QsMa indian classical concert and 2023 agM

By SheN FLINDeLL (QSMA SeCReTARy)

ON Sunday April 30 about 50 Indian classical music lovers gathered at Grange Progress Hall for a concert presented by Qld Sangeet Mela Association (QSMA) in conjunction with our 2023 AGM.

The evening opened with a tabla solo performance by upcoming Brisbane tabla player, Shainthra Birabaharan, accompanied on harmonium by his gurubhai Keshav Siraparapu. Shainthra presented about 20 minutes of tabla compositions in the Benares Gharana style, opening with Bhumika, Uthan, several Mohras and Theka-Palta, followed by Rela, Gat-Kayda and finally some Tukras which were both recited and played with aplomb. Shainthra and Keshav are both very sincere students and did really well with the opportunity they were given. For two teenagers who grew up in Brisbane to present a full Indian classical tabla solo is no small thing.

Then followed sitar recital by local maestro Dr Indranil Chatterjee, accompanied by myself, Shen Flindell on tabla. Indranil-da presented the full range of Ragas Yaman and Yaman-Kalyan with Alap, Jor, Jhala, and Gats in Vilambit Teentaal, Madhya

Lay Matta Taal (9 beats) and Drut Teentaal. It was a magnificent performance well appreciated by the audience.

Indranil's opening comments were worth relaying here: "It's a great pleasure to perform this evening. I've hardly seen an Indian local musician's performance being attended by so many people, and I think all credit for this goes to Umesh and Shen (of QSMA), who have been instrumental in arranging all these performances for the last couple of years. I believe if we continue to gather such an audience for the next couple of years we will be known as a hub of Indian classical music in Australia."

It was a very inspiring comment for all those present as we move forward in our mission to cultivate Indian classical music in Queensland.

Following the concert, we held our AGM, the main outcome of which was the re-election of Umesh Chandra OAM as president and myself, Shen Flindell as secretary. We would like to thank outgoing treasurer Sanjeev Hiremath for all his hard work. Sanjeev was instrumental in initiating the founding of QSMA in 2019.

We welcome our incoming treasurer Nishtha Aggarwal.

QSMA's next Brisbane event is on Saturday 10th June at Sunnybank Church of Christ Hall, featuring 8th generation sarangi master Sangeet Mishra, along with opening item by Brisbane's leading bansuri flutist Darshil Shah. This would be a great concert for which to book early, as capacity is limited.