova with Burgarian translation of Jibanananda, British Persian poet Dr Alireza Abiz with Persian translation, British Egyptian poet Mohammed Mohsen with Arabic translation.

Directed by Ahmed Kaysher, two poetry-theatres based on the poems of Jibanananda Das are being staged, too. 'After Twenty Years' will be performed by poet Sarwar E Alam, Sewli Bhattacharyya, Cllr jasmin Chowdhury and Indian classical singer Koyel Bhattacharya on the backkground music. 'Oh Kite' will be performed by performance poet Tanjina Nur-I Siddique & Monidipa Seal and Koyel Bhattacharya on the background music.  

The festival is brining haunting recitation of Jibanananda's work by some leading spoken-word artists here in the UK that include poet David Lee Morgan, Dr Zaki Rezawana Anwar, Poppy Shahnaz, Munira Parvin, Jasmin Chowdhury, Syed Anwar Reza, Tanjina Nur-i Siddique.

Visual interpretation of Jibanananda's work will be brought live  by Monidipa Seal, Sitishna Bose, Sharmishtha Pandit, Esha Charavarty Bhattacharya. 

Award-winning photographer Pablo Khaled will bring a photographic re-creation of his poems through a unique presentation. 

A few musical interpretation of Jibanananda's poetry are being staged by an acclaimed Indian classical singer Koyel Bhattacharya, poet John Farndon, Suha Priyadarshini Chakravorty and Laboni Barua.  

Venue: From Mar 1, 2024 to Mar 1, 2024 in Rich Mix London

Melody of Mist & Shadows | A tribute to Ustad Rashid Khan

Friday 26 April 2024 at 7pm

Midlands Arts Centre - MAC, Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH

 

Produced by Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music (www.saudha.org), MELODY OF MIST AND SHADOWS is a tribute to one of the finest Hindustani classical vocalists that India has produced, Ustad Rashid Khan of Rampur-Sahaswan gharana., hosted by SAMPAD ARTS. 
This classical and semi-classical presentation will be led by a senior disciple of Ustad Rashid Khan, one of the finest Indian classical vocalists of this time in India Srimati Koyel Bhattacharya, as well as a senior disciple of Pt Subhankar Banerjee, a very talented Tabla player Sri Kuntal Das on Tabla as well as Ustad Johar Ali Khan, the son and disciple of Ustad Gohar Ali Khan, grandson of Ustad Ali Baksh, the founder of Patiala Gharana on Harmonium.

This tribute has been scripted and directed by T M Ahmed Kaysher.


This is a double bill event and the the Act 1 will present a solo violin recital by virtuosic Johar Ali Khan, visiting the country as the new Chair of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. Johar Ali has performed thousands of music concerts all over the world including All India Radio and Doordashan.

 

TICKET LINK: 

Midlands Arts Centre | Midlands Arts Centre (macbirmingham.co.uk)

 

Venue: From Apr 26, 2024 to Apr 26, 2024 in Midlands Arts Centre - MAC, Birmingham

INTERNATIONAL RADHARAMAN FOLK FESTIVAL

RadhaRaman Society in collaboration with Saudha is bringing the finest and colourful presentations of Bengali folk music and dance for global audiences.

 

The International RadhaRaman Folk Festival, an ecstasy of Bengali as well as global folk music and dance returning for 13th year this year in Moortown Methodist Church (Friday 25 August), Seven Arts (Saturday 26 August), Prestige Hall in Bradford (Sunday 27 August), Compton Road Library (Thursday 31 August) Roundhay Park (Thursday 31 August) St Agnes Church (Saturday 2 September), Bangladeshi Community Centre (Saturday 2 September) and Scammonden Centre for the whole night sessions.

 

“Maddening ecstasy of life exotic through hypnotic music and dance” – Yorkshire Evening Post

 

 

Moortown Methodist Church

19 Alderton Rise, Leeds,LS17 5LH

Friday 25 August at 7pm

 

The session at Moortown Methodist Church features haunting presentations of poetry, and music & dance from different cultural traditions, essentially the visceral Bengali folk, Baul and Vaishnav music, dazzling Dhamail dance.

 

Free registration:

INTERNATIONAL RADHARAMAN FOLK FESTIVAL | MOORTOWN METHODIST CHURCH Tickets, Fri 25 Aug 2023 at 19:00 | Eventbrite

 

Scammonden Centre

Sledge Gate, Scammonden,HD3 3FT

25 & 26 August 2023 from 10:30pm to 3.30am each day.

 

The session at Scammonden Centre features all night networking sessions with poets, musicians, dancers and other creative people with informal sessions of poetry, music and dance in the deep forest at the top of mountain surrounded by beautiful lake, far from the crowd of urban life, basking by fire, barbecuing in poetry, music and fun-filled networking.

Registration link:

INTERNATIONAL RADHARAMAN FOLK FESTIVAL - SCAMMONDEN CENTRE Tickets, Fri 25 Aug 2023 at 22:30 | Eventbrite

 

Seven Arts Centre

31A Harrogate Road, Leeds LS7 3PD

Saturday 26 August at 6pm

The session at Seven Arts features haunting presentations of Folk music from other global traditions, fusion of other global dance and music with Bengali colourful folk dance and essentially the visceral Bengali folk, Baul and Vaishnav music, dazzling Dhamail dance.

 

Free registration:

INTERNATIONAL RADHARAMAN FOLK FESTIVAL | SEVEN ARTS CENTRE Tickets, Sat 26 Aug 2023 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

 

Prestige Hall Bradford

Ventnor Street Bradford BD3 9JP

Sunday 27 August at 12.30 noon

 

The largest session of the festival at Prestige Hall is bringing the best of RadhaRaman Datta's compositions by the best interpreters of Bengali folk music from all across the UK and aboard.

Free registration:

INTERNATIONAL RADHARAMAN FOLK FESTIVAL | PRESTIGE HALL BRADOFRD Tickets, Sun 27 Aug 2023 at 12:30 | Eventbrite

 

Compton Road Library

Thursday 31 August at 4.30pm

Harehills Lane, Harehills, LS9 7BG

The session at Compton Centre features haunting presentations of poetry, medieval music & dance from different cultural traditions.

 

 

Free registration:

INTERNATIONAL RADHARAMAN FOLK FESTIVAL | EXTENTION AT COMPTON ROAD LIBRARY Tickets, Thu 31 Aug 2023 at 16:30 | Eventbrite

 

St Aidan's Church

Elford Place, Leeds LS8 5QD

Friday 1 September at 1pm

The session at St Aidan's Church features haunting presentations of poetry, medieval music & dance from different cultural traditions.

Free registration: 

International RadhaRaman Folk Festival - St Aidan Church Tickets, Fri 1 Sep 2023 at 13:30 | Eventbrite

St Agnes Church

21 Shakespeare Close, Leeds,LS9 7UQ

Saturday 2 September at 7pm

The session at St Agnes Church features haunting presentations of poetry, and music & dance from different cultural traditions, essentially the visceral Bengali folk, Baul and Vaishnav music, dazzling Dhamail dance.

Free registration:

INTERNATIONAL RADHARAMAN FOLK FESTIVAL | EXTENSION ST AGNES CHURCH Tickets, Fri 1 Sep 2023 at 18:30 | Eventbrite

Venue: From Aug 25, 2023 to Sep 2, 2023 in AROUND LEEDS AND BRADORD

SAUDHA-SONGS OF SHRINGAR & SEDUCTION-THUMRI TO TROVADOR- ROYAL ALBERT HALL

Royal Albert Hall, Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AP

Monday 15 January 2024 at 6pm (Door opens) Starts at 6.30pm

Medieval music & poetry of sensuality and erotic expression from Indian as well as other global traditions.

Following a sold out and critically-acclaimed production of Frida Kahlo – Through Indian classical music, Saudha, the Society of Poetry and Indian Music present another evening of ancient music and poetry in the Elgar Room.

Directed by poet Ahmed Kaysher, this hypnotic concert features fresh, new interpretations of erotic and sensual medieval music and literature from Indian and other global traditions. The music will be performed by leading interpreters of these rare genres, and accompanied by projections of ancient paintings and sculptures.

Artists include: leading interpreter of ancient Italian vocal music Ziazan, Chinese folk singer and guzheng (an ancient Chinese instrument) player Yijia Tu, Greece-based Lebanese-Canadian singer and multi-instrumentalist Lara Eidi, Indian classical singer Koyel Bhattacharya, Neapolitan troubadour singer Rossella Bondi, British-South Asian singers Gouri Chowdhury, Farzana Sifat, and Amith Dey, and Indian classical tabla player Kuntal Das, with poet and fictionist Shree Ganguly and Tanjina Nur-i Siddique performing spoken word.

 Ticket link:

Saudha: Songs of Sringrar and Seduction | Royal Albert Hall — Royal Albert Hall

 

Venue: From Jan 15, 2024 to Jan 15, 2024 in ROYAL ALBERT HALL, LONDON

Celebration of Moonlight at Roundhay Park

 

Bandstand by the Lakeside Cafe of Roundhay Park

Thursday 31 August at 8pm

Night-long Music and Poetry in the Wood, by the lake.

 

An absolutely thrilling and adventurous celebration of Moonlight with Indian Classical Music, folk music, spoken-words at the bandstand by the lakeside carpark of the Roundhay Park in Leeds as part of the RadhaRaman Folk Festival in collaboration with Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music.

Please contact Ahmed Kaysher on 07828190551 if you struggle to find the location.

If you are a musician or poet and you would like to perform there, please contact the number above, too

Free registration link:

Celebration of Moonlight at Roundhay Park Tickets, Thu 31 Aug 2023 at 20:00 | Eventbrite

 

Venue: From Aug 31, 2023 to Aug 31, 2023 in Bandstand by Lakeside Cafe of Roundhay Park

Saudha Returns to Royal Albert Hall on Monday 15 January 2024

 

SAUDHA: SONGS OF SRINGRAR AND SEDUCTION

 

Royal Albert Hall, London | Monday 15 January 2024 at 6.30pm. 

 

Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music is returning to the world's iconic art-venue Royal Albert Hall for second time on Monday 15 January next year (2024). 

Last year, Saudha's  production called Frida Kahlo Through Indian Classical Music was sold out a month before the event at Royal Albert Hall and  hugely appreciated by art-loving audiences, music critics and renowned ethno-musiclogists around the city.

Directed by Ahmed Kaysher, one of the finest violinists of this time Kala Ramnath joined there to render powerful and spiritual interpretation of painting and words. 

 

 

A new art-initiative called SONGS OF SRINGAR AND SEDUCTION, a new interpretation of a few rare ancient music and literature on sensualty and erotic emotions, directed by Ahmed Kaysher and is being staged at the Elger Room of Royal Albert Hall. 

 

Ahmed Kaysher, the director of the production says this is a fresh new take to look  at as well as to make a fresh interllectual perception on few traditions of hypnotic medieval music of the world. This will be again a pioneering work to enjoy intellectually and a meditative session of music and spoken-words to be immersed by. 

He says  the audiences who follow Saudha's work or those that we haven't reached yet, need to block the day early in advance and buy ticket when it's available online to avoid disappointment in the last minute.  

 

Venue: From Jan 15, 2024 to Jan 15, 2023 in Royal Albert Hall

Jimmy Page joining Viram Jasani's book launch at Saudha International Literature Festival

A world-leading musician, iconic guitarist and the founder of iconic rock-band Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page CBE (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Page) is joining and giving a talk at the book launch - Independence to Freedom - an important memoir and equally a philosophical discourse by a veteran producer and promoter of Indian classical music in the UK and an acclaimed musician Viram Jasani - as part of Saudha International Literature Festival happening in Nehru Centre London hosted by Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music, UK on 13 July at 6pm. 

 

 

The book-launch will feature insightful talks on the book and the evolution of IndianClassicalMusic in the UK by leading art-practitioners, academics; reading from the book and it will end up with a brief recital of Raag Lalit by Pt Chiranjib Chakraborty.

The festival is promoting art if imagination, experimetal writing, new writing and happening all across the UK. The session at Nehru Centre will also feature reading and performances by leading writers and performers. 

 

Please register before It's sold out:

The Gronthee International Literature Summit | Nehru Centre London Tickets, Thu 13 Jul 2023 at 18:30 | Eventbrite

Venue: From Jul 13, 2023 to Jul 13, 2023 in Nehru Centre

Sohini and her group SohiniMoksha performing at the House of Commons part of Saudha Bangla Music Festival

Led by an acclaimed Indian classical dancer Sohini Roychowdhury Dasgupta Sohinimoksha World Dance and Communications is bringing its critically acclaimed production THE WORLD IS ONE featuring Sohini Roychowdhury Dasgupta ( India) Kristina Veselinova,( Bulgaria), Farah Daoud ( Iraq), Rishi Dasgupta (India) on acoustic guitar as part of Saudha Bangla Music Festival - House of Commons on Monday 12 June at 6pm.

The festival, a top-notch celebration of Bengali music outside the Indian subcontinent is returning to London and a few other cities in the UK for 10th year. 

Free registration link:

 

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - House of Commons Tickets, Mon 12 Jun 2023 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

 

Venue: On Jun 12, 2023 in House of Commons

KOYEL BHATTACHARYA SINGING AT THE HOUSE OF COMMONS IN SAUDHA BANGLA MUSIC FESTIVAL

Koyel Bhattacharya, one of the emerging maestros Indian classical vocal music of this time in India is coming to perform at the house of commons as part of the top-notch celebration of Bengali music outside the Indian subcontinent - Saudha Bangla Music Festival - on Monday 12 June 2023. 

 

The festival is returning to London and a few other cities around the UK  for 10th year. 

 

Koyel is a senior desciple of Ustad Rashid Khan and the co-founder of Koyental arts in Kolkata. She is touring from India to jojn  a few of Saudha's events, production and festivals  with her husband, a senior desciple of Pt Subhankar Banerjee and a talented interpreter of Indian classical Tabla tradition Kuntal Das.

 

Registration for the session at the House of Commons:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - House of Commons Tickets, Mon 12 Jun 2023 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

 

Venue: From Jun 12, 2023 to Jun 12, 2023 in PORTCULLIS HOUSE, HOUSE OF COMMONS

AMISH TRIPATHI JOINING HIS BOOK LAUNCH AT SAUDHA INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE FESTIVAL

Dubbed as "India's Tolkien and Asia's Coelho" (BBC), one of the best-selling authors from India, the director of Nehru Centre London and a popular host for TV documentaries Amish Tripathi is joining the author-talk / interview at the launch of his popular fiction The War of Lanka as part of Saudha International Literature Festival | Poplar Union London happening on Sunday 25 June at 5pm in Poplar Union.

 

Free registration link:

 

Saudha International Literature Festival | Poplar Union Tickets, Sat 24 Jun 2023 at 17:00 | Eventbrite

Venue: From Jun 25, 2023 to Jun 25, 2023 in POPLAR UNION, LONDON

Saudha hosting a book-launch by world-leading biologist Denis Noble and theorist Raymond Noble

Saudha International Literature Festival is hosting an important book launch for UNDERSTANDING LIVING SYSTEM published from Cambridge University Press, co-written by two brothers - a world-leading biologist and a veteran professor at University of Oxford Denis Noble (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_Noble) and an honorary Associate Professor at the Institute for Women’s Health of University College London (UCL), biological theorist and a fellow of Royal Society of Biology Raymond Noble in Keats House Museum on Saturday 1 July at 5.30pm.

 The session at Keats House will also feature insightful talks, reading and poetry performances. 

'The Noble brothers have done an enormous service to biological understanding of evolution in this short book.' Anthony Trewavas, Professor Emeritus, University of Edinburgh, UK

 

Registration link:

 

Saudha International Literature Festival | Keats House Tickets, Sat 1 Jul 2023 at 17:30 | Eventbrite

Venue: From Jul 1, 2023 to Jul 1, 2023 in Keats House

Saudha - Sonata of Soul | Tagore and Twilight | Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Saturday 27 May 2023 at 1pm

Symhony Hall, Broad Street, B1 2EA, Birmingham

 

A haunting production produced by Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music to portray Tagore's philosophical take on Twilight through spoken-word performances, dance for visual interpretation of poetry and Tagore's music composition (Rabindrasangeet) as part of Sampad Arts' Mid-Day Mantra (Tagore Special).


 
 
 

Directed by Ahmed Kaysher, this brief but extraordinary presentation features relevant Rabindrasangeet by a talented interpreter of Bhisnupur Gharana of Indian classical Music Sanjukta Mitra, acclaimed Spoken-word artists Jon Erik Schelander, Poppy Shahnaz and award-winning Indian classical dancer Monidipa Seal.

Ticket link:

B:Music | B:Music (bmusic.co.uk)

 

 

Venue: From May 27, 2023 to May 27, 2023 in Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Book Launch | A Census of Preconceptions by award-winning poet Oz Hardwick

Wednesday 31 May 2023 at 4.30pm

Chapel Allerton Library, 106 Harrogate Road, Leeds, LS7 4LZ

The book launch offers insightful talks on reading/re-reading/interpreting/re-interpreting 'a dangerously witty, uncanny masterpiece' and the book dubbed as 'a triumph of language and imagination' by an award-winning poet Oz Hardwick, where 'Hardwick explores the language's possibilities in lyric gestures that repeatedly break-free from lyric norms'. Prominent academics that include Dr Anne Caldwell and Dr Edwin Stockdale and poet Ian Duhig will talk on the book while the poet himself and performance poets Shree Ganguly, Jon Erik Schelander and a few more will read Hardwick's poems from the book.


Oz Hardwick (www.ozhardwick.co.uk) is a European poet, photographer, occasional musician, and accidental academic, who has been described as a “major proponent of the neo-surreal prose poem in Britain.” He has published “about a dozen” full collections and chapbooks, including Learning to Have Lost (Canberra: IPSI, 2018) which won the 2019 Rubery International Book Award for poetry, and most recently A Census of Preconceptions (SurVision Books, 2022). He has also edited or co-edited several anthologies, including The Valley Press Anthology of Prose Poetry (Scarborough: Valley Press, 2019) with Anne Caldwell. Oz has held residencies in the UK, Europe, the US and Australia, and has performed internationally at major festivals and intimate soirees. In 2022, he was awarded the ARC Poetry Prize for “a lifetime devotion and service to the cause of prose poetry,” though he is quick to point out that he’s not dead yet. Oz is Professor of Creative Writing at Leeds Trinity University.

Free registration: 

Book Launch | A Census of Preconceptions by award-winning poet Oz Hardwick Tickets, Wed 31 May 2023 at 16:30 | Eventbrite

 

Venue: From May 31, 2023 to May 31, 2023 in Chapel Allerton Library, Leeds

Saudha International Literature Festival

The festival preaches the art and beauty of imagination, languages from different cultural heritages through talks, reading, performances.

Curated by poet Ahmed Kaysher, Saudha is bringing new literature from different languages and different cultural heritages through this unique festival happening all around the UK.

Rich Mix, London

35-47 Bethnal Grn Rd, London E1 6LA

Sunday 4 June at 4pm

 

This session at Rich Mix offers spoken-word performances, strong literature-based music performances from medieval and pre-medieval age, Book Launches, reading by contemporary poets and its visual interpretation through different form of dances that include poets John FarndonMark CoverdaleJah-Mir EarlyLeo BoixDavid Lee MorganHanna KomarMona DashLest G. MedinaTanjina Nur-i Siddique singer and theatre-activist Suha Priyadarshini Chakravorty singer and songwriter Shreya Wadhwa, flautist Tanisha Chowdhury spoken-word artists Poppy ShahnazUrmee MazherMunira ParvinSoma Das dancers Ishita SinhaSayoni Batabyal Lahiri author and pianist Peter Culshaw author Mike Sherriff filmmaker Makbul Chowdhury a versatile Indian singer and Tagore -ambassador Sri Sanjoy Dey for incredible artistic contribution to the launch of the festival.

 

Registration link:

Saudha International Literature Festival | Rich Mix London Tickets, Sun 4 Jun 2023 at 16:00 | Eventbrite

 

 

Canary Wharf Rooftop Garden

Crossrail Place,London,E14 5AB

Saturday, 17 June at 5pm

 

The session features spoken-word performances, reading by contemporary poets and its visual interpretation through different form of dances.

 

Registration link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saudha-international-literature-festival-canary-wharf-rooftop-garden-tickets-626908519257?aff=efbeventtix&fbclid=IwAR0tzwGrvl4RBLuCP3qtYmcAb6EBjrXXW9BsTlCRlYjfmxELY_r0JVActwg

 

 

 

Leeds Trinity University

Brownberrie Lane,Horsforth,LS18 5HD

Thursday 22 June at 6pm

 

This session in collaboration with Leeds Trinity University and Leeds 2023 is featuring a talks on New literature New Movement by a few poets and academics, spoken-word performances, poetry-theatre and performance of medieval music based on amazingly powerful lyrics.

 

Registration link:

Saudha International Literature Festival | Leeds Trinity University Tickets, Thu 22 Jun 2023 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

 

 

Poplar Union, London

2 Cotall Street,London,E14 6TL

Saturday 24 June at 5pm and Sunday 25 June at 4pm

 

this two-day session at Poplar Union (Saturday 24 June at 5pm and Sunday 25 June at 4pm) features spoken-word performances, reading by experimental poets and writers, presentations of poetry-theatre.

 

Registration link:

 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saudha-international-literature-festival-poplar-union-tickets-627642344147?aff=efbeventtix&fbclid=IwAR2LrX3jcXKpvtLfp-w5hsM5lYbQSWVmjxVZ2SXKeqhRV3rf-fvr5wgxqb4

 

Keats House, London

10 Keats Grove,London,NW3 2RR

Saturday 1 July at 5.30pm

 

the session at the Keats House is featuring a talks on New literature New Movement by a few poets and academics, spoken-word performances, poetry-theatre and book-launch.

The session focuses on reading from the literature of medieval, pre-medieval and romantic age.

 

Registration link:

Saudha International Literature Festival | Keats House Tickets, Sat 1 Jul 2023 at 17:30 | Eventbrite

 

Roundhay Park | Poetry in the wood

Roundhay, Leeds LS8 2JL

Sunday 2 July at 5.30pm

 

This session at Roundhay Park features spoken-word performances, strong literature-based music performances from medieval and pre-medieval age, reading by contemporary poets with barbecue in the wood. 

 

Registration link:

Saudha International Literature Festival |Poetry in The Wood |Roundhay Lake Tickets, Sun 2 Jul 2023 at 17:30 | Eventbrite

 

 

The House of Commons

St Margaret St,London,SW1A 0AA,GB

Tuesday 4 July at 5pm

 

Sponsored by Alex Sobel MP, Saudha is bringing new literature from different languages and different cultural heritages through this unique festival happening all around the UK.
The session at the House of Commons is featuring a talk on New literature New Movement by a few poets and academics, spoken-word performances, a book launch of a poetry collection by a talented Bengali poet and academic Shamim Reza.

 

Registration ticket link:

Saudha International Literature Festival | The House of Commons Tickets, Tue 4 Jul 2023 at 17:00 | Eventbrite

 

Nehru Centre, London

8 South Audley Street,London,W1K 1HF,GB

Thursday 13 June 2023 at 6.30pm

 

The Gronthee International Literature Summit is returning to the city for the second time with leading experimental writers and poets as well as new voices of different languages joining from the UK and abroad.

 

Curated by the editor of the Gronthee Shamim Shahan and poet Ahmed Kaysher, the festival features readings, presentation of poetry-theatre, talks and book launch and a brief presentation of Raag Lalit by Pt Chiranjeeb Chakraborty. 

 

The highlight of the festival is a book launch (Independence to Freedom) by an iconic promoter of Indian classical music in the West Viram Jasani with a brief appearance of legendary guitarist and the founder of Led Zeppelin Jimmy Page. 

 

Registration link:

The Gronthee International Literature Summit | Nehru Centre London Tickets, Thu 13 Jul 2023 at 18:30 | Eventbrite

 

 

Oxford Poetry Library

The Community Works, 21 Park End St, Oxford OX1 1HH

 Saturday 9 Septemeber at 3pm

The session in collaboration with Oxford Poetry Library and an oxford-based literary magazine La Ninf Eco, features some haunting spoken-word performances from medieval and pre-medieval manuscripts of different languages (English translation), brief poetry-theatres (theatrical presentation of poetry). reading by contemporary poets from different cultural heritage (with English translation), talks on New Literature / New Movements.

 

Free registration:

Saudha International Literature Festival | Oxford Poetry Library Tickets, Sat 9 Sep 2023 at 15:00 | Eventbrite

 

Venue: From Jun 4, 2023 to Sep 30, 2023 in London and other cities

Saudha Bangla Music Festival

Saudha Bangla Music Festival

Saudha Bangla Music Festival is returning for the 10th year with presentations of wide genres of Bengali music by the best of UK & abroad.

Curated by poet Ahmed Kaysher, the festival brings the evolution of exciting genres of Bengali music that originated from 730AD. Counted as 'the largest and top presentations of Bengali music outside Indian subcontinent, the festival arrays diverse genres of Bengali music from ancient Charajapada, Vaishnav, Ramprasadi, Toppa to Ponchokobi and modern experimental music in different venues around London and other cities e.g. Birmingham, Oxford, Leeds etc.

 

 

The House of Commons

St Margaret St,London,SW1A 0AA,GB

Monday 12 June at 6pm

 

Sponsored by Fabian Hamilton MP, the shadow minister for peace and disarmament, he session at the House of Commons (Committee Room number 9 through Cromwell Green entrance) is featuring a theatrical dance performance The World is One by an acclaimed Indian classical dancer Sohini Roychowdhury Dasgupta (India), Kristina Veselinova,( Bulgaria), Farah Daoud ( Iraq), Rishi Dasgupta (India) on acoustic guitar.

The session also presents talks and reading from the Gronthee anthology, singing from Tagore, his contemporaries and pre-Tagorian composers.

 

Registration: 

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - House of Commons Tickets, Mon 12 Jun 2023 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

 

Seven Arts Centre, Leeds

31A Harrogate Road,Chapel Allerton,LS7 3PD

Friday 16 June 2023 at 6pm

The session at Seven Arts Centre features one of the leading vocalists of Indian classical vocal music of this generation Srimati Koyel Bhattacharjee touring from India, a Leeds based prominent semi-classical singer Sumana Basu with a London based talented singer and musician Amith Dey on Keyboard and an emerging maestro of Indian classical Tabla tradition Kuntal Das from India.

Registration:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival | Seven Arts Centre, Leeds. Tickets, Fri 16 Jun 2023 at 19:00 | Eventbrite

 

 Welsh Parliament, Cardiff

Welsh Parliament, Cardiff Bay, Cardiff, CF99 1SN

Friday 29 September at 6pm

Sponsored by the member of Senedd Mark Drakefordhe, the session at the Welsh Parliament will feature Bengali semi-classical and medieval music by leading interpreters from UK and abroad.

Registration link:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - Welsh Parliament Senedd Tickets, Fri 29 Sep 2023 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

 

 

Poplar Union, London

2 Cotall Street, London, E14 6TL

Saturday 30 September at 17:30

The session at poplar Union will feature Bengali semi-classical music by an extremely talented classical singer from Delhi Sonali Natta with Aniruddha MUkherjee on Tabla and Abu Emran Tonmoy on Keyboard.

 

Registration:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival | Poplar Union Tickets, Sat 30 Sep 2023 at 17:30 | Eventbrite

 

Keats House/Museum London

10 Keats Grove, London, NW3 2RR

Saturday 7 October at 17:30

The session at Keats House is bringing the reflection and poetic affinity of Keats' idea of truth and beauty in haunting presentation of Tagorian and pre-Tagorian Bengali music featuring a talented Ghazal singer from Kolkata Arunasish Roy and a leading Bengali singer in th UK Gouri Chowdhury. 

 

Registration:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival | Keats House Tickets, Sat 7 Oct 2023 at 17:30 | Eventbrite

 

University of Cambridge | Selwyn College 

Quarry White House Auditorium, 23 West Rd, Cambridge, CB3 9BN

Saturday 4 November at 5.30pm

The session features a hypnotic presentation of semi-classical music by a talented semi-classical singer Farzana Sifat and a well-known folk / Sufi singer Sufi Amir Muhammed.

Regestration link:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - University of Cambridge Tickets, Sat 4 Nov 2023 at 17:30 | Eventbrite

 

Asian Cultural Centre | Oxford

Manzil Way, Oxford, OX4 1GH

Saturday 28 October at 5pm

The session at the Music Room Eynsham in Oxford features a new take on Rabindranath Tagore (first non-European Nobel Laureate in Literature) and his contemporaries, presentation of splendour of their moving and universal compositions by a very talented interpreter of Indian semi-classical music Amith Dey with Yamin Chowdhury Shagor on Tabla as well as a local Bengali cultural association called Udayan. 

Registration:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival |The Music Room Eynsham, Oxford Tickets, Sat 28 Oct 2023 at 17:00 | Eventbrite

 

 

Royal Albert Hall

Kensington Gore, South Kensington, London SW7 2AP

Monday 15 January 2024 at 6.30pm

The session at Royal Albert Hall is bringing  a rich tradition of Bengali medieval music and its seamless fusion with other ancient music of the world. 

 Saudha: Songs of Sringrar and Seduction | Royal Albert Hall — Royal Albert Hall

 

 

 

Venue: From Jun 16, 2023 to Oct 28, 2023 in London, Leeds, Oxford, Cambridge

Rupban|| A ballad of Bengali Oedipus

Rupban| A ballad of Bengali Oedipus |Leeds University Summer Festival

Leeds University, University of Leeds,Woodhouse,LS2 9JT

Monday 3 July at 7.30pm

 

A rare and exotic presentation of Bengali ancient village theatre incorporating myths, fairy-tales, folk music and dazzling dance as part of Leeds University Summer Festival and Leeds University International Concert Series.

 

This is a re-adaptation and a new take on Bengali Jatra Pala/Opera /Rural Theatre by poet T M Ahmed Kaysher that merges captivating myths, fairy-tales, visceral folk music and dazzling dance in a stunning theatrical setting. This ancient Bengali opera tells the story of Rahim, a young boy, who is destined to be married to an older girl in order to avoid a fatal curse.

Inspired by the Greek story of Oedipus this gripping Bengali folk ballad explores the conflict between free-will and fatalism, combining traditional Western storytelling with the captivating melodies of Bengali folk music. A performance guaranteed to transport you to a rural village of Bengal, to lie beneath its traditional storytelling spot; a Banyan tree draped in hundreds of lanterns.

Directed and performed by Ahmed Kaysher, this Pala features acclaimed dancers and actors Sonia Sultana and Sohel Ahmed; poet Sarwar E Alam, Dr Jeet Ganguly, singer Jessy Barua, singer and keyboardist Amith Dey, Dhol player Fahim with a brief introduction by poet and fictionist Shree Ganguly.

 

Registration:

Rupban| A ballad of Bengali Oedipus |Leeds University Summer Festival Tickets, Mon 3 Jul 2023 at 19:30 | Eventbrite

 

 

 

Venue: From Jul 3, 2023 to Jul 3, 2023 in University of Leeds

Taste of Twilight

Taste of Twilight

Directed by Poet T M Ahmed Kaysher, Taste of Twilight was launched at Senedd, the Welsh Parliament and now touring to  Nehru Centre, London, University of Leeds (as part of its international concert series on 14 October ), Harrogate Theatre (27 October), as part of its international concert series, bringing a unique philosophical interpretation of #Twilight, cries and whisper through hypnotic presentation of Raag Marwa, Multani Sebastian Bach, haunting poetry by Walt Whiteman, Sylvia Plath, Dylan Thomas, Ahmed Kaysher and Shree Ganguly; visceral painting by one of the finest Russian landscape painter Isaac Levitan.

 

Nehru Centre, London

8 S Audley St, London W1K 1HF

Friday 14 July at 6.30pm

One of the finest interpreters of Indian vocal music of this time in India Srimati Koyel Bhattacharya and an emerging maestro of Indian classical Tabla tradition Kuntal Das are joining to perform this session along with a group of talented musicians, spoken-word artists and dancer.

Registration:

Taste of Twilight | Poetry, Classical Music, Dance Painting | Nehru Centre Tickets, Fri 14 Jul 2023 at 17:45 | Eventbrite

 

 

University of Leeds | International Concert Series

University of Leeds,Woodhouse,LS2 9JT

Saturday 14 October at 5pm

 

Registration:

Saudha-Taste of Twilight | University of Leeds International Concert Series Tickets, Sat 14 Oct 2023 at 17:00 | Eventbrite

 

 

Harrogate Theatre

6 Oxford Street,Harrogate,HG1 1QF

Friday 27 October at 7pm

Registration:

Saudha-Taste of Twilight | Spoken-words Music Painting | Harrogate Theatre Tickets, Fri 27 Oct 2023 at 19:00 | Eventbrite

 

Venue: From Jul 14, 2023 to Oct 27, 2023 in Nehru Centre, University of Leeds, Harrogate Theatre

Madness & Meditation Through Baul & Vaishnav Music

Sunday 16 July from 2pm to 5pm. 

RadhaRaman Society in partnership with Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music is brining maddening melody of Bengali Baul and Vaishnav Music as part of the concert series run by Victoria Park Friends.

Directed by poet Ahmed Kaysher, the session features one of the most exotic and ancient music of the world being performed traditionally with dazzling dance and engaging rhythm by acclaimed interpreters of Baul and Vaishnav Music.

Free Ticket Link:

Madness & Meditation Through Baul and Vaishnav Music Tickets, Sun, Jul 16, 2023 at 2:00 PM | Eventbrite

 

Venue: On Jul 16, 2023 in Victoria Park Bandstand

Metaphysical Melodies of Ancient Minstrels

Aldgate Square, London

Aldgate High Street,London, EC3N 1AF

Sunday 24 September 2023 at 3pm

This is a unique and first of its kind production of ancient Indian, Persian & early European Music and poetry.

Curated and directed by poet Ahmed Kaysher, the session in collaboration with Culture team of the city of London Corporation as part of its Bartholomew Fair, features Saudha's first of its kind music and spoken-words production, an ecstasy of hypnotic melodies of Early European e.g. Troubadour, ancient Indian e.g. Vaishnav as well as Persian Sufi music followed by a Bengali village opera (Ballad) - The Story of Gallinule Hunter - Binonder Kiccha.

 

Registration:

Saudha - Metaphysical Melodies of Ancient Minstrels | Aldgate Square Tickets, Sun 24 Sep 2023 at 15:00 | Eventbrite

Venue: From Sep 24, 2023 to Sep 24, 2023 in Aldgate Square, London

A Taste of Twilight at Welsh Parliament

Thursday 30 March 2023 at 5pm

Senedd, Welsh Parliament, Cardiff Bay

This event is part of NWAMI's (Guild of Commonwealth writers, artists, performers and centre for cultural engagement) cultural celebration of multicultural integration (Multicultural Integration and the role of Welsh Culture) in collaboration with Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence and Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music.

Produced by a leading platform for South Asian Arts in the UK, Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian music and directed by Poet T M Ahmed Kaysher, Taste of Twilight is bringing a unique philosophical interpretation of #Twilight, and whisper hidden in crying crepuscule through hypnotic presentation of poetry by Walt Whiteman, Sylvia Plath, Dylan Thomas, Ahmed Kaysher and Shree Ganguly; spoken-word performances by Erik Schelander, Tanjina Nur-i Siddique, complementing compositions of Sebastian Bach in violin by Dimitra Ananiadou, Harp recital by Emily Harris; haunting visual interpretation through Indian classical dance by award-winning Bharatnatyam dancer and the associate lecturer at the University of Sunderland Ragasudha Vinjamuri; and through lyrically lustrous photography by award-winning photographer Pablo Khaled.

 

NWAMI's event starts at 5pm and the Saudha's one hour long production will begin at 6pm followed by brief speeches from the the social Justice minister Jane Elizabeth Hutt MS, Sponsoring member of Senedd Mark Isherwood the chairman of NWAMI Dr Sibani Roy, classical dancer Ragasudha Vinjamuri and couple of ministers and MSs yet to be confirmed.

 

Free registration:

Taste of Twilight at The Welsh Parliament | Poetry Classical Music, Dance Tickets, Sun 30 Apr 2023 at 17:00 | Eventbrite

 

Venue: From Mar 30, 2023 to Mar 30, 2023 in Senedd, Welsh Parliament, Cardiff

Saudha-Jibanananda Festival

Sunday 19 February 2023 at 5pm

Rich Mix 35-47 Bethnal Green Road London E1 6LA

Introducing one of the finest poets of 20th century from Bengal through reading, reinterpreting, haunting presentation of music, playlet, film etc.

Poet Jibanananda Das (1899–1954) is widely revered as the finest poet of melancholic nature of Bengal and the most remarkable poet of post-Tagore Bengali literature. "His oeuvre is unremittingly autobiographical, narrating desultory journeys into a vulnerable yet stoic, companionless life".
As part of the celebration of his 124th birthday of the poet, this event renders profound re-interpretation of some of his major works by prominent academicians through insightful talks.

The event is shedding a new light on some of Jibanananda's phenomenal works through reading, presentation of unique music, playlet, translation of his works into other major languages and dance based on his captivating poetry. 

Curated by poet Ahmed Kaysher, the festival brings re-interpretation of major poetic works by Jibanananda Das through talks, spoken-word performances and presentation of his translated works in German, Spanish,Uzbek, Polish, Italian, Oria, Urdu and other major languages by poet and playwright John Farndon, BBC Slum champion poet Dr David Lee Morgan, poet and translator Stephen Watts, poet Amy Neilson Smith, Uzbeck poet Khosiyat Rustamova, Polish poet Alexandra Smerechanska, poet Mona Dash, poet Erik Schelander, poet and fictionist Shree Ganguly, poet Sarwar E Alam, poetTanjina Nur E Siddique, spoken-word artists Poppy Shahnaz, Dr Zaki Rezwana Anwar, Cllr Jasmin Chowdhury, Sanjoy Das, Soma Das, singer and songwriter Samia Malik, Flamenco dancer Mercedes Avila Caballero. 

 

Indian classical dancers Aritri Kundu, Monidipa Seal, Ishita Sinha, Esha Chakravorty Bhattacharjee will render visual interpretation of the spoken-word performances
Hosted by Saudha in partnership with the Gronthee, RadhaRaman Society and Rich Mix, the event features a few prominent scholars and the finest musicians, spoken-word artists and dancers.

The festival is returning to London for the fourth year, this year.

Free Ticket link:

Saudha - Jibanananda Festival Tickets, Sun 19 Feb 2023 at 17:00 | Eventbrite

Venue: From Feb 19, 2023 to Feb 19, 2023 in Rich Mix, London

Taste of Twilight - Dhaka, Kolkata & Bhishnupur

Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music, a leading platform for South Asian Arts in the UK (www.saudha.org) is bringing a philosophical interpretation of twilight through presentation of hypnotic music and complenting verses of a few leading poets from different cultural heritages happening at the British High Commission in Dhaka (United Nation's Road, Baridhara Dhaka) on 13 December, at 6.30pm; ICCR in Kolkata on 16 December at 6.30pm and Keya Patar Nouko in Bhinshupur of Bankura on 17 December 2022 at 5pm. 


Directed by Ahmed Kaysher, the production features leading interpreters of music and spoken-words. 
 

 Please email to ahmed.Kaysher@gmail.com or whatsapp to +447828190551 for securing your position.

Venue: From Dec 13, 2022 to Dec 17, 2022 in Dhaka, Kolkata & Bhishnupur

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - Queen Mary University, London

FAD Studio, Arts Two, Queen Mary University, London

Saturday 19 November at 6pm

Sahana Bajpaie and Samantak Sinha, two acclaimed interpreters of contemporary Bengali music are bringing some magical presentations of their own experimental works, recreation of Tagore/folk and Vaishnav music at FAD Studio in Arts Two of Queen Mary University, London as part of Saudha Bangla Music Festival.

Curated by poet Ahmed Kaysher, Saudha Bangla Music Festival is returning to the city for eighth year featuring leading vocalists of Bangladeshi and Indian origin.

The festival happens around prestigious art-venues of the city and showcases the evolution of Bengali music presenting a wide genres of powerful music from 730AD to modern experimental.

Ticket link:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - Sahana Bajpaie & Samantak at QMUL Tickets, Sat 19 Nov 2022 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

 

"SAUDHA’S CLASSICAL CONCERTS ARE A SERAPHIC ECSTASY OF INDIAN RAGA MUSIC"

YORKSHIRE EVENING POST

"SAUDHA – THE TOP-NOTCH PROMOTERS OF SOUTH ASIAN ARTS IN THE UK"

BBC RADIO

"A RHAPSODY OF SOUL"

WIMBLEDON GUARDIAN

 

Venue: From Nov 19, 2022 to Nov 19, 2022 in FAD, Arts Two, 335 Mile End Road London E1 4FQ

Verses and Voices Against War - The House of Commons

Committee Room 12, The House of Commons, British Parliament

Monday, 31 October 2022 at 5.30pm

 

Featuring artists' responses against war through talk, poetry-reading and music-presentations at the Committee Room 17 of the House of Commons.

 

Saudha Society of Poetry and Music (www.saudha.org), a leading organisation of global arts and music here in the UK in partnership with a global literary platform La Ninfa Eco and a top South Asian literary platform in the UK The Gronthee is hosting this extra-ordinary event of a wide range of performances to protest  wars, the rise of fascism, violence and brutality through #Arts #Music #Dance #Literature as well as other art forms.
Curated by poet T M Ahmed Kaysher and sponsored by Richard Burgon MP, this event will feature artists' responses to the war happening around the world through performances, insightful and analytic presentations from well-known musicians, poets, writers, filmmakers, theatre-practitioners, academics, painters, dancers, from different cultural traditions.

 Free ticket link: 

Verses and Voices Against War - The House of Commons Tickets, Mon 31 Oct 2022 at 17:30 | Eventbrite

 

Venue: From Oct 31, 2022 to Oct 31, 2022 in House of Commons, Committee room 12

Saudha - The Rebel and The Waste Land at Harrogate Theatre

Harrogate Theatre, 6 Oxford St, Harrogate HG1 1QF

Wednesday 19 October 2022 at 19:45

Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian music, a leading platform for the promotion of Indian classical and global music and literature is bringing this critically acclaimed and haunting theatrical performance of the two epitomic masterpieces of the 20th century.

This unique theatrical production brings together The Waste Land, by T S Eliot of modern English literature and Bidrohi, by Kazi Nazrul Islam of Bengali literature, as part of the centenary celebration of these two ground-breaking poems through celestial music, spoken-word performance and acting, that, as a whole, explores both earthly and spiritual journey of Eliot and Nazrul in seeking peace after the first world war.

Directed by poet T M Ahmed Kaysher, this live music, acting and spoken-word performance features leading elocutionists, musicians and actors that include John Farndon, Erik Schelander, Shree Ganguli, Manash Chowdhury, Kaniz Fatema Chowdhury, Pablo Khaled (on backstage management) and others.

Saudha’s work has been critically acclaimed by prominent musicologists, musicians and art-critics, specially its ground-breaking production Frida Kahlo through Indian classical music at Royal Albert Hall, Sound of Soul at the SouthBank Centre, Raag Chayanaut through Bach’s Goldberg Variation at the House of Commons as well as the theatre production called Waste Land and The Rebel as part of the centenary celebration of T.S.Eliot’s the Waste land and Kazi Nazrul Islam’s The Rebel.

 

Ticket Link: 

Harrogate Theatres |

Venue: From Oct 19, 2022 to Oct 19, 2022 in Harrogate theatre, 6 Oxford St, Harrogate HG1 1QF

Saudha Bangla Music Festival

The unique and the highest-quality festival of Bengali music outside India returning to London for the eighth year that showcases the splendour of Bangla Music and its spectacular periphery through hypnotic performances (with relevant translation) by the best of Britain and guest performers from India and Bangladesh.

 

The festival, as a whole, features the evolution of Bangla music (evolved approximately at 730 AC) from Charjya-Pod, folk, Kirton, Toppa, Poncho-Kobi (Tagore,D.L Roy, Atul Prasad, Rajanikanto and Nazrul) to Modern Bangla music. The leading singers around the UK from West-Bengal and Bangladeshi origin will exude the treasure and the glorious journey of Bangla music.

Rich Mix, London,  35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA

Sunday 18 Septmber 5pm

The session at Rich Mix, in collaboration with Tower Hamlets Council will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the language movement in Bangladesh through some hypnotic presentations by some finest child-prodigies in the UK.

Ticket link:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - Rich Mix Tickets, Sun 18 Sep 2022 at 17:00 | Eventbrite

 

Keats House, 10 Keats Grove, London NW3 2RR

Saturday 5 November at 6pm

Explore the poetic universe of Nightingale at the house of a leading English poet John Keats through his poetry & hypnotic Bengali music.

The session at Keats House will portray the idea of truth, beauty and the universe of birds in poet John Keats through recitation from his poetry and complementing as well as interpretative Bengali music.

 

Ticket link:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - Birds in Keats' Poetry & Bengali Music Tickets, Sat 5 Nov 2022 at 18:00 | Eventbrite

 

Atlee Room, PortCullis House, the House of Commons,1 Victoria Embankment, SW1A 2JR

Thursday 17 November at 6.30pm

 

World-class presentation of Bengali poetry with Sabastian Bach compositions at the Attlee Room of Portcullis House of the House of Commons.

The session at the Atlee Room features a haunting presentation of Bengali poetry written by poet Ahmed Kaysher and its profound musical interpretation through a selection of Sabastian Bach's composition by a talented Greek-born Western classical violinist Dimitra Ananiadou.

 

Ticket Link:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - Bach in Bengali at The House of Commons Tickets, Thu 17 Nov 2022 at 18:30 | Eventbrite

 

Venue: From Sep 16, 2022 to Nov 17, 2022 in Rich Mix, Keats House and the House of Commons

Saudha's director Ahmed Kaysher received "Shera Bangalee" award at UKBC

Saudha's founding director Ahmed Kaysher recieved "Shera Bengali" award at a two-day convention in Stoller Hall Manchester hosted by the UKBC. 

Led by the British Bengalis predomantely from the West Bengal of India, this is arguably the largest crowd of Bengali population/ British Bengali cultural organisations happening annually from the last year (2021). 

The two-day convention featured one of the finest Bengali singers in India at this moment Jayati Chakraborty as well as Anindya Chattarjee of Chandabindu Band, award-winning singer Iman Chakraborty and Poushali Banerjee along with featuring many singers, poets, elocutionists, dancers, theatre activists from all over the UK. 

 

In a brief reaction, Kaysher thanked the nominee for the award, one of the trustees of UKBC Soma Ghosh and all others in the panel who thought he deserved this accolade.

He said, Indian art was introduced to the West through some phenomenal Bengalis e.g. Rabindranath Tagore, Ravi Shankar and Uday Shankar for an example; now Bengalis need to be merged with a vision, support each other and carry the flag of the great heritage of culture to take it to the next phase. 

Venue: From Aug 28, 2022 to Sep 30, 2022 in Stoller Hall, Manchester

Saudha is bringing an extra-ordinary fusion in Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Wednesday 17 August 2022 at 7pm

Acouistic Music Centre, Ukranian Centre, 14 Royal Terrace, Edinburgh, EH7 5AB

 

Saudha Society of Poetry and Music, a leading platform for South Asian arts in the UK is performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for the second time this year. A phenomenal fusion of 12th and 13th century's European music called Trobadour with Bengali medieval music Vaishnav and post-medieval folk music-Baul, is being presented along with the recitation of verses on love, lust and spiritual submission. This unique event, titled as Baul, Troubadour and Verses on Love, Lust and Flame  is happening at Acoustic Music centre, known as Ukranian Centre in Edinburgh on Wednesday 17 August at 7pm as part of Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

 

 

Ahmed Kaysher, the director of the production said " This is a fresh, new and re-interpretative take on two ancient music of the world. Trobadour of occitan language has such a magical affinity with Indian Vaishnav poetry, specially with both carnal and spiritual love and submission. Some lyrics and melodies are even so close, as if, one is the direct translation of the other."

 

Kaysher continued "This unique art-initiative is also rendering a visual interpretation of a few Baul songs through Sufi dance and the haunting verses of medieval Indian poet Vidyapati, Persian poets Rumi and Hafez, Greek poet Cavafy and French poet Baudalaire will be recited to intensify the meaning of music". 

 

The production is featuring a well-known Trobadour and Schubert vocalist Erik Schelander, poet Ahmed Kayhser, a talented fictionist and a performance poet Shree Ganguly, leading spoken-word artist Poppy Shahnaz, Manash Chowdhury, Sufi dancer Sohel Ahmed. 

 

The Edinburgh Festival, the world's largest festival of arts, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year with 49,827 artists from 58 nations performing in 3,171 shows and happening from August 5 through August 29. 

Ticket Link:

Baul, Troubador and Verses on Love, Lust and Flame | Music | Edinburgh Festival Fringe (edfringe.com)

 

Venue: From Aug 17, 2022 to Aug 17, 2022 in Edinburgh Fringe Festival

Poet Ahmed Kaysher received the Pride of Bengal Award at the British Parliament

The director of Saudha poet T M Ahmed Kaysher has been conferred the pride of Bengal award at the Churchill Hall of British Parliament, the House of Commons last Wednesday (20 July). A British-Indian company Avotech Foundation initiated this award four years ago to honour the unique contributions of Bengalis, from both Bangladeshi and Indian origin, in the world's political, cultural, academic and commercial arena. This award has also been offered to Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen, cricketer Sourav Ganguly and many other distinguished Bengalis of different disciplines.

 

A special honour was paid to the life and works of Bangabondhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman this year and lifetime achievement award goes to prominent Bengali Rabindrasangeet singer Rezwana Choudhury Bannya. A well-known newscaster Dr Zaki Rezwana Anwar from British Bangladeshi origin received this award for her tireless role in health/Social care and Mr Kaysher - for his contribution in Arts and culture.  

 

Anchored by a prominent TV presenter and spoken-word artist Urmee Mazhar, the  chairperson of the award Anna Firth MP welcomed the audience in a brief-speech and the trustee of Avotech Foundation Samit Biswas explained the background of the award prior to the dinner thrown for the awardees and distinguished guests from British politics, media, arts and business arena. Rushanara Ali MP, Virendra Sharma MP, the Deputy Mayor of London City Rajesh Agarwal and few other media and business leaders were handing over the awards to all awardees of 2022.  Mr Samit Biswas said, "this is the only award aimed to honour the phenomenal contributions that Bengalis are making in the world."

 

In a brief reaction, Mr Kaysher, the awardee of Bengal's pride in arts and culture said  "From my university life I was intrigued by existentialist philosophy and a firm admirer of French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre who declined the Nobel prize in literature. He always believed in motivation that should come from someone's inner-self instead of any external source. I had equally repudiated many awards and recognitions without having a second thought, too but I decided to accept this firstly to honour all supporters, well-wishers, volunteers, artists and audiences who have been passionately supporting our vision for the last 13 years. Whatever I do, would be just impossible to carry on, specially without any mainstream grant - this is an absolutely audacious journey against the grain. I thought I should come and pay honour to Ilika Chakraborty who thought I deserve this award; and to all  who have been helping to achieve Saudha's vision to present pure arts of different traditions at the highest standard. 

 

Mr Kaysher continued "If I have done anything good, it's perhaps because of the idea of internationalism I was intrigued by in my adolescence. I and Saudha have been promoting less-known but absolutely powerful artists, writers on the world-stage without paying attention to my own work. We have been creating bridges between human-beings of different corners of the world, different cultural traditions since Saudha was born.  We brought different art forms together so that it can create new meaning and intensify the emotions through complementing and interpreting each other. This journey has been loved by the audience, specially new audiences of different arts  that we created a systematic campaign for. I was asked a few days ago when we staged our production called Frida Kahlo through Indian classical music at the Royal Albert Hall - why Frida? What's her connection with Indian classical music? I always replied - I count myself as an inheritor of the cultural treasure of the world, too, as soon as I managed to explore the beauty and affinity of the same human emotions the art forms I am inheriting by birth."

 

Venue: From Jul 20, 2022 to Jul 30, 2022 in The House of Commons

Baul, Troubador and Verses on Love, Lust and Flame at Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Part of Edinburgh Fringe Festival  

Acoustic Music Centre/Ukranian Community Centre, 14 Royal Terrace

Edinburgh, EH7 5AB

Directed by poet Ahmed Kaysher, this production offers the ecstasy and sublime beauty of Indian Vaishnav, Baul and Troubadour music with its interpretation through a haunting presentation of Sufi, Bengali and Greek poetry e.g. Rumi, Hafez, Tagore, Cavafy.

Hosted by Saudha, a leading UK platform for Indian classical and global music and literature, the event features leading singers, musicians, dancers and elocutionists including Erik Schelander, Poppy Shahnaz, Shree Ganguly, Shamsuzzoha and others.

 

Ticket link:

tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/baul-troubador-and-verses-on-love-lust-and-flame

 

 

 

 

Venue: From Aug 17, 2022 to Aug 17, 2022 in Acoustic Music Centre

Verses on Love, Lust and Flame

St. Margaret's House, 21 Old Ford Road, London, E2 9PL

Saturday 30 July 2022 at 6.30pm

Saudha in partnership with the Gronthee is presenting this unique event that features a wide selection of Bengali poetry on sensuality from the early age e.g. Charyapada (730AD), medieval age to modern age with English translation.

Live music at the background and the colour of the twilight will fade in and fade out to the flow of recitation to intensify the meaning and the mood of spoken words.

Directed and anchored by the director of Saudha T M Ahmed Kaysher. the event brings haunting performances by a group of leading spoken-word artists e.g. Poppy Shahnaz, Manash Chowdhury, Tanjina Nur E Siddique, Shamsuzzoha, Urmee Mazhar, Zaki Rezwana Anwar, David Lee Morgan and more with live music from Amith Dey.

 

Ticket link: 

Verses on Love, Lust and Flame Tickets, Sat 30 Jul 2022 at 18:30 | Eventbrite

 

Venue: From Jul 30, 2022 to Jul 30, 2022 in St Margaret's House

Prof Denis Noble says "Who is Denis?". In conversation with Ahmed Kaysher

Prof Denis Noble (Denis Noble - Wikipedia), a celebrated professor of Oxford University and the man "who mapped the heart", rightly dubbed by John Crace (The man who mapped the heart | Academic experts | The Guardian) says " Who is Denis? If you seperate my brain which consists of molecules, protiens and say, this is Denis, is that really me at all?" 

In a profound philosophical conversation with Saudha director poet Ahmed Kaysher, Denis continues "My argument with Richard Dwakins is - man can't be determined just as  the summation of molecules, genes and proteins. This is a process that drives the molecules in rhythms and order."

The world-leading biologist Denis Noble actually brought the idea of humanity and human-emotions into empirical biology. The full interview that covers his interest in early European Music, Trobador, Buddhism and a broad-range of subjects can be watched below: 

Prof Denis Noble in Conversation with Ahmed Kaysher | On Troubadour Vaishnavism Early European Music - YouTube

Prof Denis Noble says "who is Denis?" | Biology & Philosophy | Conversation with Kaysher on Trobador - YouTube

Venue: From Jun 16, 2022 to Jun 29, 2022 in University of Oxford

"So happy to be back at Royal Albert Hall through Saudha' - says Shapla Salique

After a world-tour with Nitin Sawhney, the finest British Bengali singer of this generation Shapla Salique is joining Saudha's avant garde fusion concert Re-interpretation of Frida Kahlo through Indian classical music at  Royal Albert Hall happening on  Wednesday 13 July at 7pm (Door-Open).

 

In her reaction, Shapla Salique says "I am so happy to be back at such a world-famous venue that I absolutely love the Royal Albert hall. I am also very excited and honoured to be a part of Saudha's event for the first time."

 

She says "I am a huge fan of incredible Frida Kahlo  and her work. She is not only an important figure in art-history but also a symbol of strength, equality and originality. I am really excited for this very unique and special event."

 

Directed by poet Ahmed Kaysher, this breath-taking hypnotic production also features a leading Tabla maestro Pt Sanju Sahai, the finest Bengali singer of this generation Shapla Salique, an acclaimed spoken-word artist Shree Ganguly and an award-winning film-maker Makbul Chowdhury.

 

Link for the ticket:

Saudha - Frida Kahlo Through Indian Classical Music | Royal Albert Hall — Royal Albert Hall

 

Venue: From Jul 13, 2022 to Jul 13, 2022 in Royal Albert Hall, London

"Performing for Saudha and Royal Albert Hall is a bliss" Says Vidushi Kala Ramnath

After a world-tour with world's top percussionist Ustad Zakir Hussain, the world's finest Hindustani violinist Vidushi Kala Ramnath is joining Saudha's ground-breaking concert Re-interpretation of Frida Kahlo through Indian classical music at one of the world's iconic art-venues in London Royal Albert Hall on Wednesday 13 July at 7pm (Door-Open). 

In a brief reaction, Kala Ramnath says "It's an enormous privilege to perform for one of the world's finest and the most iconic art venue Royal Albert Hall after quite a few years and it's equally a great pleasure and an absolute bliss to perform for one of the leading Indian classical music promoters as well as one of my favourite world-music platforms in the UK, Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music." 

She says, "I am so excited to come from the USA, just to join and create a new musical interpretation of one of my all time favourite painters Frida Kahlo. I am sure the concert will leave a noticeable mark in the history of  art-interpretation with another complementing art form". 

Further she adds "Those who live in the UK and love both arts as well as profound music or love my violin recital, this is a must for all of you and look forward to meeting you all on Wednesday 13 July at Royal Albert Hall". 

 

Directed by poet Ahmed Kaysher, this breath-taking hypnotic production also features a leading Tabla maestro Pt Sanju Sahai, the finest Bengali singer of this generation Shapla Salique, an acclaimed spoken-word artist Shree Ganguly and an award-winning film-maker Makbul Chowdhury

Link for the ticket: 

Saudha - Frida Kahlo Through Indian Classical Music | Royal Albert Hall — Royal Albert Hall

Venue: From Jul 13, 2022 to Jul 13, 2022 in Royal Albert Hall

"Saudha's anti-war event in Oxford was extraordinary" Says Prof Noble

World leading biologist, the inventor of the mathematics of pacemaker and a veteran professor of Oxford University Denis Noble said, What Saudha in partnership with La Ninfa Eco brought to Oxford last Sunday was simply extraordinary. 

 The director of Saudha Ahmed Kaysher is taking Prof Noble's interview. 

He said, what I witnessed was the voice of ordinary people and artists in general; some are war-stories and some are wide-spectrum of interpretations on what was happening around the world through music and verses are simply fantastic. 

Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music in collaboration with La Ninfa Eco has launched a series of events that features reactions and responses of artists on war and violence happening around ther world. After a successful session at Rich Mix in East London last month, it toured to Oxford last Sunday (28 May 2022) featuring talks, music and spoken-word performances by Prof Denis Noble, the former governor of Caymen Island Anwar Choudhury, poet Alan Buckley, spoken-word artist Poppy Shahnaz. poet John Farndon, opera singer Dr Rosella Maria Bondi, Flamenco dancer Mercedes Avila Caballero,  singer Mike Harris, Bengali folk dancer Sohel Ahmed, Cllr Jasmin Chowdhury, Saikat Acharjee, director of Saudha Ahmed Kaysher, the founder of La Ninfa Eco poet Gaby Sambuccetti, Nicarugian poet Lister Gomez Medina and Tagore recital group in Oxford Uadayan led by Dr Ejaz Huq, singer and song-writer Prof Ray Noble. 

 

Venue: From May 28, 2022 to May 25, 2022 in

Re-interpretation of Frida Kahlo through Indian Classical Music

 

Wednesday 13 July 2022; door opens at 7pm for starting at 7.30pm 

An avant-garde, collaborative fusion of painting and music, a reinterpretation of Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo's melancholic universe of art being vivified through breath-taking, visceral presentation of Indian classical music.

 

Directed by poet Ahmed Kaysher, this hypnotic presentation is featuring the world's foremost Hindustani classical violinist Vidushi Kala Ramnath, leading Tabla player Pt Sanju Sahai, the finest Bengali singer of this generation Shapla Salique, an acclaimed spoken-word artist Shree Ganguly and an award-winning filmmaker Makbul Chowdhury (digital content).

 

The door opens at 7pm and the concert starts at 7.30pm at Elger Room of the Royal Albert Hall.

 

Detail info: www.royalalberthall.com

 

 

 

Ticket link:

 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/re-interpretation-of-frida-kahlo-through-indian-classical-music-tickets-347109191937

 

Venue: From Jul 13, 2022 to Jul 13, 2022 in Royal Albert Hall, London

The director of Saudha Ahmed Kaysher received Civic Award in Leeds

The Lord mayor of Leeds Council council, councillor Asghar Khan has conferred Leeds Civic Award to the director and co-founder of Saudha society of poetry and Indian music and RadhaRaman Folk Festival poet Ahmed Kaysher last Saturday (7 May) at the Ark Royal Room of the Leeds Civic Hall. 

 

Member of parliament for Leeds North East and the shadow minister for peace and disarmament Fabian Hamilton attended as the guest speaker, along with a few community leaders and performing artists, in this brief civic reception arranged by the Lord Mayor office of Leeds city council.

 

The Lord Mayor Asghar Khan said, Ahmed Kaysher is a true ambassador of both South Asian Arts and Leeds city to the other parts of the world. He is a remarkable poet, writer, opera director and the founder of two top platforms of global arts, music and literature in this country - Saudha and RadhaRaman. Leeds is proud to have him as its resident and to be the first place of his tireless art activities. I feel honoured to be able to support his vision as a councillor. It's a great privilege to confer this civic reception honouring Kaysher's work, the man who motivates and promotes others from the back-stage.  

 

Fabian Hamilton MP said, "I met Kaysher through the very first programme of Saudha at Leeds carriageworks theatre. I didn't have any idea - what to expect when we joined the concert. But on our way back home, my wife Rosy, John Battle (the former member of parliament from Leeds) and I were transported to another world by the magic created on the stage. 

 

Fabian continued  "Since then, I also had the privilege of sponsoring a few of Saudha's events at the Atlee room of the PortCullis House of our parliament and I was amazed to see the connections of such a great mix of audiences and artists from different cultural traditions as well as the quality of productions he has been presenting for all these years. I think his great strength is fusion - the fusion between South Asian and other European arts as well as the unification of the people of different faiths and cultures. That's exactly what we witnessed in his theatre production at Seven Arts Centre - T.S.Eliot was merged with Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul Islam. He is truly an internationalist and that's what I love about him.

 

Erik Schelander, an actor, singer and spoken-word artist said, It's quite easy to carry on shaping all exciting ideas when you get a mainstream art grant. But because I have been part of Kaysher's vision and art-activities for more than the last 10 years, I see how he is fighting just with the strength of his ideas without any support from mainstream funding. 

 

Dr Matt Pitchard, the lecturer of musical aesthetics at Leeds University said, I had the privilege of joining a couple of events by Saudha and RadhaRaman Society. I loved his idea of bringing different art forms from different heritages together. 

 

Dr Amal Paul said "he is bringing a huge pride to South Asian communities in the UK by presenting such high-quality events one after another that appeal to international audiences. I will remember his tireless contribution during the pandemic through a series of programming every week which, I believe, was absolutely beneficial for the audiences and artists from all over the world. I feel proud to take a role at that time as part of those programmes.


 
 
 

 

The lord mayor councillor Asghar Khan and Fabian Hamilton MP has handed over a crest of honour with the logo of Leeds City council and a certificate of recognition to Mr Kaysher after the speeches. 

 

Ahmed Kaysher, in his brief reaction, said, " I am a self-motivated art-activists, so perhaps the award or reception has very little influence on the way I work but it was so wonderful to see that some third eyes observe my works and my vision with so much attention and I am, therefore, so touched and overwhelmed by this reception. I am absolutely grateful to the lord mayor of Leeds for this who is also a tremendous supporter of the art-initiatives we do. These inspiring kind words from each of you meant a lot and please continue your support as you have been doing for many years now - so that we can contribute to build a better world through arts. I was a firm supporter of "arts for arts' sake" and then I saw so much social changes had been also carried out secretly through even with ruthless and uncompromising presentation of arts.'' 

 

A spoken-word artist Dr Kaniz Fatema Chowdhury, the former chairman of Leeds Bangladeshi Centre Mohammad Afzal Hussain, engineer Khaled Abdullah, the principal lawyer of S & K solicitors Saikat Acharjee, the founding member of RadhaRaman Society Amar Baidya, Asok Ghosh and a Persian singer Jamshead Folad also shared brief words on Kaysher's work in the reception. 

Venue: From May 7, 2022 to Jun 12, 2022 in Leeds

Verses and Voices Against Violence and War

Sunday 24 April at 5pm

Rich Mix London, 35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

Satuday 28 May 2022 at 6.30pm

West Oxford Community Centre

 Botley Road, Oxford, OX2 0BT

 

 

Saudha Society of Poetry and Music  in partnership with a global literary platform La Ninfa Eco is hosting this extra-ordinary event of a wide range of performances to protest the war, the rise of fascism, violence and brutality through Arts Music Dance Literature and other art forms.

 

As a way of artists' responses to the war between Russia and Ukraine, the event will feature performances, insightful and analytic presentations from well-known musicians, poets, writers, filmmakers, theatre-practitioners, academics, painters, dancers, from different cultural traditions.

Curated by poet and the director of Saudha Ahmed Kaysher, the event is showcasing performances by acclaimed musicians - Kevin Davy, Domenico Angarano, Helen Anahita Wilson, Samia Malik, Rohan Roy, Isuru Perera, Anand Sundaram (Mohan Veena), Juber Akhtar Sohel, Laboni Barua, Nandita Mukherjee, and many; prominent writers and spoken-word artists John Farndon, David Lee Morgan, Stephen Watt, Jah-Mir Early, Amy Neilson Smith, Sian Thomas, Nicki Heinen, Michelle Madsen, Poppy Shahnaz, Tanjina Nur E Siddique, Urmee Mazhar, Zaki Rezwana Anwar, Arzo Naubahar. Sonia Quintero, Mona Dash, Shamsuzzoha, Marcia Mar, Noor Zaheer, Shafqat Parveen, Hugo Barton, Peter Culshaw and many; extra-ordinary dancers -Mercedes Avila Caballero, Aritri Kundu, Sharmishtha Pandit, Esha Chakravarty Bhattacharjee, Sohel Ahmed, Prerona Mondal, Supty Paul; as well as a social, political and cultural change-makers that include Julliet Makhapila, Kumar Murshid, Jasmin Chowdhury and Aser El Saqqa and others

The event will be touring to Oxford, Birmingham, Leeds and other big cities.

 

This is a free event but the seat needs to be confirmed through eventbrite ticket.


Venue: From Apr 24, 2022 to Jul 10, 2022 in Rich Mix and other venues in London, Oxford, Leeds, Birmingham and other cities

Jibanananda Festival

Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA from 5pm to 8pm, 20 February 2022

 

Poet Jibanananda Das (1899–1954) is widely revered as the purest poet of melancholic nature of Bengal and the most remarkable poet of post-Tagore Bengali literature. "His oeuvre is unremittingly autobiographical, narrating desultory journeys into a vulnerable yet stoic, companionless life".

As part of the celebration of his 123rd birthday of the poet, this event renders profound re-interpretation of some of his major works by prominent academicians through insightful talks.

Curated by poet Ahmed Kaysher, the event also will shed a new light on some of his phenomenal works through reading his works from English translation, playlet, presentation of unique music and dance based on his captivating lyrics.

Hosted by Saudha in partnership with the Gronthee, RadhaRaman Society and Rich Mix, the event features a few prominent scholars and the finest musicians, spoken-word artists and dancers.

Free ticket link:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/jibanananda-festival-tickets-259269280397

 

 

 

Venue: From Feb 20, 2022 to Feb 20, 2022 in Rich Mix, London

The Saudha centenary celebration of the Waste Land & Bidrohi

 
Theatrical performance with live music of the two epitomic masterpieces of 20th century - The Waste Land by T S Elliot & Bidrohi by Kazi Nazrul Islam.
 
Seven Arts Centre, Leeds on Saturday 2 October 2021 at 6pm & Rich Mix, London on Sunday 14 November 2021 at 6pm. 

This touring event portrays theatrical performance of these two epitomic masterpieces of 20th century - The Waste Land by T S Elliot of English literature and Bidrohi by Kazi Nazrul Islam of Bengali literature.

 

Directed by T M Ahmed Kaysher, this production combines acting, live music, visual interpreting, theatrical reciting  featuring leading elocutionists, musicians and academics in the UK.

At Seven arts in Leeds, the production features poet John Farndon, poet Becky Cherriman, poet Miles Salter, spoken-word artists Erik Schelander, Shree Ganguly, Ehsan Ahmad Raj, Mohammed Sadif, Kaniz Fatema Chowdhury, Milly Basu, Abhra Bhowmick and then Pablo Khaled on lighting and Pretom Shaha on music.

A poet and a  prominent academician professor Oz hardwick will give a brief talk on the background and legacy of these two poems. 

Having launched at the Seven Arts Centre, Leeds on Saturday 2 October, the production will tour to the Studio of the Rich Mix London on Sunday 14 November, Queen Mary University London (November - date to be confirmed), Attlee Room of the House of the Commons (December - date to be confirmed), Birmingham (December - date to be confirmed), Oxford (January - date to be confirmed), Leeds Beckett University (January - date to be confirmed).

Venue: From Oct 2, 2021 to Dec 30, 2021 in Seven Arts, Leeds | Rich Mix, London and other venues

Music World Shocked by violinist Swarna Khuntia's sudden demise

Musicians, students. music lovers from all across the world are in a state of shock by sudden death of an acclaimed violinist Dr Swarna Khuntia. She died with Corona infection on Thursday 15 April 2021. She was diagnosed Corona positive on Saturday and was admitted in hospital on Monday with serious breathing issue. Music world is terribly shocked by this unexpected demise. 

The finest Hindustani violinist of this time in India Kala Ramnath said from USA " This is so sad| This was so quick! She loved my music and she was always in touch! I have no word to express my feeling! She was certainly a wonderful violinist and an amazing human-being!"

A prominent violinist and Ghazal singer based in the UK Kamalbir Singh said 'Swarna ji was too young to go like this. This is tremendous loss for the world of violin and world-music, in general"

A Hindustani classical vocalist Sanhita Nandi from USA said "This is just hard to believe! So sad to learn about the departure of a great soul! May her soul rest in peace!"

The co-founder of Saudha and a London based Hindustani classical vocalist Chandra Chakraborty said 'I was introduced to her divine music recently and she was supposed to join one of my interactive sessions by the end of April. She was an amazing human-being and an absolutely wonderful musician, too. My heartfelt condolence to her bereaved family."

A London based classical vocalist Chiranjeeb Chakraborty said "I am speechless! What a shocking death of an amazingly talented young violinist who could perhaps offer so much to the music lovers of the world"

A notable Hindustani classical vocalist of this time in India Supriyo Dutta said " This is absolutely a shocking news for the music circle of the world". 

An acclaimed Sitar player in India said  "It's very sad that such an extra-ordinary musician has to go so suddenly at such a young age!'

A Leeds based Hindustani sem-classical vocalist Sumana Mallik Basu said "I still can't believe that she is no more! Swarna ji was a wonderful human-being with a golden heart. It's indeed a big loss for the classical music fraternity. May her soul rest in eternal peace"

 

The director of Saudha T M Ahmed Kaysher said "Perhaps India can produce a few more violinists like Swarna Khuntia ji, but the whole world can't produce another version of amazing human-being like her! She was such a firm supporter of Saudha's art initiatives. An irrecoverable loss for Indian classical music!"

 Dr. Swarna Khuntia, a renowned North Indian Classical Violinist from India, is a senior Disciple of World Renowned Violinist Padmabhushan Dr. Smt. N.Rajam. She is now working as an Assistant Professor in Violin at the Department of Instrumental Music, Faculty of Performing Arts, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, U.P. Earlier she has worked as a Lecturer in violin at Indira Kala Sangeet University, Khairagarh, Chhattishgarh.

She also wrote a book called Violin and Violinist in Indian Classical Music, published by Akanksha Publication,New Delhi.

Dr. Swarna Khuntia was born in a family of musicians at Cuttack, Orissa. Her father, Pandit. Harmohan Khuntia is an outstanding Tabla & Odissi Pakhawaj exponent of Orissa, retired Staff Artist and a senior A- Grade of All India Radio, Cuttack. He is a disciple of Padma Vibhushan Pt. Gyanprakash Ghosh.

Venue: From Apr 15, 2021 to Apr 16, 2021 in

Saudha International Satyajit Congress

Sunday 2 May to Monday 3 May 2021
 

Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music (www.saudha.org) in collaboration with Chokh Film Society of Shahjalal University in Bangladesh, the Gronthee (www.gronthee.com) and RadhaRaman Society are celebrating the birth centenary of an iconic Indian film-maker Satyajit Roy through critical talks on his works by major academics, researcher from Indian and Western world, recollection of memory and talk on the legacy of Satyajit's film by other contemporary film-directors e.g. Adoor Gupalkrishnan, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Aparna Sen, Moni Ratnam, Goutam Ghose, scriptwriter Javed Siddiqi, then young directors of this time Srijit Mukherjee, Sohini Dasgupta, Ruksana Tabassum and others as well as presentation of his musical oeuvre by a few leading musicians.


 
 
 

Curated by the director of Saudha T M Ahmed Kaysher, the session will go live on Saudha's facebook and you tube page at 3pm UK time (7.30pm India & 8pm Bangladesh) each day on Sunday and Monday 2 & 3 May 2021.

 

The livestreaming in facebook will go from the following page:

 

https://www.facebook.com/The-Gronthee-408499276413632

 

The FB event page:

https://www.facebook.com/events/5190759147663942/

 


Venue: From May 2, 2021 to May 3, 2021 in Online/Facebook/Youtube

SaudhaTalk: In conversation with Kabir Suman

Saturday 3 April 2021 4pm (UK)

 

আধুনিক বাংলা গানে নতুন-স্বর বা প্রতিস্বর নির্মাণ, আবার অন্যদিকে, বাংলা গানের মর্ম, ধর্ম এবং প্রকরণেও যিনি সঞ্চার করেছেন এক আশ্চর্য অভিনতুনত্ব, কী বাংলা আধুনিক গানে, কী বাংলা খেয়াল-গানের মত যুগান্তকারী ধারণা, উদ্যোগ ও কর্ম-প্রবাহ দিয়ে তৈরি করেছেন এক বিস্ময়কর নিজস্ব ভুবন; এক সম্পূর্ণ প্রাতিস্বিক বলয়; এবারের সৌধ-আলাপচারিতায় থাকছে, আধুনিক বাংলা গানের এই মহান দিকপাল, শিল্পী কবীর সুমনের সঙ্গে বাংলা খেয়াল বিষয়ক তার বৈপ্লবিক ধারণা নিয়ে অন্তরঙ্গ কথোপকথন, উপরন্তু বাংলা খেয়ালের কিছু নমুনা-পরিবেশনাও।

 

সৌধ পরিচালক টি এম আহমেদ কায়সারের সঞ্চালনায় অনুষ্ঠিতব্য এই ভার্চুয়াল অধিবেশনের কেন্দ্রীয় উপজীব্য হিসাবে থাকছে - বাংলা খেয়ালঃ ঐতিহ্য, বিকাশ এবং সম্ভাবনা।
এই বিশেষ এবং গুরুত্বপূর্ণ কথোপকথন সরাসরি সম্প্রচারিত হবে যুক্তরাজ্য সময় বিকেল ৪টা, ভারতীয় সময় রাত সাড়ে আটটা এবং বাংলাদেশ সময় রাত নয়টায়, সৌধ বাংলা মিউজক ফ্যাস্টিভালের ফেসবুক এবং ইউটিউব পেজ থেকে।

 

The event page: 

 SaudhaTalk: In conversation with Kabir Suman | Facebook

Venue: From Apr 3, 2021 to Apr 3, 2021 in

SaudhaTalk & Tribute: Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, the Tansen of 20th Century

Friday 2 April 2021 at 3pm (UK)
 

To celebrate this great life and one of greatest music-maestros of 20th century in the universe on his 119th birthday, the event features both talk and performance as a tribute to one of the highest music-doyens for all time by other living maestros e.g.
Ghazal king and the direct disciple of Bede Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Ghulam Ali

Pt Chitravina N Ravikiran (www.ravikiranmusic.com)
Pt Kumar Bose (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kumar_Bose),
the grand son of Bede Ghulam Ali, Ustad Raza Ali Khan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raza_Ali_Khan),
Vidushi Kala Ramnath (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kala_Ramnath),
Pt Tanmoy Bose (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tanmoy_Bose),
Pt Dr Rajeeb Chakraborty (https://www.rajeebchakraborty.com/site/),
Pt Shubhankar Banerjee (https://taalsen.com/subhankar-banerjee-tabla-biography.../),

Pt Abhijit Banerjee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abhijit_Banerjee_(musician),
Pt Shantanu Bhattacharyya (https://www.itcsra.org/OurScholarsPerform.aspx?ShishyasId=52),
Vidusi Sanhita Nandi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanhita_Nandi),
Pt Chiranjeeb Chakraborty(http://www.chiranjibmusic.com/),
Pt Sriram Parsuram (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sriram_Parasuram)
Sri Ramprapanna Bhattacharya (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramprapanna_Bhattacharya),
Srimati Minakshi Majumdar(http://www.minaakshimajumdar.com/) ,
Srimati Koyel Bhattacharya (http://www.koyelbhattacharya.com/)
Sri Subhasish Banerjee (https://www.icpa.world/profile/details/1/368)
as well as the co-founder of Kala Sangam Prof Dr Geetha Upadhyaya OBE.


 
 

Curated by the director of Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music, T M Ahmed Kaysher (https://ahmedkaysher.wordpress.com/), the session entails visual interpretation of Ustad Bede Ghulam Ali’s immortal music through haunting dance performance by Sohini Roychowdhury Dasgupta.

The virtual session will start at 3pm (UK time), 7.30pm (India time) 8pm (Bangladesh time) and will be streaming live through Saudha Ghazal Thumri and Kheyal’s page and Saudha’s you tube page.
Facebook page:

 

https://www.facebook.com/Saudha-Ghazal-Thumri-Kheyal-Festival-UK-241389246293753

 

#Ghazal #Thumri #Kheyal #BedeGhulamAli #HindustaniClassical #IndianClassicalMusic #IndianMusic #Tansen #WorldMusic


Venue: From Apr 2, 2021 to Apr 2, 2021 in

Jibanananda Festival ((জীবনানন্দ উৎসব)

Through Facebook and Youtube

Wednesday to Thursday 17-18 February 2021 from 3pm to 8pm (UK time)

Facebook event link: Jibanananda Festival (জীবনানন্দ উৎসব) | Facebook

This is a festival of literature, music and dance that aims predominately to introduce the works of an iconic post-Tagorian Bengali poet of 20th century, Jibanananda Das, and it is going to be streaming live from Saudha’s Facebook and Youtube page on 17th and 18th February 2021 from 3pm to 8pm each day. Many prominent academicians, writers, spoken-word artists from all across the globe are joining to render profound re-interpretation of some of his major works for global audiences.

Being presided over by the vice-chancellor of Barisal university in Bangladesh Prof Md Sadequl Arefin, the inauguration session on Wednesday 17th February will feature a series of talks by the minister of education of Bangladesh Dr Dipu Moni, an acclaimed poet, essayist and professor of Bengali department at Kazi Nazrul University in India Jahar Sen Majumdar, a nephew of Jibanananda das and an author Amitananda Das, an award-winning poet, versatile writer and the director of Bangabandhu institute of comparative literature and culture of Jahangirnagar university, Prof Shamim Reza, the director of Jibanananda Das Research Centre of Barisal university Prof Muhasin Uddin.

The first-day of the festival will also bring a few more talks shedding a new light on Jibanananda’s works by an author and the director of Nazrul Centre of Kazi Nazrul university in India Prof Swati Guha, a prominent Bangladeshi critic, writer and a former professor of Dhaka university Dr Syed Manzoorul Islam, an award-winning poet and professor of Leeds Trinity university Oz Hardwick, a prominent theorist, poet and the former vice-chancellor of Assam University Prof Tapodhir Bhattacharjee, a versatile writer, critic and associate professor at Grand Valley State university in USA Azfar Hussain as well as an award-winning fiction-writer and a medical anthropologist at Sussex university in the UK Dr Shahaduz Zaman.

The first day of the festival will also witness a musical interpretation of Jibananada’s poetry by a classical vocalist from India Koyel Bhattacharya, Sarod player Subhaasish Banerjee, a talented semi-classical vocalist Amith Dey along with visual interpretation of Jibanananda’s poetry through dance by a Columbian Kathak dancer Jessica Correa, an Indian Kathak exponent Nayanika Ghosh Chowdhury. This also includes spoken-word performances by Schubert vocalist Erick Schelander, Poppy Shahnaz and Manash Chowdhury. An award-winning photographer Pablo Khaled and Nishat Afza will produce photographic interpretations of a few visually-rich poems.

The second day of the festival is opening up with a visual interpretation of poetry by an Indian Kathak exponent Sangita Chatterjee. An Indian Kathak dancer Ameera Patankar, a French-Indian Bharatnatyam Alissa Alibay will produce a few more visual dimensions through dance with the recitation of Jibanananda’s poetry by Erik Schelander. A leading Bengali painter Hiran Mitra will join and create an improvised interpretation in painting while Prof Jinia Roy will read a selection of Jibanananda’s haunting verses. A Leeds based poet and fiction writer Shree Ganguly, an Indian spoken-word artist Swapna Dey, a London-based poet Tanjina Nur-E Siddique and a South-end based elocutionist Manash Chowdhury will read a selection of Jibanananda’s major works.

A panel discussion on re-interpreting Jibanananda’s works will be presented by a notable academic and author Sumita Chakraborty, poet and playwright John Farndon, Peruvian poet and associate professor at University of Northern Colorado in the USA Enrique Bernales Albites, an acclaimed researcher and film-maker Gautam Mitra as well as a Bangladeshi poet and essayist Asma Chowdhury.

One of the leading Tagore singers and composer Sanjoy Dey as well as a popular versatile singer Laboni Barua will bring a few new musical compositions based on Jibanananda’s poetry.
The festival, shaping as one of the largest international events on Jibanananda’s literary works is coming live in collaboration with Leeds Trinity University, Jibanananda Das Research Centre of Barisal University, Bangabandhu Institute of Comparative Literature and Culture of Jahangirnagar University in Bangladesh Bengali department of Jadavpur University in India, the Gronthee and RadhaRaman Society.

The director of Saudha poet Ahmed Kaysher said “Saudha has introduced many revolutionary ideas and new perceptions of arts and music here in the West. The Jibananada festival will bring the works of, not only a major poet of Bengal but also one of the leading poets of the world, of 20th century for the global audiences.”

Poet Shamim Shahan, the editor of the Gronthee, said “The Gronthee is honoured to collaborate with Saudha for this unique and one of the largest festival that is devoted to research, re-read, re-interpret Jibanananda’s phenomenal works”

 The  facebook live streamming link:

Saudha Bangla Music Festival, UK | Facebook 

Venue: From Feb 17, 2021 to Feb 18, 2021 in Virtual platform

Letters to God

Directed by Ahmed Kaysher, Letters to God is a production of poetry, music and dance that showcases the artists’ own reflections on this difficult time through different art forms.

Produced in association with Poplar Union as part of its Outside in Arts Festival, the production features dialogue between the conscious and unconscious self, dialogue between man vs god as a way of redemption from the agonies of this time.

 

You tube link of the production: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7p-QZNnuB8




Translations: 
Translation of Padma Shri Dr Soma Ghosh's performance:

O lord! My lord!
Look at me with merciful eyes
Bestow your kindness on this earth
There is no one to give a hug
Or to come close
Where are those lovely words lost?
Your mercy is what I need the most...

Translation of the song at the end sung by Koyel Bhattacharya
The entire planet is wailing
O lord of planets
If your grace is so infinite
Why with tears of anguish the earth laments...

I'm not afraid of yama, infirmity or epidemic
Only if your grace is boundless
Give as much decay as you want
But give with love and affection in abundance...

 

 

Both of these translations are done by a spoken-word artist Shaheen Mitul.


Performers:
Sangita Chatterjee
Chandrimaa Roy
Shree Ganguly
Tanisha Chowdhury
Padma Shri Dr Soma Ghosh
Anayah Nirvana
Anvita Gupta
Niknaz Mirghalami
Srimati Koyel Bhattachary

Music:
Will Lawton (Anjali Mudra)
Sri Ramprapanna Bhattacharya

Editing and technical management:
Neel Malakar

Concept, direction and script:
T M Ahmed Kaysher

 

 

 

Venue: From Aug 29, 2020 to Jan 30, 2021 in You Tube Release

Letters to God

 

Venue: On in You Tube Release

Saudha's Classical Music event SOUND OF SOUL has been cancelled

Due to this pandemic of Corona Virus, Saudha has sadly cancelled its upcoming event of Indian classical music called SOUND OF SOUL in Leeds scheduled to happen at Moortown Methodist Church. 

The event was supposed to feature a trancendental session of Sorod recital by the great grandson of the legendary classical musician of Indian subcontinent Baba Alauddin Khan and the youngest member of Maihar Senya Gharana Shiraz Ali Khan with Tabla accompaniment by a notable Tabla virtuoso Yousuf Ali Khan. 

In addition, the photography exhibition in partnership with the Gronthee called Fading Footsteps of Colonial Calcutta has been postponed, too, which was meant to take place in Kobi Nazrul Centre, Brick Lane on 28 and 29 March. 

The director of Saudha, Ahmed Kaysher says "We are extremely sad to let all of our audience know that this Corona pandemic has left us in this unforseeable situation. Sadly music industry is now having the most adverse impact for this Corona and artists are at the starkest risk in relation to continue with their profession." 

"We are reviewing Saudha's upcoming events in April, too that include Re-Interpretation of Frida Kahlo Through Indian Classical  Music. We will follow national guideline to ensure the highest safety measures in place for our audience and artists. The announcement will be posted soon if we are in a position to postpone this". 

Venue: From Mar 15, 2020 to Apr 15, 2020 in Leeds

In coversation with Sorodia Dr Rajeeb Chakraborty

 

 

A highly acclaimed Sorod player of India and a senior music composer Dr  Rajeeb Chakraborty says in a very personal conversation with Saudha that he finds enormous pleasure when he plays for non-technical people. He says "My aim is to build up a heart-to-heart connection and that's perhaps the main philosophical objective of music. No musician intends to sit for test any more in front of some so called Pundits who are just focused into what you have deviated from the rule instead of the ambience of spirituality that a musician always perseveres to create".

In a very personal interview at Bolton on 6 March 2020, he says, "For the sake of the expansion of the network of Indian classical music, it has to come out of the circle of Pundits and connect the audience who perhaps doesn't have particular sense of technicalities but can measure the impact of certain sound and music in their hearts.

He continues, "There is nothing to create as new now-a-days in that sense. But still all musicians need to develop their own signature, otherwise they will go to oblivion. So I think we need to contemplate on our personal journey and personal experiences that we gain through many other things in our lives. And if this gets reflected in our music or whatever art form we produce , it has to be different, it will eventually mark a signature-line in everything we create, 

In praising immensely of his contemporary artist Ustad Rashid Khan, he says "I am ready to swap every academic skill, knowledge etc. or whatever I have achieved so far just with Rashid's (a god-gifted singer, according to him) meditative movement through notes and swaras. I would feel extremely lucky if I had been given that gift in my voice". 

Talking about commercial mindset of artists, Dr Rajeeb Chakraborty says  "All musicians are involved with number of charity activities as they are the most sensitive human-beings, Some of those activities may be short-visioned  but many musicians do things with  long term vision but a professional musician has his/her family to look after, too. And as I am growing older, as quite a senior musician now, I also have to  think about the young artists who are intending to take music as profession. If I, as a musician with this lenght of experience can be afforded without a moderate fee, the immediate impact will fall on the emerging young musicians, they will struggle to survive and may choose other profession instead of music, in the end.

An award-winniing photographer Pablo Khaled and Nishat Afza took part in this comversation along with the director of Saudha Ahmed Kaysher.  

Venue: From Mar 6, 2020 to Mar 30, 2020 in Bolton

Suicide, Self-Consciousness : Re-nterpretation of Poet Jibanananda Das

Sunday 23 February 2020 at 6pm in Rich Mix London (35 -47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA)
 
The event explores the life & works of a great Bengali poet Jibanananda Das through talks, reading, music and dance based on his compositions.


Jibanananda Das (1899–1954) is widely revered as the poet of melancholic nature of Bengal and the most remarkable poet of post-Tagore Bengali literature. "His oeuvre is unremittingly autobiographical, narrating desultory journeys into a vulnerable yet stoic, companionless life".

 

As part of the celebration of his 121st birthday of the poet, this event renders profound re-interpretation of some his major works in light of his contemporary world literature and philosophy by prominent academicians from Bangladesh and India through insightful talks.

 

Curated by poet Ahmed Kaysher, the event also will shed a new light on some of his phenomenal works and his suicidal nature through reading his works from English translation, presentation of unique music and dance based on his captivating lyrics. .

Hosted by Saudha in partnership with Kobi Kantha, the event features a prominent scholar of Bengali literature from India, former vice chancellor of Assam University Professor Dr Tapodhir Bhattacharjee, a Jibanananda researcher Dr Swapna Bhattacharjee and the chairman of Bengali literature of Dhaka University Professor Dr Bhismadeb Chouddhury.

Entirely new compositions based on Jibananda Das's moving lyrics will be performed by an extremely talented semi-classical singer Amith Dey, one of the best versatile Bengali singers here in the UK Srimati Gouri Choudhury and a prominent Tagore singer Sri Sanjoy Dey. and others

Visual interpretation of Jibanananda Das's haunting verses will be presented by Sharmishtha Pandit, Esha Chakravarty Bhattacharjee, Ishita Bhattacharya and other prominent classical dancers. .

 Ticket link: 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/suicide-self-consciousness-re-nterpretation-of-poet-jibanananda-das-tickets-90754835155?aff=ebdssbeac

 

 

Venue: From Feb 23, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020 in Rich Mix 35-47 Bethnal Green Road London E1 6LA

Re-interpretation of Frida Kahlo Through Indian Classical Music

Venue: Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London,E1 6LA

 Date and Time: Saturday 18 April 2020 at 7pm

A new interpretation of the melancholic world of Frida Kahlo through heart-hunting presentation of Indian classical music.

 

As part of Saudha's 8th anniversary and the celebration of its great journey in the promotion Indian classical music and other global art forms in the West, this 'first of its kind' event features a spectacular selection of extremely moving and melancholic painting of great Mexican surrealist painter Frida Kahlo through projection and then offers a new way of interpretation of those poignant pieces of art through visceral presentation of Indian classical music.

Curated by the director of Saudha poet Ahmed Kaysher, the event renders a supreme presentation of Indian classical music by the best of the genre (TBC) that decodes, complements, re-interprets and offer new meaning of the pieces of the ground-breaking painting.

 Ticket link: 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/re-interpretation-of-frida-kahlo-through-indian-classical-music-tickets-90950955757

 

 

Venue: From Apr 18, 2020 to Apr 18, 2020 in Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London,E1 6LA

Festival of devotion - The celebration of Guru Shishya Parampara

Friday, 19 July 2019 at 7.30pm

Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA

A unique festival that reveals the beauty of the spiritual relationship between Guru (teacher) and disciples in traditional Indian culture. Curated by Ahmed Kaysher, the session features the unique teaching of Kirana Gharana (school of Indian classical music) through talks and live engrossing performance of Hindustani classical music, dance and devitional verses of poetry from around the globe.

A not-to-be missed free event for all to discover the extra-ordinary teaching of devotion originated in ancient India and sublime performances of poetry, dance and Indian classical music.

For free ticket, please click below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-festival-of-devotion-the-celebration-of-guru-shishya-parampara-tickets-62256733566

 

 

 

Venue: From Jul 19, 2019 to Jul 19, 2019 in Rich Mix

Bangla Music Festival 2019

This unique festival and the highest qulity feastival of Bengali music outside India returning to London for the seventh year, showcases the splendour of Bangla Music and its spectacular latitude through mind blowing performances (with relevant translation wherever necessary) by the best of Britain.

The festival features the evolution of Bangla music (evolved approximately at 730 AC) from Charjya-Pod, folk, Kirton, Toppa, Poncho-Kobi (Tagore,D.L Roy, Atul Prasad, Rajanikanto and Nazrul) to Modern Bangla music. The leading singers around the UK from West-Bengal and Bangladeshi origin will exude the treasure and the glorious journey of Bangla music.

The event is supported by the London borough of Tower Hamlets.

 

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - Poplar Union

Poplar Union, 2 Cotall Street, London E14 6TL

21 September 2019 at 7.30pm

As part of saudha's Bangla music Festival, returning to London for seventh year this year, the session at Poplar Union is bringing divine, acred recital of Tagore and other semi-classical music that includes Poncho Kobi, Nidhu Babu, Sridhar Kathak etc.

Tagore and lyrics from Poncho kobi will be performed by a Tagore singer in the UK, Dr Imtiaz Ahmed. Lyrics of Nazrul and other semi-classical Bengali music are being performed by a critically acclaimed semi-classical singer Rikta Mukherjee.

T M Ahmed Kaysher will present the show, with translation and a brief introduction on the history and background of this sublime form of world music.

Ticket link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saudha-bangla-music-festival-poplar-union-tickets-62933272111

 

Saudha Bangla Music Festival - Rich Mix

Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA

29 September 2019 at 6pm

Explore the masterely, devine presentation of Bengali Music by a UK based Hindustani classical singer Srimati Chandra Chakraborty. 

T M Ahmed Kaysher will present the show, with translation and a brief introduction on the history and background of this sublime form of world music.

 Ticket link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saudha-bangla-music-festival-rich-mix-tickets-63222147144?aff=ebapi

 

 Saudha Bangla Music Festival -  Fight in Verse (কবির লড়াই)

Kobi Nazrul centre, 30 Hanbury Street, London E1 6QR

 Saturday, 12 October 2019 at 730pm

As part of saudha's Bangla music Festival, returning to London for seventh year this year, the session at Kobi Nazrul Centre will bring a lost tradition of unique genre of Bengali music, used to be peformed whole night under the benyan tree in rural Bengal.

The genre of music usually features poetic discourse between two versifiers on different themes with singing and talk in verses.

Narrated in English, the session at Kobi Nazrul centre will take you to the rustic yard of Bengal under the benyan tree and will give a unique experience of haunting music, humorous talks in verses and indepth knowldge through debate in verses and music on a metaphysical theme.

Ticket link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saudha-bangla-music-festival-fight-in-verse-tickets-63235919337

 

 

 

Venue: From Sep 21, 2019 to Oct 12, 2019 in Different venues around London

Saraswati Puja - The Celebration of Spiritual Joy

 

1 February, Saturday 2020 at 5pm

 

 

Saudha (www.saudha.org) celebrates this auspicious moments of worship for the goddess of arts and knowledge Devi Saraswati for the fifth year through the captivating sessions of poetry, dazzling dance and devotional music (both classical and semi-classical) by a selection of prominent singers and musicians.

 

 

 

Light dinner/prasad will be served after the event. 

 

 

 Free ticket link:

Ticket link: 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saraswati-puja-in-wimbledon-the-celebration-of-spiritual-joy-and-happiness-tickets-50804937937

 

 

 

Venue: From Feb 1, 2019 to Feb 1, 2019 in Merton Arts Space, Wimbledon Library, Compton Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 7QA,

A Tribute to the Thumri Queen Srimati Girija Devi

 

Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London E1 6LA

Saturday 15 December at 7.30pm

 

The concert features a hypnotic and world-class presentation of Indian classical music  by a UK based classical singer  Chandra Chakraborty. She will be accompanied on Violin  by Sri Kalamlbir Nandra,on Tabla by Sri Gurdian Rayatt (https://www.gurdain.com/) and Sri Dr Siddartha Kargupt on Harmonium.  

  

Venue: From Dec 15, 2018 to Dec 15, 2018 in Rich Mix, London

Of Fire and Shadows: Sarod recital by Sri Indrayudh Majumdar

 

Wimbledon Library, 29 June 2018 at 7.30pm

 

Saudha (www.saudha.org) presents this breath-taking divine moments of love, fire and shadows through a hypnotic recital of Sarod by the son of the legendary Sarod maestro Pt Tejendranarayan Majumdar, a gifted interpreter of Indian classical instrumental music and one the brightest youngster of Sarod in India Sri Indrayuddh Majumdar. 
Indrayuddh will be accompanied on Tabla by an emerging star of Tabla Sri Aniruddha Mukherjee.
“Indrayuddh has got an impeccable sense of melody and his performance was very promising,“ Tabla maestro Shankar Ghosh 

For ticket,please click the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/of-fire-and-shadows-sarod-recital-by-sri-indrayudh-majumdar-tickets-46209856926 

Venue: From Jun 29, 2018 to Jun 29, 2018 in Wimbledon Library, 35 Wimbledon Hill Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 7NB

The Festival of Devotion - Guru Shishya Parampara

This unique festival reveals the beauty of the spiritual relationship between Guru (teacher) and disciples in traditional Indian culture. The session features the unique teaching of Kirana Gharana (school of Indian classical music) through talks and live post-modern performance of Hindustani classical music through the theatrical presentation of the tumultuous life of Thumri Maestro Badi Moti Bai by a UK based classical singer Chandra Chakraborty and her disciples. The performance will be accompanied by Sri Kamalbir Singh on violin, Sri Sunil Jadhav on keyboard and Aniruddha Mukherjee on Tabla.

The event features serene poetry and dazzling dance performance, too.

 

Free entry with free light snacks.

Wimbledon Library, 28 July 2018 at 6.30pm.
Please click on the link below for free ticket:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-festival-of-devotion-guru-shishya-parampara-tickets-44717178284

Venue: From Jul 28, 2018 to Jul 28, 2018 in 35 Wimbledon Hill Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 7NB

Pala Gaan (Bengali Opera) : Swadhin Bangla

As part of the celebration of the independence of Bangladesh, this Pala Gaan called Swadhin Bangla, renders a unique story-telling on the history of the emergence of Bangladesh in both theatrical and musical presentation connecting myth, rituals, folk music as well as the popular songs of Swadhin Bangla Betar.

In partnership with RadhaRaman Society, this Free unique theatro-musical session starts at 6.30pm and  features Amalendu Shekhar Podder on Harmonium, Narayan Dey on Dhol, Geetikar Dilaur Rahman Mujib on Dugdugi and vocal support. Sajjad Miah on vocal support, Sohel Ahmed on folk dance and acting etc.

The event is starting at 6.30pm.

Scripted and directed by T M Ahmed Kaysher, this rare, powerful form of world music and ancient form of rural theatre will take you straight to a boorish yard under a Banyan tree in the rural village of Bengal where these special genre of story based music are performed; Ideally from the late dusk to dawn with lots of lantern around the braches of the tree.

Free Ticket Link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pala-gaan-bengali-opera-swadhin-bangla-tickets-41271428955?aff=erelpanelorg

Venue: From Mar 25, 2018 to Mar 25, 2018 in Poplar Union, 2 Cotall Street, London E14 6TL

Echoes of Silence - Sounds of an Unquiet Mind

 

The performances, as part of the event Sounds of an Unquiet Mind - celebrating mental health through music, art and spoken word, - features a unique presentation of Kheyal - a popular genre of Indian classical music to potray the free-play of human thoughts, improvised  state of the restless imagination in mind through musical notes as in ascending and descending, instant permutation -combination of  different notes to express various human emotion by a UK based classical singer  Chandra Chakraborty. She will be accompanied by Dr Siddartha Kargupta on Harmonium, Aniruddha Mukherjee on Tabla, Alice Barron on violin and Eric Schelander on Western Trabadour - that, as a whole intensify the mood and the meaning of music.  

The event also offers performances by London Philharmonic Choir and City of London Harmonia along with spoken word performances by a selection of prominent poets.

 

The event is starting at 7pm.

Ticket Link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sounds-of-an-unquiet-mind-tickets-43131961859

 

Venue: From Apr 21, 2018 to Apr 21, 2018 in People's Palace, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, E1 4NS

Baul and Vaishnav Music Festival

A free entry festival of two powerful genres of world music is returning to London for fourth year.

The festival, in partnership with RadhaRaman Society, features the ecstatic performances of Bengali Baul & Vaishnav music by number of Baul and Vaishnav groups and prominent performers from home and abroad (two leading Bauls Baul Tuntun Shaiji and Baul Mokoddus Alom Udashi upon visa confirmation), along with the screening of short films, brief discussion on these two major philosophical movement of Indian sub-continent that evolved from Hindu and Muslim (Sufi) faith and had shaken the music, literature, art of the whole region.

The event is supported by London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

28 April 2018 at 6.30pm
The Poplar Union, 2 Cotall Street, London E14 6TL

Free Ticket link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/baul-and-vaishnav-music-festival-poplar-union-tickets-41573514501?aff=erelpanelorg

29 April 2018 at 6.30pm
Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA

Free Ticket link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/baul-and-vaishnav-music-festival-rich-mix-tickets-41573551612?aff=erelpanelorg

4 May 2018 at 6.30pm
The Nehru Centre, 8 South Audley Street, London, W1K 1HF

Free Ticket Link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/baul-and-vaishnav-music-festival-nehru-centre-tickets-41573625834?aff=erellivmlt

5 May 2018 at 6.30pm
Kobi Nazrul Centre, 30 Hanbury Street, London E1 6QR

Free Ticket Link:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/baul-and-vaishnav-music-festival-kobi-nazrul-centre-tickets-40893690128

Venue: From Jan 28, 2018 to May 5, 2018 in Poplar Union, Rich Mix, Nehru Centre and Kazi Nazrul Centre

Discover Poplar

As part of Saudha's Bangla Music Festival, this session in partnership with Poplar Union's Dissover Poplar, presents a hypnotic and breath-taking performance of Bengali/Indian classical music bya UK based singer Chandra Chakraborty. An acclaimed Tabla player Saleel Tambe will be on Tabla accompaniment and Dr Siddartha Kargupta will be on Harmonium.

 

Saudha's session starts at 3.35pm.

 

Please find the link below:

https://poplarunion.com/just-announced/

Venue: From Sep 3, 2017 to Sep 3, 2017 in Poplar Union, 2 Cotall Street, Poplar, London E14 6TL

Sarswati Puja 2018: Celebration of Joy and Happiness

Saudha (www.saudha.org) celebrates this auspicious moments of worship for the goddess of arts and knowledge Devi Sarswati through the captivating sessions of poetry by the local Merton poets, dance and devotional music (both classical and semi-classical) by a selection of prominent singers and musicians.

 

The event will strat at 4.30pm and dinner will be served after performances.

Free ticket link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saraswati-puja-2018-in-wimbledon-celebration-of-joy-and-happiness-tickets-40180749704

 

 

Venue: On Jan 27, 2018 in Wimbledon Library, 35 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7NB

Bangla Music Festival

This unique three-month long festival, returning to London for the fifth year, showcases the splendour of Bangla Music and its spectacular latitude through mind blowing performances (with relevant translation wherever necessary) by the best of Britain. 

The festival features the evolution of Bangla music (evolved approximately at 730 AC) from Charjya-Pod, folk, Kirton, Toppa, Poncho-Kobi (Tagore,D.L Roy, Atul Prasad, Rajanikanto and Najrul) to Modern Bangla music. The leading singers around the UK from West-Bengal and Bangladeshi origin will exude the treasure and the glorious journey of Bangla music. 

The festival is supported by London Borough of Tower Hamlets, Keats House, Rich Mix, Poplar Union.

 

08 September 2017 at 7pm ||Keats House, 10 Keats Grove, London, NW3 2RR

The session in Keats House features a session of Bengali classical music by a UK based singer Chandra Chakraborty with the recitation of the poetry of Keats that both interpret and complement the mood of the remedial music.

Entry: £10

Ticket link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-keats-house-tickets-35382373632

 

 

16 September 2017 at 6.30pm || Brady Arts Centre, 192-196 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5HU

This session of the festival showcases the rich tradition of Bengali Folk Music by a versatile vocalist Sanjoy Dey, chart-topper popular singer Sahana Bajpaie and Sufi Amir Mohammed.

Entry: £5

Ticket Link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-brady-arts-centre-tickets-35400193933

 

24 September 2017 at 6pm||Rich Mix, 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA

This session features the evolution of Bangla music (evolved approximately at 730 AC) from Charjya-Pod, folk, Kirton, Toppa, Poncho-Kobi (Tagore,D.L Roy, Atul Prasad, Rajanikanto and Najrul) to Modern Bangla music. The leading singers around the UK from West-Bengal and Bangladeshi origin will exude the treasure and the glorious journey of Bangla music.

Entry: Free

Ticket Link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-rich-mix-tickets-35401188909

 

30 September 2017 at 6.30pm || Kobi Nazrul Centre, 30 Hanbury Street, London, E1 6QR

This session showcases a haunting performance of the compositions of Tagore and his contemporaries (Poncho-Kobi) by a prominent Tagore singer Ashim Dutta and a national champion of Rabindra-Sangeet (Bangladesh) Shemonty Monjari.

Entry: £5

Ticket link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-tagore-and-his-contemporaries-tickets-35401915081

 

7 October 2017 at 6.30pm || Poplar Union, 2 Cotall Street, London, E14 6TL

The session features a mesmerising thetro-misical presentation of a popular Bangla Pala Gaan (Bengali Folk Ballad) Madhumala & Madankumar along with a solo session of divotional folk music by the top Bengali folk singer in UK Gouri Chowdhury.

Entry: Free

Ticket Link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-poplar-union-tickets-35403438638 

12 October 2017 at 3pm|| Sir Attlee Room, Portcullis House, the House of Commons, Bridge Street, London, SW1A 2LW

 This session of the festival, hosted by Fabian Hamilton MP, showcases a glimpse of Bengali classical and semi-classical by a UK based voalist Chandra Chakraborty, folk music by Sufi Amir Mohammed, recital from Tagore by a Tagore singer Imtiaz Ahmed. The session celebrates the achievement of Saudha through talks by MPs, musicologists, and relevant artistic partners.

Entry: Free

Ticket link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-the-house-of-commons-tickets-37334635901

 

14 October 2017 at 6.30pm || Poplar Union, 2 Cotall Street, London, E14 6TL

This session of the festival showcases a facinating presentation of Bangla music researched, performed and anchored by the young talented Bengali diaspora in London who are successfully carrying on the legacy of this great form of world music forward.

Entry: Free

Ticket link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-children-session-tickets-36635706384

21 October 2017 at 6.30pm || Kobi Nazrul Centre, 30 Hanbury Street, London, E1 6QR

This session of the festival showcases the rich tradition of Bengali semi-classical music e.g. Bangla Ghazal, Dadra, Thumri Kajri etc. by a versatile interpreter of these genres and a prominent singer Farzana Sifat.

Entry: £5

Ticket link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-nazrul-centre-tickets-36635407490 

 

 4 Novmber 2017 at 6.30pm|| Merton Arts Space, Wimbledon Library, Compton Road, , London, SW19 7QA

This session features Bengali semi-classical and modern music by one of the finest Indian classical vocalists Chiranjib Chakraborty, the one who has been honoured recently as a 'Fellow' in Indian Vocal Music (FTCL) by the prestigious Trinity College of London (http://www.chiranjibmusic.com/). 

Entry: £10

Ticket link: 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-wimbledon-library-tickets-35404865907

 

5 November 2017 at 6pm || Seven Arts Theatre Hall, 31A Harrogate Road, Leeds, LS7 3PD 

This session features a double bill presentation of haunting performance of Bengali semi-classical and modern Bengali songs by a prominent and a versatile vocalist in UK Sumana Basu.and Tagore compositions a highly talented Tagore singer, the one who was born and raised in the North (Manchester) Rishi Banerjee. 

Entry: £10

Ticket link: 

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-seven-arts-leeds-tickets-36598818050 

 

Venue: From Sep 8, 2017 to Nov 30, 2017 in Different venues that include Keats House, Rich Mix, Poplar Union and other major art venues in London

Melodies From Tagore: Love and Loneliness

 

An extra ordinary event of #Tagore's (the first Nobel laureate in literature from the East ) mystic melodies that portrays his sacred, serene and spiritual universe and renders a unique post-modern and philosophical redefinition of both #love and #Loneliness.

The evening will showcase a solo recital by a UK based Tagore singer Dr. Imtiaz Ahmed.

A prominent

​#​Schubert and
​#​Troubadour vocalist Eric Schleander, extremely talented saxophonist George Sleightholme and a gifted violinist Alice Baron will accompany Imtiaz while they will blend and offer their own interpretation of Tagore, too, through new musical oeuvre.

 

The door opens at 6.45pm and ends at 9.30pm


Ticket: £10

For ticket, please follow the link below:

https://poplarunion.com/event/saudha-presents-melodies-from-tagore-love-loneliness/

 

Venue: From Jul 8, 2017 to Jul 8, 2017 in Poplar Union, 2 Cotall Street, E14 6TL London.

Ghazal, Thumri and Kheyal Festival

 

A critically acclaimed, extra-ordinary and exotic festival of hypnotic Indian classical music performed by the best of Britain, - is returning to London for third time. The festival offers breathtaking, world-class performances of the extremely musically exuberant, magical and enrapturing genres of Pan-Indian (India as a sub-continent) classical and highly popular semi-classical music.


17/03/2017 Wimbledon Library, 35 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7NB
19.20 Door opens

19.30 Solo Carnatic violin recital by Balu Raghuraman with violin support by Aditya Venugopal and Mridangham accmpaniment by M Balachandar. ('A soothing therapy for distressed emotions' - DECCAN HERALD)

20.30 Break (Dinner is available to buy)

20.45 Solo vocal recital of Ghazal and Thumri along with brief Sitar recital by Mehboob Nadeem with keyboard accompaniment by Sunil Jadhav, Tabla accompaniment by Saleel Tambe. ('Endowed with rich, melodious and sonorous voice' - AMC; 'Mehboob Nadeem played throughout with amazing virtiuosity and intensity' - Blues in London Review)

Entry: £10


18/3/2017 Wimbledon Library, 35 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7NB

18.50 Door opens

19.00 Solo vocal recital of Thumri and Kheyal by Chandra Chakraborty ('The most sought-after, hypnotic Hindustani vocalist in UK', -BBC Radio; Gold medalist by All India Radio, National Scholar, Ex-scholar of SRA) with Tabla accompaniment by Hiren Chate and Harmonium accomaniment by Rekesh Chauhan. The performance includes an experimental fusion with an eminent jazz music group Iyatra.

8.20 Break (Dinner is available to buy)

8.30 Solo Cello recital by Anup Kumar Biswas ('A cellist of great sinsitivity and feeling, -The Strad; the best cellist from Indian classical music origin and regular performer of BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Royal Albert Hall etc.) with Tabla accompaniment by Hiren Chate)

Entry: £10


19/03/2017 Raynes Park Library Hall, Approach Road, Raynes Park, SW20 8BA

18.10 Door opens !8.30 Intellectual talk and discussion on Indian classical music by the practitioners, academicians and performers.
Entry: Free

Tickets can be purchased via eventbrite, reserved over the phone and will be available by the door, too.

Link for the ticket:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ghazal-thumri-and-kheyal-festival-tickets-31777562545

 

 

Venue: From Mar 17, 2017 to Mar 19, 2017 in Merton Arts Space, Wimbledon Library and Raynes Park Library hall

Sarswati Puja: The Celebration of Joy and Happiness

 

Saudha (www.saudha.org) celebrates this auspicious moments of worship for the goddess of arts and knowledge Devi Saraswati through the captivating sessions of poetry by the local Merton Poets, dance and devotional music (both classical and semi-classical) by a selection of prominent singers and musicians.

 

6.00pm Puja and rituals of worships

7.00pm: Poetry performance

7.30pm: Classical dance

7.45pm: Break

8.00pm: Classical and Semi-Classical Music

9.45pm: Dinner

 

Free Entry

Venue: From Feb 1, 2017 to Feb 1, 2017 in Merton Art Space, Wimbledon Library,35 Wimbledon Hill Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 7N

An evening of Film, Indo-Iranian Music and Poetry

An exceptional event of serene Indo-Iranian music and poetry by the best of Britain in support of unique films being made on Women's right issues by one of the extraordinary voices from Iranian background at the scene of world cinema -Hossein Martin Fazeli. The event will proudly feature a profound talk by the internationally acclaimed, more than 39 prestigious award-winning film maker Hossein Martin Fazeli. He will talk on the discourse of film activism and women's rights along with the screening of one of his never-seen-before documentaries as well as segments from a few other films.

The event offers presentation of Indian classical music by a UK based singer Chandra Chakraborty with Aniruddha Mukherjee (Tabla), Erik Schelander (poetry and Troubadour interpretation) and Dr Siddhartha Kargupta (Harmonium).

The event includes stupendious traditional Persian music by Gitti Khosravi and Kaveh Bahrami with a play perfomance by Behrouz Behnizad. Three well-known Iranian poets Esmail Khoie, Iraj Jannat Atayi and Jamshid Berzigner will recite the haunting verses of their poems in between music, talk and screening.

The event will start at 5pm.

Ticket £10

Venue: From Jul 31, 2016 to Jul 31, 2016 in Wimbledon Library

Bangla Music Festival

This three months-long unique festival (চতুর্থ বাংলা সঙ্গীত উৎসব), returning to different prestigious venues of London (e.g. Keats House, Rich Mix, Nehru Centre etc.) for the fourth times, showcases the splendour of Bangla Music and its spectacular latitude through mind blowing performances (with relevant translation wherever necessary). It features the evolution of Bangla music (evolved approximately at 730 AC) from Charjya-Pod, folk, Kirton, Toppa, Poncho-Kobi (Tagore,D.L Roy, Atul Prasad, Rajanikanto and Najrul) to Bangla Adhunik (Salil, Manna, Sochin and all other doyens and legendary composers of Bangla music). 

 

The link for the preview in Asian Culture vulture:

http://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/saudha-melody-love-shadows-comes-london-music-poetry-group-look-ahead-europe-javanese-gamelan/

Please find the  venue and the dates of the perforamnce sessions below: 

Bangla Music Festival || Looking for Child Prodigy
Kobi Nazrul Centre - 30 Hanbury Street, London, E1 6QR
3 and 10 September at 12 (noon)
Entry: Free
For booking and more information:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-searching-for-child-prodigy-tickets-26265073542 

 

Bangla Music Festival || House of Commons

Wilson Room at Portcules House, London SW1 A2

15 September 2016 at 3pm

Free Entry

For booking and more information:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-house-of-commons-tickets-26710552983

 

Bangla Music Festival || Keats House
Keats House - London, NW3
24 September 2016 at 7pm
Ticket: £10
For booking and more information:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-keats-house-tickets-26262466745  

 

Bangla Music Festival || Rich Mix
Rich Mix - 35-47 Bethnal Green Road, London, E1 6LA
25 September 2016 at 6pm
Entry Free
For booking and more information:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-rich-mix-tickets-26262520907  

 

Bangla Music Festival || Town House || Discussion
Town House Antiques - 5 Fournier Street, E1 6QE
14 October 2016 at 6pm
Entry Free
For booking and more information:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-town-house-discussion-tickets-26265656285  

 

Bangla Music Festival || The Water Poet
The Water Poet - 9-11 Folgate Street, Spitalfields, E1 6BX
15 October 2016 at 6pm
Ticket £5
For regestration and more information:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-the-water-poet-tickets-26267713438

 

Bangla Music Festival || Brady Arts Centre
Brady Arts & Community Centre - 192-196 Hanbury Street, London, E1 5HU
29 October 2016 at 6pm
Entry £5

 

Bangla Music Festival || Wimbledon Performing Space

Wimbledon Library, 35 Wimbledon Hill Road, SW19 7NB

5 November 2016 at 6pm

Entry £10

For registration and more information:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-wimbledon-performing-space-tickets-26289511637 

 

Bangla Music Festival || Bengali Theatre & Music || Talk and Musical recitation

Kobi Kazi Nazrul Centre 30 Hanbury Street, London E1 6QR

20 November 2016 at 7.30pm

For registration and detail information:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-theatre-and-music-tickets-27313855477

 

Venue: From Sep 3, 2016 to Nov 20, 2016 in Different venues that include Keats House, Rich Mix, Nehru Centre and other major art venues in London

Melody of Love and Shadows-Edinburgh Fringe and other venues

Saudha, Society Of Poetry and Indian Music: 'one of the prominent Indian classical music promoters in the country' (BBC Radio), offers this two-day appearance in Fringe Festival with a hypnotic and 'breath-taking' presentation ('Rhapsody of Soul' -Guardian|| 'Seraphic ecstacy of Indian Raaga Music'- Yorkshire Reporter) of Indian classical music by a UK based vocalist vocalist Chandra Chakraborty and critically acclaimed, prominent accompanying artists like Baluji Shrivastav OBE (Sitar) Kamalbir Nandra (violin), Chiranjit Mukherjee (tabla) and Showmi Das (Kathak). This is seamlessly mingled with French, medieval, romantic troubadour music and haunting verses of world poetry in English by actor and Schubert vocalist Erik Schelander, to interpret and intensify the profound mood of the transcendental music.

The event will be curated by T M Ahmed Kaysher.
Promo for the event:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07UHLafh2LU

 

The link for the preview in Asian Culture vulture:

http://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/saudha-melody-love-shadows-comes-london-music-poetry-group-look-ahead-europe-javanese-gamelan/

Melody of Love and Shadows || Edinburgh Fringe

Acoustic Music Centre at St Bride's - 10 Orwell Terrace, Edinburgh, EH11 2DZ
20 August at 3pm and 21 August at 1.30pm
Ticket £10
For booking and more information:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/melody-of-love-and-shadows-edinburgh-fringe-tickets-25104959610

 

Melody of Love and Shadows || Wimbledon Perofrmaning Space

Wimbledon Library - Wimbledon Hill Road, London, SW19 7NB
27 August 2016 at 7pm
Ticket £12 and £10
For regestration and more information:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/melody-of-love-and-shadows-wimbledon-performing-space-tickets-25105333729

 

Melody of Love and Shadows || Nehru Centre

The Nehru Centre - 8 South Audley Street, London, W1K 1HF
7 October 2016 at 6.30pm

After having world premiere at Edinburgh Fringe this year and critically acclaimed by number of musicologists, prominent media, Saudha, Society of Poetry and Indian Music: 'one of the prominent Indian classical music promoters in the country' (BBC Radio), offers a hypnotic and 'breath-taking' presentation ('Rhapsody of Soul' -Guardian|| 'Seraphic ecstasy of Indian Raaga Music'- Yorkshire Reporter) of Indian classical music in this unique production.

Performance will be led by a UK based classical singer Chandra Chakraborty (www.ChandraChakraborty.info), and accompanied by critically acclaimed, prominent accompanying artists like Pandit Sanju Sahai (http://www.sanjusahai.com/ ) on Tabla, Rekesh Chouhan (http://www.rekeshchauhan.com/ ) on Harmonium and Jaymini Sahai(Kathak). The Indian classical music is then, seamlessly mingled with French, medieval, romantic troubadour music and haunting verses of world poetry in English by actor and Schubert vocalist Erik Schelander, to interpret and intensify the profound mood of the transcendental music.

The event will be curated by T M Ahmed Kaysher.

 
For regestration and more information:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/melody-of-love-and-shadows-nehru-centre-tickets-26265047464

 

Melody of Love and Shadows || City University Hall

City University London -Performance Space

College Building

St John Street

London

EC1V 4PB

United Kingdom

 15 November 2016 at 7pm

After having world premiere at Edinburgh Fringe this year and critically acclaimed by number of musicologists, prominent media, Saudha, Society of Poetry and Indian Music: 'one of the prominent Indian classical music promoters in the country' (BBC Radio), offers a hypnotic and 'breath-taking' presentation ('Rhapsody of Soul' -Guardian|| 'Seraphic ecstasy of Indian Raaga Music'- Yorkshire Reporter) of Indian classical music in this unique production.

Performance will be led bya UK based vocalist Chandra Chakraborty (www.ChandraChakraborty.info), and accompanied by critically acclaimed, prominent accompanying artists like Pandit Sanju Sahai (http://www.sanjusahai.com/ ) on Tabla, Rekesh Chouhan (http://www.rekeshchauhan.com/ ) on Harmonium and Jaymini Sahai(Kathak). The Indian classical music is then, seamlessly mingled with French, medieval, romantic troubadour music and haunting verses of world poetry in English by actor and Schubert vocalist Erik Schelander, to interpret and intensify the profound mood of the transcendental music.

The event will be curated by T M Ahmed Kaysher.


For regestration and more information:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/melody-of-love-and-shadows-london-city-university-hall-tickets-26264883975

Venue: From Aug 20, 2016 to Feb 2, 2017 in Edinburgh and different venues in London

Ghazal, Thumri and Kheyal Festival

Saudha, Society of Poetry and Indian Music presents this unique and exotic festival that offers hypnotic performances of the extremely musically exuberant, magical and enrapturing genres of Pan-Indian (India as a sub-continent) classical and highly popular semi-classical music.

Performance on 05/03/2016:

Raynes Park Library (23 Approach Rd, London SW20 8BA) hosts the first day of the festival on 5 March 2016. The door will open at 6pm. The first day features prominent Carnatac vocalist, musicologist Smt Manorama Prasad who will be accompanied by critically acclaimed musicians Sri Balu Raguraman on violin and Sri M Balachandar on Mridangam as well as notable Thumri singer of Benaras Gharana Dr Aswin Kalbag.

Smt Manoroma Prasad came from a a well known family of musicians in Bangalore. Combining performance across the UK and for the... BBC with her work as a musicologist at a number of universities and schools including Cambridge, SOAS and Trinity School of Music, Smt Prasad says "music gives me a lot of pleasure and sometimes I wonder where has all this come from".

Dr Aswin Kalbag is the desciple of the maestro of Benaras Pandit Chhannulal Mishra. Apart from singing in extremely mellifluous voice, Dr Kalbag is also engaged in in-depth research on different faculties of Thumri along with collecting them from every possible source. Ticket for this session: £10 & £8 (concession for pensioner and child)

Fot tickets please visit the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ghazal-thumri-and-kheyal-festival-smt-manorama-prasad-and-dr-ashwin-kelbag-5th-march-tickets-20072868490

Performance on 12/03/2016:

Second day of the festival will happen at Morden Assembly Hall (Tudor Drive, Morden, SM4 4PJ) on 12 March 2015. The door will open at 6.30pm.

This session presents an experimental blend of Kheyal, Thumri and Ghazal with visually colourful Kathak and seamlessly melded recitation of the verses from traditional both oriental and occedental poets like Lorca, Hafiz Tagore, Shelly, that connotes the mode of the profound music. This hypnotic ormance will be led by a UK based singer Chandra Chakraborty and will be accompanied by the Tabla Maestro Sanju Sahai and a critically acclaimed musician Rekesh Chauhan on Harmonium, Schubert vocalist Erik Schelander (recitation) and a Kathak dancer of that artistic level.

Chandra Chakraborty is one of the finest North Indian vocalists and disciple of Late maestro Pandit A Kanan, Smt Malabika Kanan and currently exploring the exuberant source of Thumri and the techniques of Benaras Gharana under the tutelage of Vidushi Girija Devi Padma Vushan. Chandra has been performing since the age of 6. She is a National Scholar, Gold Medallist and ex-scholar of famous Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata. Chandra has performed almost all over the world including South Africa and Pakistan. She was the principle vocal teacher of Indian Consulate, Johannesburg and a lecturer of Witwatersrand University, South Africa. http://www.chandrachakraborty.info/ for detail)

Ticket for this session: £10 & £8 (concession for pensioner and child)

For tickets of this event, please visit the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ghazal-thumri-and-kheyal-festival-chandra-chakraborty-tickets-20072989853

Performance on 13/03/16:

Rich Mix (35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 6LA) will host the finale of the festival that features two leading classical performers of Indian classical music Roopa Panesar (Sitarist) and Sanhita Nandi (vocalist).

The door will open at 6.30pm.

Smt Sanhita Nandi is one of the most acclaimed artists of Hindustani Classical Vocal of current times. She presents herself as a representative exponent of Kirana Gharana.

Smt Sanhita was groomed by Late Pandit A. Kanan, the senior most gurus of the ITC Sangeet Research Academy,Kolkata. She got added exposure under Pandit Vinayak Torvi for few years. After years of practice, and under the profound influence of Gharana maestros, she assimilated the distinctive features of the Kirana Gharana. To further enrich the aesthetic improvisation of the Kirana Lineage and traditional compositions, Sanhita came under the advanced tutelage of Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan and continues to hone her fine musical skills under him. Sanhita Nandi is currently based in New Jersey (USA) and New Delhi (India) and performs frequently in India and abroad at all the prime music festivals and concerts. She has received great recognition and reviews on her mastery over the delivery of pitch, tonal precision, use of microtones and tone-fragments, the main characterization of Kirana Gharana. (http://sanhitanandi.com/ for detail).

Roopa Panesar is one of the finest Sitar players to emerge on the Indian music scene in the UK. She has been receiving accolades from audiences and peers alike for her outstanding ability and quality of music. Her soulful and unique style of playing has left her listeners captivated in true sense. With the incredible emotional depth of her sound, she has touched the hearts of audiences far and wide and received blessings from many eminent musicians in the world of Indian classical music. Roopa has also been teaching the sitar for a number of years and is involved in numerous projects to inspire and educate the next generation of Indian classical musicians. As well as being deeply rooted in the classical tradition, Roopa has collaborated with musicians from different genres such as Mercury Prize Winner, Talvin Singh, Laura Wright and Dirk Brosse to name a few. Roopa has toured extensively in UK, Europe and USA performing at prestigious venues and released her debut album ‘Khoj’ in 2011. (http://www.roopapanesar.com/about.htm for detail).

Accompanying artists:

Sanju Sahai is currently one of the finest and most sought after Tabla players of his generation. Belonging to the Benares Gharana (lineage) and being the 6th generation of Tabla players in the lineage, he began playing at an early age. A phenomenal and outstanding Tabla player, he is well known for mesmerising and captivating his audience with his power, virtuosity and complete spontaneity. (http://www.sanjusahai.com/ for detail).

Rekesh Chauhan, accompanying Harmonium is a Pianist, Guitarist, Songwriter, Recording artist, Producer, Composer and for every other medium imaginable, his sound is truly a testament for tomorrow’s style. His music and style defines the reverberation amongst the new generation of listeners of contemporary world music as his music amalgamates both Western and Indian styles. (http://www.rekeshchauhan.com/bio.html for detail).

Ticket for this session: £12 & £10 (concession for pensioner and child).

For tockets of this event, plese visit the link below:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ghazal-thumri-and-kheyal-festival-smt-sanhita-nandi-and-roopa-panesar-tickets-20073060063

The festival also entails two free workshops on Indian classical music as therapy (which will cover significant length and breadth of Indian classical music as a form of art and as a way of therapy with in-depth discussion and demonstration) at Wimbledon library (Wimbledon Hill Rd, London SW19 7NB) on 28 February 2016 at 5pm and 3 March 2016 at 3pm.(Please book your place in the library in advance to avoid frustration). This is event is supported by London Borough of Merton Council.

Please contact Pushpita Gupta on 07737828922 for detail.

Venue: From Mar 5, 2016 to Mar 13, 2016 in Various London Venues

Sound of Solitude (Part of Alchemy at Southbank)

AlchemyThe event, as part of the Alchemy at Southbank Centre, offers a hypnotic glimpse of violin-solo by one of the leading violinists Kamalbir Nandra and Kheyal recital by Dr Priya Bhagwat, a very emerging classical singer and an advance disciple of Chandra Chakraborty. Both of the performances will be accompanied by the critically acclaimed Tabla player Yousuf Ali Khan. A short piece of piano composition by Niloy Amin and Greek as well as English poetry recitation by Despina Christodoulou are set to interpret the mood of the classical music. The event will be compered by T M Ahmed Kaysher, the director of Saudha, Society of Poetry and Indian Music.

The event will start at 6.30pm and finsh by 8pm.

Venue: On May 20, 2015 in Southbank Centre, London

Bengla Music Festival (বাংলা সঙ্গীত উৎসব)

This unique three-day festival, returning mainly to Tower Hamlets for the third time, showcases the evolution of Bangla Music and its spectacular latitude through mind blowing performances (with relevant translation wherever necessary) by leading musicians from West Bengal and Bangladeshi origin


 This is a free event for all.


Singers include  Chandra Chakraborty, Chiranjib Chakraborty, critically acclaimed guest classical singer from Kolkata Anol Chatterjee, prominent Tagore singers Imtiaz Ahmed, Sanjoy Dey, Sahana Bajpae, celebrated semi classical vocalists Sumana Mallik Basu, Gouri Chowdhury, Farzana Sifat, Sayan Gupta, Amith Dey and others.

Renowned keyboard player Kiran Thakrar, one of the emerging Tabla players from Kolkata Chiranjit Mukherjee and other highly revered musicians will be the accompanying artists to orchestrate a sublime flow of music all the way through.

Glimpse of three day festival:

 Keats House, Hampstead, London: 25 September 2015 at 7pm

Bangla Music Festival: Tagore recital

Keats House will host the phenomenal climax of Bengali music through the songs of Nobel Laureate Bengali Romantic poet Rabindranath Tagore; the lyrics will be interpreted through the recitation of the verses of Keats that Tagore was hugely influenced by.

FreetTicket link:

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-tagore-recital-tickets-18219441841?aff=es2

Kobi Nazrul Centre, Brick Lane, London, 26 September at 6.30pm

Bangla Music Festival: Interactive session between singers and audience


Kobi Nazrul Centre will host this highly interactive session of music and discussion by the local audience and artists, mainly on  the future of Bangla Music in the West, The session will feature few talented children artists and  group performance by Robika and Satyen Sen School of Arts.

Free ticket link:

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-interaction-between-artists-and-audience-tickets-18219650465

Rich Mix, Bethnal Green London:27 September 2015 at 12.30noon

Bangla Music Festival: The evolution
Rich Mix will host the evolution of Bangla Music and its spectacular latitude through mind blowing performances with English translation (wherever necessary) by leading musicians from West Bengal and Bangladeshi origin.

The last day of the event will feature the colourful spectrum of Bangla Music from Chorja-Pod (730 AD), folk (RadhaRamon, Lalon, Hason Raja etc), Kirton, Toppa, Poncho-Kobi to Bengali contemporary modern songs (Salil, Akhilbandhu Jotilessor, Manna dey, Sochin, Manobendro, Shyamal, Hemanta and other doyens of Bangla Gaan).

The event will run as follows (approx):

12.00 (Noon): Door opens

12:30: Slides and videos of Saudha's musical journey

13.00 Brief Talks

13:40 Break

14:00 Continuous performances showcasing the evolution of exotic Bangla Music from 730AD

18:30 Ending speech

Free Ticket link:

 http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-the-evolution-tickets-1821916100

 

Asian Echo on festival 2015:
http://www.asianecho.co.uk/?p=7238

 

Bangla Mirror on festival 2015:
http://www.banglamirrornews.com/2015/09/third-bangla-music-festival-in-london-featuring-the-best-bengali-singers-in-uk/

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bangla-music-festival-the-evolution-tickets-18219161001?aff=es2

http://www.asianecho.co.uk/entertainment/bangla-music-festival-stunned-the-art-lovers-of-london/.html

http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/london_s_packed_bangla_music_festival_turns_out_a_hit_with_western_audiences_1_4263542

Venue: From Sep 25, 2015 to Sep 27, 2015 in Keats House, Kobi Nazrul Centre & Rich Mix, London

3rd World Poetry and Indian Classical Music Festival

icmf-3rd-15A two-day festival returns to  Leeds for third time that showcases experimental performances of therapeutic Indian classical music (both vocal and instrumental), haunting verses of poetry  (both traditional and contemporary) and visually dazzling form of dance called Kathak so that each form of art profoundly complement each other.
 The event features a UK based singer Chandra Chakraborty (www.chandrachakraborty.info/), the leading violinist Kamalbir Singh, the best female sitarist of this country Roopa Panesar (www.roopapanesar.com/), actor and impassioned reciter of Hafiz and Cavafy, Erik Schelander, highly acclaimed Tabla player Bhupinder Singh Chaggar and one of the emerging young Tabla star Himanish Goswami etc.

Saudha, Society of Poetry and Indian Music (www.saudha.org), is 'one of the leading Indian classical music promoters of this country' (BBC Radio, Eastern Eye, Bangla Mirror); the organisation which is in a journey to 'Exploring New forms and a 'Western Gharana' of Indian classical music (Asian Culture Vulture). In addition, Saudha 'organises hypnotic Indian classical music concerts' (Yorkshire Evening Post, Wimbledon Guardian).


Please find the glimpses of performance below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mb4MWD55uO0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VuVf5588oFI

Reviews and previews:

Guardian:
http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/11795867.VIDEO__Indian_singers_perform_with_Merton_poets_at_Ghazal_and_Thumri_Festival/

Evening Post:
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/what-s-on/arts-entertainment/theatre-reviews/preview-poetry-indian-classical-music-festival-leeds-1-6831887

Asian culture vulture:
http://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/exploring-new-forms-western-gharana-saudhas-two-day-music-festival/

BBC Radio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLrwrArbcmQ 

Mature Times on Festival 2015:
http://www.maturetimes.co.uk/world-poetry-indian-classical-music-festival/

Asian Echo on Festival 2015:
http://www.asianecho.co.uk/?p=7246

 

09/10/2015

Bangladeshi Community Centre
Roundhay Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS8 5AN

19.00 : Performances of poetry by prominent local poets with live music in background

Entry fee:  £5

For ticket:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/world-poerty-and-indian-classical-music-festival-at-bangladesh-centre-leeds-tickets-18236043497

 

10/08/2015

Seven Artspace
31A Harrogate Rd, Leeds LS7 3PD

18.00  Door opens
 18.15 Briefing
 18.30 Solo Sitar Recital by Roopa Panesar
 19.30 Solo Violin by Kamalbir Singh
 20.00 Ragamala, a sublime, experimental approach to Indian classical music that seamlessly intertwines other profoundly relevant art forms e.g. poetry, visual painting and Kathak dance to intensify the emotions and to interpret the metaphoric meaning of classical music for global and quite importantly, brand new audience.

Entry fee: £10/£8 (for senior citizen and child below 18).

For ticket:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/world-poetry-and-indian-classical-music-festival-tickets-18235687432

http://www.madeinleeds.tv/player/?video_uuid=yxf5bo02&categoryId=70401

http://www.asianecho.co.uk/entertainment/a-seraphic-ecstasy-of-indian-raaga-music-in-leeds/.html

Venue: From Oct 9, 2015 to Oct 10, 2015 in Seven Arts, Leeds and Bangladeshi Communty Centre, Leeds

Ghazal and Thumri Festival, London

Ghazal and Thumri Festival, LondonThe festival offers hypnotic performances of two of the extremely musically exuberant, both magical and magnetising, spiritually enrapturing genres of Pan-Indian (India as a sub-continent) Semi-classical music called Ghazal and Thumri which will be performed by some leading and emerging singers and musicians of this country. The lyrics and the mood of the music will, then, be interpreted through traditional and contemporary verses of English poetry and seamlessly, be intertwined with the thread of music by some impassioned reciters in order to target and to communicate to global audience.

The festival entails two enthralling performances at Morden Assembly Hall (Tudor Drive, Morden, SM4 4PJ. Bus routes to Tudor Drive: 413, 293, 163. The nearest tube station is Morden on the Northern line) and Raynes Park Library Hall (Approach Rd, London SW20 8BA) in London Borough of Merton on 14 and 15 February 2015 respectively. It involves, in addition, two workshops in Wimbledon library (Wimbledon Hill Rd, London SW19 7NB. 5 minutes walking distance from Wimbledon station) on 9 and 22 January 2015 from 5pm each day. The event is supported by London Borough of Merton and Merton Library Services.

Please click below for the coverage of Wimbledon Guardian:

http://www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/news/11734766.Interview__Saudha_launches_Indian_classical_music_festival_in_Merton/

Asian culturevulture:

http://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/exploring-new-forms-western-gharana-saudhas-two-day-music-festival/

Merton Council covers the festival in it's newsroom story:

http://news.merton.gov.uk/2015/01/19/indian-music-and-poetry-festival-comes-to-merton/

Bangla Mirror:

http://www.banglamirrornews.com/2015/02/saudha-launches-thumri-and-ghazal-festival-in-london/ 

Creative India has covered the festival as one of their main stories of the month:

http://creativeindiamag.com/london-to-host-ghazal-and-thumri-festival/

Asian Acho's coverage on the festival:

http://www.asianecho.co.uk/?p=6373

Performance at Morden Assembly Hall:

The event will start at 6.30pm and continue till 8.30pm on 14 February 2015.

 A UK based singer Chandra Chakraborty (http://www.chandrachakraborty.info/), the grandson of the legendary Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan (Pranpiya), highly acclaimed sitarist and Ghazal singer Mehboob Nadeem (http://mehboobnadeem.com/), eminent semi-classical vocalist Farzana Sifat as well as young and talented Ghazal singer Dr Priya Bhagawat will perform while two of the highly respected musicians Yousuf Ali Khan (Tabla) and Sunil Jadhav (Key-board) will accompany the performance together with reciters that include Erik Schelander etc.

Entry fee is £5.  

 For ticket, please visit the following link:

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ghazal-and-thumri-festival-morden-assembly-hall-london-tickets-14525294547?aff=es2&rank=0

 Ticket can be collected from the desk by the door on the day of performance but booking in advance over the phone is strongly advised due to have the limited capacity in both of the venues.

 Please call Pushpita Gupta for more detail on 07737828922.

 Performance at Raynes Park Library Hall: 

 One of the leading Hindistani classical vocalists Chandra Chakraborty (http://www.chandrachakraborty.info/),  eminent semi-classical vocalist Farzana Sifat  young and talented Ghazal singers Dr Priya Bhagwat and Sayan Gupta will perform while one of the highly respected musicians Yousuf Ali Khan (Tabla), Abu Emran (Keyborad) will accompany the performance together with poet Ziba Karabassi (with Kaveh Bahrami in music), poet Mir Mahfuz Ali, poet David Lee Margon, poet Shaila Simi and reciters that include Erik Schelander as well as young pianist Niloy Amin.

 

The event will start at 5pm and finish by 7pm on 15 February.

 Entry fee is £5.  

 For ticket, please visit the following link:

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ghazal-and-thumri-festival-raynes-park-library-hall-london-tickets-14525346703?aff=es2&rank=0 

Ticket can be collected from the desk by the door on the day of performance but booking in advance over the phone is strongly advised due to have the limited capacity in both of the venues. 

Please call Pushpita Gupta for more detail on 07737828922.

Venue: From Feb 14, 2015 to Feb 15, 2015 in Morden Assembly Hall, Raynes Park Library Hall

Sound Of Soul,Nehru Centre, London

Sound Of Soul Nehru CentreSaudha's world-class concert that connects both Indian Classical Music (instrumental and vocal), haunting verses of oriental and occidental poetry (Tagore, Ghalib, Hafiz, Keats and many more) as well as Kathak dance.
It will feature a UK based classical singer Chandra Chakraborty (http://www.chandrachakraborty.info/), one of the leading Tabla players Sanju Sahai (http://www.sanjusahai.com/), highly acclaimed Keyboard player Sunil Jadhav, percussionist Renu Hossain (http://renu-holykutirecords.bandcamp.com/) Tagore singer Imtiaz Ahmed, ardently evocative Kathak dancers Jaymini Sahai and Showmi Das, actor and impassioned reciter Leesa Gazi, reciter Towhid Shakeel. Poet David Lee Morgan, Thiago Alexandre Tonussi and T M Ahmed Kaysher will read their poems on the theme with music in independent poetry session.

Satyen Sen school of performing arts will perform a chorus from the remedial lyrics of Tagore.

The concert is designed to seek the serenity of soul in the mundane crisis of modernity through emulsification of sacred music and verses of hypnotic poetry.

For more information please visit www.saudha.org or call on 07828190551 or call Anuradha Nandi on 07951932798.

Free entrance to propagate the magic of hypnotic Classical music and other subtle art forms to wider audience.

http://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/soul-fusion-saudha-rich-past-abundant-future/

Venue: On Aug 29, 2014 in Nehru Centre, London

World Poetry and Indian Classical Music Festival, Leeds

LeedsSaudha, Society of Poetry and Indian Music presents a two-day festival of world poetry and Indian classical music featuring Saudha's hypnotic concerts of classical (Kheyal) and semi-classical music(Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal etc) intertwining seamlessly with traditional poetry (Keats, Hafiz, Tagore, Ghalib, Neruda, Lorca etc) and ardently evocative form of dance Kathak as well as independent sessions of world-poetry from eight different languages by local poets along with brief talks on contemporary trend of poetry and Indian classical music. 
The event will start at 16.30pm each day and finish at 21.00pm.
Few of the well-known interpreters of Indian Classical Music that includes Chandra Chakraborty (Vocal), Kamalbir Singh (Violin), Sanju Sahai(Tabla), Sumana Mallik Basu (Vocal) and eminently demonstrative Kathak dancer Jaymini Sahai will perform in Saudha's profoundly experimental and extremely captivating event (different renditions on both days). The festival was counted as one of the top-ten events in Leeds last year.
Please contact 07828190551 for more information.

The Guardian of the North, Yourkshire Evening Post has done a wonderful coverage on Saudha's festival:

www.yourkshireeveningpost.co.uk

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/what-s-on/arts-entertainment/theatre-reviews/preview-poetry-indian-classical-music-festival-leeds-1-6831887

 

 

Venue: From Sep 13, 2014 to Sep 14, 2014 in Seven Arts, Leeds

Bangla Sangeet Utshob (Bengali Music Festival), Tower Hamlets

Bangla Sangeet UtshobThe festival will showcase the evolution of Bangla Gaan from folk, Kirton, Nidhu Babu's Toppa, Poncho-Kobi (D L Roy, Tagore, Atul Prasad, Rajanikanto and Najrul) to Bangla Adhunik (Salil Chowdhury's gono-sangeet, Jotilessor, Manna dey, Sochin, Manobendro and all other doyens and legendary composers of Bangla Gaan). The leading singers of Bangla Gaan around the UK from West-Bengal and Bangladeshi origin will exude the treasure and the glorious journey of Bangla Gaan following an academic discussion prior to the concert. The singers will showcase different genres of Bangla Gaan will range from prominent to emerging talents.

Venue: On Sep 28, 2014 in Rich Mix, East London

Sound Of Soul, South Bank

LeedsSaudha’s world-class concert that emulsifies both Indian and Western Classical (instrumental and vocal) with haunting verses of oriental and occidental poetry as well as Indian classical dance. The concert is designed to seek the serenity of soul in the mundane crisis of modernity and will be performed by Indian Classical Music maestros including some leading guest appearances from India.

 

Venue: On Oct 15, 2014 in Purcell Room, South Bank, London

Sound Of Soul, Luton

Saudha’s world class concerts that emulsifies both Indian and Western Classical (instrumental and vocal) with haunting verses of oriental and occidental poetry. The concerts which are designed to seek the serenity of soul in the mundane crisis of modernity and will be performed by Indian Classical Music maestros.

Venue: On Nov 17, 2014 in Luton

World Poetry and Indian Classical Music Festival 2013, Leeds

LeedsA two-day-long festival of World Poetry and Indian Classical Music featured brief talks on the crises in connectivity of Indian Classical Music, contemporary poetry sessions by Bengali, Persian, Urdu, Hindi (with translation) and English contemporary poets as well as Saudha's world-class concerts which were designed to deconstruct and deluge the mood and meaning of classical music both vocal and solo-instrumental through seamless amalgamation with traditional world poetry. A UK based classical singer Chandra Chakraborty (Vocal), Shahbaz Hussain (Tabla), Kamalbir Nandra (Violin), Sumana Basu (Ghazal), Dipanjan Guha (Sitar), actor and impassioned reciters Erik Schelander and Leesa Gazi performed  in Saudha’s world-class concerts and many poets from multi-racial background including Poet Amina Weston, Poet Rob Smith, poet T M Ahmed Kaysher (Bengali with English translation), Contemporary Bengali poet Delower Hussain Monzu,  poet Scott Farquharson (www.scottfarquharson.co.uk) and award winning poet Siobhan MacMahon (www.siobhanmacmahon.co.uk)  recited their poems in solo poetry session.

 This event was rated as one of the top ten events in Yorkshire by some event review websites and newspapers (http://www.asianecho.co.uk/?p=4661). Yorkshire Evening Post, BBC Leeds covered this festival as the major event of the city.

www.sevenleeds.co.uk/clients/sevenarts/MODULES/DIARY/DIARYMOD_item.asp?itemid=457

www.asianecho.co.uk/?p=3404

asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/sense-and-sensibility/

www.headingley.org/node/10161

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrAchiV6NO4

www.leedsinspired.co.uk/events/world-poetry-and-indian-classical-music-festival

www.asianecho.co.uk/?p=4661

 

Venue: From Sep 14, 2013 to Sep 15, 2013 in Leeds

World Poetry and Indian Classical Music Festival, Nehru Centre, London

Nehru CentreTwo-day-long world poetry and Indian classical music festival entailed intellectual discussion on world poetry, Indian classical music and Saudha’s world-class concerts which were designed to establish the subtle but strong bond between lyrical poetry and classical music both vocal and instrumental.

A UK based singer Chandra Chakraborty, renowned Tabla player Sanju Sahai, acclaimed Violin player Kamalbir Nandra, young talented Sitarist Dipanjan Guha from India, famous Kathak dancer Jaimini Sahai, emotionally fervent reciters Erik Schelander and Leesa Gazi performed to take audience to a celestial universe.

Chandra Chakraborty- Vocals
Sanju Sahai- Tabla
Kamalbir Nandra- Solo Violin and Ghazal
Dipanjan Guha- Sitar
Nafees Irfan- Ghazals
Dr. Hilal Fareed- Poet

Dr Nandakumar (Director Of Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan)- Poet

Ayub Walia- Poet
Erik Schalander, Leesa Gazi - Reciter

Jaymini Sahai- Kathak

Ruma Biswas- Bharat Natyam

http://www.nehrucentre.org.uk/events/details/article/world-poetry-and-indian-classical-music-festival-saudha-society-of-poetry-and-indian-music-on-12-ju-1.html?tx_ttnews[backPid]=26&tx_ttnews[calendarYear]=2013&tx_ttnews[calendarMonth]=6&cHash=4935dea644dfab2fa6362cf88b5fbeb3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bx3QNzdcFk

Venue: On Jun 15, 2013 in Nehru Centre, London

Bangla Sangeet Utshob ( Bengali Music Festival)

Sangeet UtshobThis was one of Saudha’s highly media-covered, unique, historic Bangla music festival in association with Whitechapel Idea Store and Bangla TV.The festival that showcased the evolution of Bangla Gaan from folk, Kirton, Nidhu Babu's Toppa, Poncho-Kobi (D L Roy, Tagore, Atul Prasad, Rajanikanto and Najrul) to Bangla Adhunik (Salil Chowdhury's gono-sangeet, Jotilessor, Manna dey, Sochin, Manobendro and all other doyens and legendary composers of Bangla Gaan). The leading singers of Bangla Gaan around the UK from West-Bengal and Bangladeshi origin exuded the treasure and the glorious journey of Bangla Gaan following an academic discussion prior to the concert. The singers who showcased different genres of Bangla Gaan wss ranged from prominent to emerging talents. A UK based Indian singer Chandra Chakraborty, the venerable Himangshu Goswami,  popular semi-classical singer Sumana Basu,  Dr Imtiaz Ahmed, talented Tagore-singer Sahana Herrett (Sahana Bajpayee) and Rishi Banerjee, versatile singer Gouri Chowdhury, Farzana Sifat, Zahid Kamal, Ripa Raquib, Sohini Alam, Rukhsana Safa, Shuman Sharif, Laboni Barua, Tarique Hossain, Anuradha Nandi, Mustafizur Rahman Khokon, Syeda Nasim Queen, Amal Podder, Amit Kumar Deb  displayed  the magic of Bangla Music while popular keyboard player Abu Emran Tonmoy, Pappu Das (Octopad), Himanish Goswami (Tabla) accompanied them all the way through.
In the discussion part of Sangeet Utshob,,Bangladesh High Commissioner to UK H.E Mohammed Mizrul Quayes, Ex-British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Anwar Choudhury (Director, FCO), Leading Indian classical vocalist Chandra Chakraborty, and versatile writer Leesa Gazi shared their journey into Bangla music and focused on the evolution of Bangla Gaan from its very origin. The whole discussion was presided over by founder and managing director of Bangla TV, Syed Samadul Haque.

http://www.towerhamletsarts.org.uk/?cid=49748

http://eventful.com/events/bangla-sangeet-utshob-/E0-001-054939210-8

 

Venue: On Mar 17, 2013 in Idea Store, White Chapel, Tower Hamlets

Lyrics Of Love, Southbank, London

SouthbankBeing invited by Oitij-jo; Saudha performed at OxoTower in Southbank one of its world-class experimental event that delved into the amalgamation of poetry and Indian Clasical Music. A UK based singer Chandra Chakraborty sung kheyal, Nazrul Geeti on relevant ragas while verses of Bengali poet Nazrul Islam (both original and English translation) were recited seamlessly and harmoniously by inflamed reciter and Schubert singer Erik Schilander and versatile writer and actress Leesa Gazi (original verses). Chandra was accompanied by prominent violinist Kamalbir Nandra and young talented Tabla Player Himanish Goswami.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0_iIhUyVIo

Venue: On Feb 23, 2013 in Oxo Tower, South Bank

Lyrics Of Solitude, Morden Assembly Hall, London

Morden assembly hallOne of Saudha’s highly focused world-class event that was conceptually designed to intertwine melodious verses of world poetry with Indian classical music both vocal and instrumental.

Translations from Persian and Mexican poetry along with the verses from Tagore,Ghalib, Taqi Mir in their original languages were set to the melodies of Indian classical i.e. kheyal and thumri creating a colourful and serene ambience to transcend the audience into the universe of dream and illusion.

The leading sitarist Baluji Shrivastav and eminent violinist Kamalbir Nandra was accompanied by internationally acclaimed tabla player Sanju Sahai at the first session. On the second half, Chandra Chakraborty, a UK based Indian Classical vocalist performed few renditions Kheyal and Thumri, while she was accompanied by Tabla, Sitar and Violin and a group of impassioned reciters including Marrianne Zeck (Mexican and Persian translation), Najma Usman (Ghalib), Leesa Gazi (Tagore), Basir Afridi (Taqi Mir).

Saudha also worked with local poetry groups Write afresh, Merton Poets and the children with severe learning disabilities of Mitcham Cricket Green School that lead to a music and poetry performance on 12th January, 2013 at Raynes Park Library Hall, London Borough Of Merton.  The event was supported by the Arts Council of London Borough Of Merton.

http://www.yourlocalguardian.co.uk/news/local/wimbledonnews/10105823.Unique_charity_uses_music_and_poetry_to_help_disabled/

http://www.timeandleisure.co.uk/whats-on/previews/2174-lyrics-of-solitude.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxJH2g5hVDU

https://eventviva.com/event/257559874367238

 

Venue: From Dec 16, 2012 to Dec 16, 2012 in Morden Assembly Hall

Lyrics of Love, Carriageworks Theatre, Leeds

CarriageworkAn evening of world poetry and classical music (supported by Tower Hamlets Council) at Brady Arts Centre which were set harmoniously to propagate the message of love through transcendental music and hunting poetry.

This world-class event, first of its kind, endeavored to establish the subtle but strong bond between lyrical poetry and classical music. The central concept was to hybridize the wide spectrum of music and literature around the globe in order to cross cultural barriers and promote deep humanism that lies in the content of music and poetry.

Chandra Chakraborty, a UK based classical singer was accompanied by Kamalbir Nandra (violin), troubadour vocalist Erik Schelander, Luthfur Rahman (flute), Himanish Goswami (tabla), Sami Kergupta (guitar), Amal Podder (mandira), poet T M Ahmed Kaysher and other musicians. 

http://www.leedsinspired.co.uk/events/lyrics-love

Venue: On Sep 1, 2012 in Carriageworks Thetare, Leeds

Lyrics of Love, Brady Arts Centre, London

Brady Arts centreAn evening of world poetry and classical music (supported by Tower Hamlets Council) at Brady Arts Centre which were set harmoniously to propagate the message of love through transcendental music and hunting poetry.

This world-class event endeavored to establish the subtle but strong bond between lyrical poetry and classical music. The central concept was to hybridize the wide spectrum of music and literature around the globe in order to cross cultural barriers and promote deep humanism that lies in the content of music and poetry.

Translations from Tagore, Gualib, Hafiz or Rumi (along with the original verses in Bengali, Urdu and Persia) were set to the melodies of Indian ragas and verses of contemporary poetry are blended with kheyal and thumri creating a colourful and serene ambience.
Chandra Chakraborty, a UK based classical singer was accompanied by Kamalbir Nandra (violin), troubadour vocalist Erik Schelander (reciting and singing Troubadour), Luthfur Rahman (flute), Himanish Goswami (tabla), Apu Chowdhury (Reciting) Sami Kargupta (guitar), Niloy Amin (piano) Amal Podder (mandira), Arfuman Chowdhury (reciting) and other musicians. Eastern Eye, Saptahik Potrika and Betar Bangla were media partner of  this evet .

http://www.towerhamletsarts.org.uk/?cid=48037

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ni61IERm4S0

Venue: On Sep 22, 2012 in Brady Arts Centre

Juchona Kusum (জোছনা কুসুম)

Jochona Kusumধ্রুপদী গান ও কবিতা সন্ধ্যা 

জোছনা কুসুম 

শাস্ত্রীয় সঙ্গীতশিল্পী চন্দ্রা চক্রবর্তীর রাগাশ্রয়ী বাংলাগান 

এবং 

প্রখ্যাত শুবার্ট ও ট্রুবেডোর শিল্পী এরিক শিলিন্ডার এবং আরো কবি ও আবৃত্তিকারদের যৌথ শিল্প-প্রয়াস 

A UK based  Indian Classical singer Chandra Chakraborty sung Thumri and serious Bengali Songs based on melodious ragas with her young musician team while poets and reciters including Maher Ahmed, Sadeq Ahmed Choudhury Saadi, Arfuman Chowdhury accompanied her by reciting poetry from traditional and contemporary Bengali poets in London.

 

Venue: On Aug 23, 2012 in Micro-business Centre, Brick Lane

Guldastan: Tribute to Ghazal Legends Mehdi Hasan and Jagjit Singh

GuldastanA candle-light evening of haunting and transcendental music organised by Saudha, Society of Poetry and Indian Music to pay tribute to the two Ghazal Kings Mehdi Hassan and Jagjit Singh. A UK based classical singer Chandra Chakraborty, renowned Ghazal singer Javed Bashir, Mukhtaar Meer with some other well-known Ghazal singers from Pakistan were accompanied by prominent musician and keyboard player Sunil Jadav, impassioned reciter Erik Schelander, young and talented tabla player Himuanish Goswami. The hall was brimming with the audience mainly from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Venue: On Jul 8, 2012 in Chennel i (TV channel, Sky 844, audience lounge)

Lyrics Of Love, Imagine Festival, Sutton

ImagineAn event that amalgamated poetry and classical music together led by a UK based Indian singer Chandra Chakraborty and poet T M Ahmed Kaysher engaging 20 young children from Glenthorne school in Sutton, UK.http://www.sutton.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=18162&p=0

Venue: From Apr 12, 2012 to Apr 13, 2012 in London Borough Of Sutton