COVER POSTER IMAGE
WELCOME TO ENCOUNTER Griffith University is delighted to present ENCOUNTERS: INDIA as part of its Strategic Investment program Music, the arts and the Asia-Pacific. We have seen a rapidly intensifying relationship between India and Australia over the past decades, encompassing resources, industry, technology, services, scholarship and of course tertiary education.
As Honorary Consul of India in Queensland I endorse with great pleasure the initiative, the vision, the leadership, and the quality presented in the program before you. ENCOUNTERS: INDIA promises to be a delight for both connoisseurs and those simply curious about the many facets of Indian culture.
It is appropriate that an institute like Griffith University takes the lead in framing this evolving relationship from an arts perspective in an event combining scholarship, symposia, film screenings, exhibitions, elite performances, cultural dialogue, community outreach, and sheer enjoyment of the rich culture of the subcontinent.
What impresses me most is the festival’s vision to create a better understanding between our two nations through the medium of music and the related arts. While we see increasing interaction through business, education and tourism, the crucial role of a cultural dialogue in building sustainable, mutually beneficial relationships can not be emphasised enough.
Involving some of the jewels in the crown of the University – Queensland Conservatorium, Queensland College of Art, the Griffith Film School and the Griffith Asia Institute– this promises to be one of the highlights in the Griffith calendar.
With its stunning line-up of artists from India, Australia, and the rest of the world; its creative and imaginative programming and its engagement with business and community, I am delighted to see this exciting event come to fruition.
Professor Ian O’Connor Vice Chancellor and President, Griffith University
Mrs Archana Singh Honorary Consul of India, Brisbane
RS: INDIA Having had the privilege of being behind the scenes of a number of contributions by Queensland Conservatorium to the cultural life of the State, such as the ‘iPod opera’ iOrpheus, three earlier editions of ENCOUNTERS, and Crossbows, I am very excited to now present an event very close to my heart. For me, ENCOUNTERS: INDIA is the culmination of nearly four decades of personal involvement with Indian culture: first as a student then performer on sitar, and now predominantly as a scholar of its music. It shows the bewildering and sometimes confusing richness of Indian culture, as well as its potential for meetings on common ground. The program before you spans the gamut from new musical meetings to well-established collaborations, from classical music of the royal courts to the unstoppable, infectious sounds of Bollywood, from learned debate to enacted weddings, and across disciplines into visual arts and Indian film. Enjoy! Professor Huib Schippers Director, Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre, Griffith University
Like most Australians, my knowledge of India was limited to ‘the three C’s” – Commonwealth, cricket and curry. In this program of over 100 events involving many hundreds of people, we tease out more connections between our two cultures. Three years in the planning, ENCOUNTERS: INDIA is the most extensive and expansive of our ‘meetings in Australian music’. Our program strives to move beyond ‘the three C’s’ .and the vibrant populism of Bollywood and public celebration known so well to us today. It would be nigh on impossible to create a canvas of contemporary India in a little over a week. I would like to think, though, that ENCOUNTERS lifts a veil to enable Indians and Australians to better understand and experience each other’s culture, for mutual and enduring advantage. Mr Vincent Plush Artistic Director, ENCOUNTERS: INDIA PHOTO CREDIT: Peter Hislop Cover image: Abstract Eyes, Svetlin Rusev Design: Rhiannon Phillips
DARBAR NIGHT SERIES
THE DRUM
Aneesh Pradhan, tabla
Percussion. Pulse. Primal rhythms. Heartbeat. Resonances of recurring time and cycles in nature and the universe. The virtuosity, complexity and depth of Indian rhythm have appealed to the Western ear and imagination from Messiaen and the flower-power generation to the present day. This program shows drumming from India in the North and South Indian traditions, before moving to Australia and European compositions, all inspired by an Indian pulse.
Berio’s dazzling, percussion-driven final Sequenza is played by its inspirational dedicatee, Rohan de Saram, alongside two contrasting Indian-inspired excursions from Brisbane composer Robert Davidson, a student of Riley and inheritor of his Indian stimuli. Aneesh Pradhan, tabla
Transplanted to California’s flower-power heyday in the 1960s, we pay a tribute to the founding spirit of American minimalism, Terry Riley, who joins us in video conference from Italy. 45 years after its creation, the mesmeric patterns of Riley’s Rainbow pulsate through the body and entrance the spirit.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS: BOOKINGS:
7.30pm, Mon 13 May Conservatorium Theatre $30 / $25 conc. qtix.com.au 136 246
Tunji Beier, percussion Robert Davidson, keyboards Sudhir Nayak, harmonium Topology, Robert Davidson, director Rohan de Saram, cello Graeme Jennings, violin/leader Toby Wren, electric guitar Ba Da Boom Percussion, Vanessa Tomlinson, director Erik Griswold & Steve Newcomb, keyboards
DARBAR NIGHT SERIES
Patricia Rozario, soprano PHOTO: Alexandra
THE VOICE
Melody. Timbre. Echoes of the gods. Cries from the heart, the soul, the spirit, of love. Ritwik Sanyal opens with dhrupads, the most ancient of Indian music traditions. Ross Edwards explores the inner spirit in a new version of his exquisite Mantras, performed in semi-darkness.
Patricia Rozario, soprano Shubha Mudgal, khyal voice Ritwik Sanyal, dhrupad voice Heather Lee, voice Sudhir Nayak, harmonium
Shubha Mudgal entrances with traditional Hindustani ragas while Heather Lee pours over the songbooks of Rabindranath Tagore, the poetphilosopher whose spirit underlies our festival week. Tagore also inspired the soaring vocalisations of Australian composer Raymond Hanson.
Aneesh Pradhan, tabla Rohan de Saram, cello Stephen Emmerson, piano Kim Cunio, harmonium / accompaniment Nicholas Ng, erhu Margaret Schindler, soprano
Finally, soprano Patricia Rozario accompanies Maurice Delage, a disciple of Ravel, on his Indian excursions, and also sings recent music especially written for her.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS: BOOKINGS:
7.30pm, Tues 14 May Conservatorium Theatre $30 / $25 conc. qtix.com.au 136 246
DARBAR NIGHT SERIES
THEDRONE
Rohan de Saram, cello PHOTO: Jane Baker
A string is struck. Vibrations rise and slowly fade away. A melody emerges from a single sound, then another. Contrast. Interplay. Beginning with the oldest known drone in the world, the didgeridoo, and moving to tanpura and sitar, this program is a celebration of string playing, with that prince of cellists, Rohan de Saram, presiding over a veritable palace of cellists. An Indian first half showcases music especially written for Rohan. It is balanced by an Australian second half in which the raw energy of Richard Vella is calmed by the erotic meditations of Peter Schaefer. Massed cellos create a sumptuous carpet-drone over which music cultures meet in respectful dialogue. Ross Edwards’ water music cools the spirit in preparation for a gentle night ahead. Boundaries blur and traditions blend in this unique coming together of Indian musicians from the twin cultures of the sub-continent.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS: BOOKINGS:
7.30pm Wed 15 May Conservatorium Theatre $30 / $25 conc. qtix.com.au 136 246
Rohan de Saram, cello Ranjini Trench, tanpura Rajesh Mehta, hybrid trumpet Tunji Beier, kanjira & mridangam Conservatorium New Music Ensemble, Vanessa Tomlinson, conductor Huib Schippers, sitar Dheeraj Shrestha, tabla Greta Bradman, soprano David Williams, didgeridoo Ramli Ibrahim, dance ENCOUNTERS cello orchestra Nicholas Ng, erhu Aneesh Pradhan, tabla
DARBAR NIGHT SERIES
Right: Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani Above: Suresh Vaidyanathan
THE ENSEMBLE
North meets South. Common Vedic roots stretching back millennia. Distinct traditions, shared heritage. Side by side on stage today. Rarely do we witness a concert featuring seasoned artists from the North Indian (Hindustani) tradition and the (Carnatic) South. This double bill brings together two of the great ensembles from India appearing exclusively for Encounters: Shubha Mudgal (khyal voice) accompanied on tabla and harmonium by Aneesh Pradhan and Sudhir Nayak, and after the interval, the Carnatic virtuoso Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani and his Sruthi Laya ensemble including Basavaraju Balasai and Suresh Vaidyanathan. Prepare for a night of soaring melodies and exhilarating rhythms, for the meeting of time-honoured traditions with spontaneous improvisation, for a range of emotions from profound meditation to exuberant joy.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS: BOOKINGS:
7.30pm Thurs 16 May Conservatorium Theatre $30 / $25 conc. qtix.com.au 136 246
Shubha Mudgal, khayal voice Aneesh Pradhan, tabla Sudhir Nayak, harmonium Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani, mridangan Basavaraju Balasai, flute Suresh Vaidyanathan, ghatam
DARBAR NIGHT SERIES
THE GURU AT HOME WITH PGH Reminiscences in words and music about Peggy Glanville-Hicks (1912 - 1990) All dimensions of this week’s concerts inhabit the life, music and legends surrounding Peggy Glanville-Hicks (‘PGH” she styled herself to avoid being pigeon-holed as ‘a female composer’). Born in Melbourne in 1912, her life encompasses London, New York, Greece and, finally, Sydney. The first of her four operas, The Transposed Heads, is her response to Indian solutions for ‘solving the crisis in Western music’. Music by her American friends, Lou Harrison and Paul Bowles, accompany PGH on her panoramic life-journey. In her centenary year, her close friends Ross Edwards and Vincent Plush recall that life, as rich in legend and anecdote as the sources it drew from across the cultures of the world.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS: BOOKINGS:
7.30pm Fri 17 May Conservatorium Theatre $30 / $25 conc. qtix.com.au 136 246
Ross Edwards & Vincent Plush recall PGH with slides, films and recordings Gregory Massingham, tenor Conservatorium New Music Ensemble, Vanessa Tomlinson, director Greta Bradman, soprano Alex Ranieri & Stephen Emmerson, piano Patricia Rozario, soprano Sebastien Lipman, harp Ramli Ibrahim, dance Hannah Reardon-Smith, flute Angus Wilson, percussion Michele Walsh, violin Chris Bradley Singers Chris Bradley, conductor Fay Lin, harp
MEHFIL LUNCHTIME SERIES
MUSICAL INTRODUCTIONS
DIVINING THE SACRED
The first of our hour-long Lunchtime Concerts introduces many of the special guests who have come together for our ENCOUNTERS week. Each will present a short item and explain who they are, where they come from, what they do in music. A kind of entrĂŠe to the feast of the week ahead.
The works of three Australian composers long inspired by World Music sources comprise this program, featuring Brisbane’s Kurilpa String Quartet. QCGU composition teacher Gerard Brophy divides his year between Brisbane and Kolkata, drawing inspiration from the tumultuous melting pot of contemporary India. Kalighat Votives depicts funeral rites along the Ganges River. Larry Sitsky takes Vedic mysticism as his point of departure in a work for solo oboe, while visiting composer Peter Schaefer draws on meditative practices in his serene, 30-minute long string quartet.
Vincent Plush, MC Aneesh Pradhan, tabla Shubha Mudgal, voice Rajesh Mehta, trumpet (pictured above PHOTO: Barbara Friederichsen-Mehta) Patricia Rozario, soprano Rohan de Saram, cello Ramli Ibrahim, dance Greta Bradman, soprano
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
1.05pm Mon 13 May Ian Hanger Recital Hall FREE
Felicity Hanlon, oboe Kurilpa String Quartet: Graeme Jennings (pictured above), violin Brendan Joyce, violins Yoko Okayasu, viola Katherine Phelp, cello
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
1.05pm Tues 14 May Ian Hanger Recital Hall FREE
MEHFIL LUNCHTIME SERIES
INDIA BY NIGHT
COWS AT THE BEACH
At the centre of all Indian music is the raga, derived from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘the act of colouring or dyeing’ . It implies the capacity to change the mood or emotions. Metaphorically, then, a raga can convey ‘any feeling or passion... love, affection, sympathy, desire, interest, motivation, joy, or delight.’
Cows at the Beach is a dynamic meeting of musical cultures. The project has evolved since 2011, with Toby Wren and Tunji Beier collaborating with guest artists in Brisbane and recently in Chennai, India. The music weaves the rhythmic intricacies of Carnatic music with the sophisticated harmonies of jazz within fluid and shifting forms and leaves ample space for virtuosic group interplay.
After a recent visit to a desert fortress in western Rajasthan, Nigel Westlake created his rich postcard in a piece for three guitars. Similarly, after a visit to India in 1985, Peter Tahourdin found his music veering towards the ragas of North India. The Starlight Night, is based on the poem by the late 19th century Irish poet-priest Gerard Manley Hopkins. These pieces are followed by an improvisatory set by Peter Schaefer and Shen Flindell. Amber Evans, voice Conservatorium New Music Ensemble Vanessa Tomlinson (pictured above), director Peter Schaefer, sitar, Shen Flindell, tabla
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
1.05pm Wed 15th May Ian Hanger Recital Hall FREE
For this concert they are joined by violinist and composer John Rodgers and by master percussionists Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani and Suresh Vaidyanathan. Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani, mridangan Suresh Vaidyanathan, ghatam Toby Wren, electric guitar John Rodgers, violin, Tunji Beier, hand percussion (mridangam, tavil, kanjira)
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
1.05pm Thurs 16 May Ian Hanger Recital Hall FREE
MEHFIL LUNCHTIME SERIES
INDIA BY Day Ragas are usually associated with different times of the day, or with seasons. Three raga-based pieces form the basis of this program. Peter Tahourdin’s Raga Music IV was composed for the Dutch clarinet/ marimba Duo Contemporain in 1993, and former Queensland Conservatorium composition lecturer John GIlfedder composed his Morning Raga for solo cello. In reverse mode, the late Ravi Shankar invested his Dawn Raga for flute and harp (or guitar) with French exoticisms, creating a kind of bi-focal outlook that permeates also much of the recent music of our guest composer Ross Edwards (pictured above, PHOTO: Bridget Elliott). Beyond these, Peter Schaefer reflects on the raga in the West in an improvisation for his adapted sitar.
REFLECTIONS ON THE
MAHABHARATA
Within the Indian epic the Mahabharata, a conversation takes place between the god Krishna and Arjuna. A general of a vast army, Arjuna is on the verge of starting battle with a perturbed conscience. He seeks Krishna’s cosmic counselling on the doctrines of universal truth: how can one be a warrior without destruction and killing? Heather Lee-Cunio, singing in Sanskrit, focuses on Chapter 9 of the ‘Bhagavad Gita’, a section of the Mahabharata. Her rendition is based on vocalist Lata Mangeshkar’s 1970 realisation of this text. Lee-Cunio also presents a composition by Rabindranath Tagore, used in Peter Brook’s 1989 film, The Mahabharata. Kim Cunio, ud, harmonium, voice Heather Lee (pictured above), voice Tunji Beier, hand percussion (mridangam,tavil, kanjira) BV Balasai, bansuri Nicholas Ng, erhu, zhonghu
Peter Schaefer, sitar Angus Wilson, clarinet ChingWei Lin, harp Hannah Reardon-Smith, flute Sebastien Lipman, harp
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
1.05pm Fri 17 May Ian Hanger Recital Hall FREE
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
1.05pm Sat 18 May Ian Hanger Recital Hall FREE
MEHFIL LUNCHTIME SERIES
MESSIAEN, MODES
& MEDITATIONS
With greater depth than any composer before him, Olivier Messiaen (1908-1992) explored links to the musical traditions of India, in live music and the shastras, treatises on the performing arts going back almost 2000 years. “I seek shimmering music which charms the listener” Messiaen commented on his involvement with Indian music. In his presentation, Dr Graham Williams, a student of both the composer and his pianist wife, Yvonne Loriod, will illustrate Messiaen’s use of these talas with excerpts from Messiaen’s music, including the Liturgie de cristal from the Quartet for the End of Time, and Noël, Regard des anges and Regard du silence from Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jésus. Musical illustrations will be played by Colin Noble and Stephen Emmerson (piano duo) and student ensembles
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
12 noon Sun19 May Ian Hanger Recital Hall FREE
MESSIAEN
VISION OF AMEN Olivier MESSIAEN VISIONS DE I’AMEN (1943)
Following the lecture-recital on Messiaen by Graham Williams, the duo-piano team of Anna Grinberg and Liam Viney perform the seven pieces that constitute the monumental 50-minute cycle Visions of the Amen. Angels, planets, saints and birds join in this titanic celestial dance and cosmic communion with the Divine. Messiaen’s Vision de I’Amen was written during the occupation of Paris, in 1943. The two pianos are given different roles: one presents the thematic and emotional material, the other aspects of sonority and decoration. It continues the use of birdsong that Messiaen first explored in the Quartet for the End of Time (1941), his intricate rhythmic exploration, and the use of core thematic material over a large scale work. Avant-garde when written, the piece is now a much loved piece for piano duos.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
1.05pm Sun19 May Ian Hanger Recital Hall $15/$12 conc.
IN THE CITY
INDIAN DREAMS IN
INDIA IN
Music from the Royal Courts
India is upon us, Â and all without a passport.
Evoking the spirit of the royal settings in which this tradition evolved, the courtly splendour of ancient India will resound through the newly refurbished splendour of Brisbane City Hall.
A warning to the people of Brisbane. During ENCOUNTERS, expect to brush up against Indian culture and traditions at various times and places throughout the city.
Presented by the Brisbane City Council as part of ENCOUNTERS Showcases, three leading representatives of North Indian music perform rarely heard ragas for the afternoon. Celebrated vocalist Shubha Mudgal (khyal) takes the stage with tabla virtuoso Aneesh Pradhan and renowned harmonium player Sudhir Nayak.
Surrender yourselves to the delights and surprises of street encounters and outbursts of Indian colour, movement and sound. Breathe in the atmosphere of thousands of years of tradition as well as the atmosphere of a hundred best Marigold hotels. Â
MARBLE HALLS
THE CITY
An Indian invasion is at hand: relish and revel in it!
Shubha Mudgal (pictured above), voice Aneesh Pradhan, tabla Sudhir Nayak, harmonium
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
12noon Tues 14 May Brisbane City Hall FREE
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS: MORE INFO:
Thurs 16 & Fri 17 May Queen St Mall FREE encountersfestival.com.au
DIASPORA TWILIGHT SERIES
THE DAM(N) PROJECT
The RIG VEDA Hymns from Indian antiquity to Edwardian England and contemporary Australia. The Rig Veda is a compilation of ancient Indian Sanskrit hymns. It originated roughly between 17001100BCE, known as the early Vedic period. Many Western composers have been moved to set its texts. Among the most famous settings are the three books of hymns by the English composer Gustav Holst. They provide a foil for the Australian composer Greg Schiemer and his setting of the Roman Mass in Sanskrit. Leah Barclay’s short Vedic Remnants is an exploration and contemporary translation of the Athirathram, an enduring cultural ritual from Kerala. Ritwik Sanyal, dhrupad voice Chris Bradley Singers, unaccompanied voices Leah Barclay, composer, electronic sounds
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
6pm, Tues 14 May Ian Hanger Recital Hall $26.50 / $16.50 conc.
A musical eco-view of one of the emerging dilemmas in the ecology of contemporary India. The DAM(N) Project is a large-scale interdisciplinary arts project which connects Australian and Indian communities around the common concern of global water security. It presents the lives of remote communities in the Narmada Valley of North India, displaced by large-scale dam development in an immersive performance combining projections, choreography and sound. The DAM(N) Project has been developed by Queensland composer and QCGU graduate Leah Barclay in collaboration with Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts in India. Leah Barclay, sound Meghna Nambiar & Sylvester Mardi, dance
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
6pm, Wed 15 May Ian Hanger Recital Hall $26.50 / $16.50 conc.
DIASPORA TWILIGHT SERIES
FLAMENCO INDO JAZZ Vibrant musical meetings. Fiery rhythms. Soaring melodies. Earth, wind, air, water. While fusion music sometimes stops short of bridging the divide between cultures, FlamencoIndo-Jazz builds on strong historical and musical connections: flamenco developed from gypsy music with roots in India, and jazz shares with Indian music an inspired format based on structured improvisation . In this collaboration, each artist retains the integrity of their musical style and background. At the same time, the fusion harnesses the synergy between musical disciplines, with a passionate display of flamenco guitar and earthy tabla rhythms alongside ethereal voice and virtuoso pianism. Andrew Veivers, flamenco guitar (fire) Dheeraj Shrestha, tabla (earth), Steve Newcomb, piano (water). Kacey Patrick, voice (air)
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
6pm, Thurs 16 May Ian Hanger Recital Hall $26.50 / $16.50 conc.
VIVE LA FRANCE 100 years of Royal Opera House, Mumbai. The Royal Opera House in Mumbai is the only surviving opera house in India. Built in the British Raj it was inaugurated by King George V in 1911. It was here that the Indian elite and their British rulers enjoyed the latest operas from Europe. From the 1930s, the opera house was modifed for film and fashion shows. Ultimately, in the 1980s it was closed down. Only in 2008 the Maharashtra Government decided to restore the structure. Join students of the Con Opera School for a tribute to this colonial icon featuring excerpts from French operas set in India. These include famous duets from Delibes’ Lakme and Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers, and excerpts from Massenet’s The King of Lahore. Norma Marschke, musical director and piano Ramli Ibrahim, movement coach
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
6pm, Fri 17 May Basil Jones Orchestral Hall $26.50 / $16.50 conc.
TAGORE IN AUSTRALIA
TAGORE IN AUSTRALIA
left: Rabindranath Tagore above: Greta Bradman PHOTO: Pia Johnson
An Australian Song Recital The Nobel Prize in Literature was awarded in 1913 to Indian poet-philosopher Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941). The Nobel citation noted “his profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful verse, by which, with consummate skill, he has made his poetic thought, expressed in his own English words, a part of the literature of the West”. These are some of the qualities that have touched an array of Australian composers, principally Raymond Hanson (1913-76), who first made contact with the Gitanjali as a 19-year-old when his sister, a missionary in India, sent him a volume of poems of Tagore. Hanson was thunder-struck by the “World Mind” behind the writing; he had found “his” poet. So too have younger Australians turned to Tagore’s worldencompassing bent, often seeming outdated today.
This extraordinary recital by soprano Greta Bradman and her accompanist Leigh Harrold traverses Tagore’s world of philosophy and imagination in Australian music. Past the Indian-inspired thoughts of Judith Wright, in a glorious new cycle by resident composer Ross Edwards, to recent Tagore settings by young Indian and Australian composers. Interleaved with Greta’s items will be performances of another Hanson cycle by tenor Gregory Massingham and some of Tagore’s own songs (he wrote over 2,000 of them) by Heather Lee.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
BOOKINGS: MORE INFO:
3.30pm Sun 19 May Conservatorium Theatre $30 / $25 conc.
Greta Bradman, soprano Leigh Harrold, piano Gregory Massinngham, tenor Angela Turner, piano Heather Lee, voice
qtix.com.au 136 246 encountersfestival.com.au
ENCOUNTERS: INDIA PRESENTS
THE CRICKET BANQUET Thurs 16 MAY 2013/DoorS open @ 7.30PM
THE SCENE: Dum Dum International Airport, Calcutta, India. June 1953. Sir Donald Bradman has just arrived on his way to London. It ‘s the first visit to India of ‘the god of cricket’ and a special banquet has been arranged in his honour. All is in readiness but… where is The Don?
We invite dinner guests to dig deep into their wardrobes and imaginations to come dressed outRAJ-eously in costume, vintage India 1953.
In the imperial splendour of The Old Museum, guests arrive to a recreation of that oddly splendid semiimperial occasion. Bollywood MC Nicholas Brown introduces ENCOUNTERS performers in operatic excerpts, salon pieces and cricket songs from the 1850s to the present day. Many of these celebrate the Don, himself represented with a song of his own, sung by his grand-daughter.
Nicholas Brown, Master of Ceremonies Greta Bradman, soprano Patricia Rozario, soprano Michael Halliwell, baritone Rohan de Saram, cello Sebastien Lipman, harp Robert Keane, accompanist Peter Meares, cricket commentator surprise guests and many more Menu devised by Manju Jehu and Suneel Lalwani; catered by Bombay Dhaba – Bombay Bliss restaurants
During a special Indian dinner, surprise appearances by ‘mystery guests’ enliven our blend of theatre, cabaret and music hall.
WHEN: WHERE: BOOKINGS: MORE INFO:
Thur 16 May The Old Museum (+61)7 3257 4089 encountersfestival.com.au
Warning: these cricket songs will lodge themselves in the head for weeks.
TICKETS: $160 (+booking fee) GROUP (table of 10) $1,400 (+booking fee)
encounters AT A GLANCE Mon 13 May
Tues 14 May
Wed 15 May
ALL DAY EVENTS 10:00 Masterclass MOVEMENT @ Opera Space 10am - 3pm
10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00
INDIAN DREAMS IN MARBLE HALLS @ Brisbane City Hall
12:30 13:00 13:30
MUSICAL INTRODUCTIONS @ Recital Hall
DIVINING THE SACRED @ Recital Hall
INDIA BY NIGHT @ Recital Hall
14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30
Masterclass MOVEMENT @ Opera Space Cont. Meetings with remarkable people @ Recital Hall
Masterclass THE VOICE @ Orchestral Hall
16:00 16:30 17:00
Open Stage @ Conservatorium Foyer
Open Stage @ Conservatorium Foyer
Open Stage @ Conservatorium Foyer
Diaspora Twilight Series THE RIG VEDA @ Recital Hall
Diaspora Twilight Series THE DAM(N) PROJECT @ Recital Hall
Darbar Night Series THE VOICE @ Conservatorium Theatre
Darbar Night Series THE DRONE @ Conservatorium Theatre
17:30 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 Darbar Night Series THE DRUM @ Conservatorium Theatre
Special events 100 YEARS OF INDIAN FILM 10 to 19 MAY @ GRIFFITH FILM SCHOOL EXHIBITION: MYTHOPOETIC 10 APRIL to 19 MAY @ Queensland College of Art SUSTAINABLE INTERIORS 13 to 19 MAY @ Conservatorium Foyer
Thur 16 May Symposium - The Ties That Bind Us - 9am - 7.30pm Forum - Doing Business with Hyderabad @ GOMA & Conservatorium Boardroom
Fri 17 May Symposium - The Ties That Bind Us - 9am - 4.30pm Forum - Doing Business with Hyderabad @ GOMA & Conservatorium Boardroom
Masterclass STRINGS @ Orchestral Hall
Sat 18 May Symposium Resonances 9am - 5pm @ Boardroom
Dawn Raga 6am Indian Bazaar 9am - 6pm @ Forecourt
Masterclass RHYTHM
Masterclass DANCE
@ Orchestral Hall
@ Recital Hall
Sun 19 May Indian Bazaar 9am - 4pm @ Cultural Forecourt
MESSIAEN, MODES & MEDITATIONS @ Recital Hall COWS AT THE BEACH @ Recital Hall
INDIA BY DAY @ Recital Hall
REFLECTIONS ON THE MAHABHARATA @ Recital Hall
MESSIAEN VISION OF AMEN @ Recital Hall
TAGORE IN AUSTRALIA @ Conservatorium Theatre
Masterclass NEW MUSIC BUSINESS MODELS FROM INDIA
Open Stage @ Conservatorium Foyer
Open Stage @ Conservatorium Foyer
TWO OCEANS @ The Courier-Mail Piazza
Diaspora Twilight Series FLAMENCO JAZZ FUSION @ Recital Hall
Diaspora Twilight Series VIVE LA FRANCE! @ Orchestral Hall
BEYOND BOLLYWOOD @ The Courier-Mail Piazza
Darbar - THE THE CRICKET ENSEMBLE BANQUET @ @ Con Theatre Old Museum
Darbar - THE GURU @ Conservatorium Theatre
All information is correct at the time of printing. Please visit our website for updates: encountersfestival.com.au
BEYOND
TWO OCEANS
BOLLYWOOD
Australian Art Orchestra in collaboration with Guru Karaikudi Mani and the Sruthi Laya Ensemble.
Lovers and explorers of Indian culture should treat themselves to this intriguing evening of family and community entertainment, and ask themselves a question: is there more to Indian music and dance than Bollywood? If the answer is a resounding ‘yes’, audiences will be pleasantly surprised at the diversity that flourishes in what is a small but rapidly expanding South Asian community in Brisbane. This vibrant variety night, featuring Brisbane’ leading Indian community performers is hosted by Australian-Indian actor and Bollywood star, Nicholas Brown.
Since 1996 the AAO has collaborated with the Sruthi Laya Ensemble. Through improvised collaboration, Musical Directors, Karaikudi Mani and Adrian Sherriff have guided this collaboration along its exploration of Carnatic and Western jazz traditions. Two Oceans has generated exceptional music, constantly developing and regenerating, having toured across Australia and India several times and released on two CDs. Australian Art Orchestra Adrian Sherriff (pictured above), trombone , Sandy Evans, reeds Scott Tinkler, trumpet, Adam King, drums Sruthi Laya Ensemble Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani, mridangam B. V. Balasai, flute, V. Suresh, ghatam Rajeswari Sainath, dance
Featuring Sher-E Punjab Bhangra, Himmy Band: Sounds of Bollywood, Bharatanatyam, BollyJazz, Garba Dance, Mohiniyattam, Hindi songs, Kathak, plus ... a surprise DJ!
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
4pm Sat 18 May The Courier-Mail Piazza FREE
6pm till late - Sat 18 May The Courier-Mail Piazza FREE
OPEN STAGE
DAWN RAGAS OPEN STAGE
INDIAN
BAZAAR
Inspired by the vibrant cultural exchange around them, musicians from India and Australia meet to explore similarities and differences, harmony and dissonance, bridging cultures and generations.
A traditional Indian wedding tent offers a dazzling centrepiece, for the ENCOUNTERS: INDIAN Bazaar. This extravaganza of Indian street life will feature an array of stalls - fashion, craft, food, henna - as well as vibrant music and dance performances on the Cultural Forecourt, South Bank.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
And who knows what else you will ENCOUNTER.
4pm Mon 13 to Fri 17 May Conservatorium Foyer FREE
DAWN RAGAS Ragas in North India are associated with specific times of the day, probably a remnant of links to ritual and spirituality. Ragas for dawn and dusk, when lifegiving light appears or disappears, are considered particularly powerful. At dawn, a solitary sitar player begins in darkness and ends as sunlight emerges at the foot of the Nepalese Pagoda. Huib Schippers (pictured above, PHOTO: Shaka Bosakova), sitar, Dheeraj Shrestha, tabla
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
6am Sat 18 Nepalese Pagoda FREE
WHEN: 9am to 6pm Sat 18 May 9am to 4pm Sun 19 May WHERE: Cultural Forecourt TICKETS: FREE
FILM, ART & DESIGN
100 Years of
INDIAN FILM
FILM: 2013 marks the celebration of 100 years of Indian cinema. In 1913, India produced its first feature film. Now, some 800 films are produced every year. Indian director Karan Johar describes the success of Indian cinema as, “A mixture of music, love, family values, comedy, fantasy…[and an] adventurous choice of film location.” To celebrate this milestone, Griffith Film School will showcase a curated selection of 10 classic films that represent the diversity of the previous 100 years, acknowledging the commercial successes, but also showing the profound social, cultural and intellectual engagement of Indian cinema.
EXHIBITION
MYTHOPOETIC ART: The work of 15 women artists from Australia and India brought together by emerging artist/ curator Marnie Dean. These works survey the way in which artists are re-picturing, re-contextualising and re-imagining the feminine. Artists include Dhruvi Acharya (India), Kate Beynon (AUS), Di Ball (AUS), Laini Burton (AUS), Marnie Dean (AUS), Simone Eisler (AUS), Fiona Hall (AUS), Pat Hoffie (Scotland/AUS), Sonia Khurana (India), Pushpamala N. (India), Anne-Maree Reaney and Jill Kinnear (AUS), Mandy Ridley (AUS), Sangeeta Sandrasegar (AUS) and Shambhavi Singh (India). Presented by Queensland College of Art
Meanwhile, an Indian selection of 100 films will be shown in a continuous screening in the Griffith Film School foyer, and the school will pay tribute to the great tradition of remarkable film posters that have accompanied the rise of this global phenomenon. Presented by Griffith Film School
IMAGE: Pushpamala N., Indrajaala / Seduction 2012 (still) from the series Avega – The Passion: The Drama of Three Women, single-channel digital video, black and white, silent, 4:27 minutes looped. Courtesy of the artist and Nature Morte, New Delhi.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS: MORE INFO:
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS: MORE INFO:
10 to 19 May Griffith Film School FREE griffith.edu.au/filmschool
10 April to 18 May Queensland College of Art FREE qcagriffith.com/events
FILM, ART & DESIGN
FASHION DESIGN
SUSTAINABLE
FASHION: Brisbane’s iconic fashion designer Lydia Pearson has challenged students to create costumes and public art for ENCOUNTERS: INDIA. Their brief was to make much from little, and for the ‘little’ to be recycled material. They were asked to represent India in a witty and subversive way.
DESIGN: An installation in the Conservatorium foyer references Indian architecture and religious paintings.
WITH A TWIST
The costume elements have been developed in a collaborative process by a team of students from QUT Fashion, members of the Stitchery Collective, and visiting Graduate of Chelsea Art School, Yolanta Gale. The design process draws on traditional elements of Indian dress and decoration and translates these into witty modern statements. The materials used in their fabrication are re-cycled and re-purposed in keeping with contemporary sustainable approaches to design. Final year fashion design students Hannah Clark and Edwina Sinclair worked closely with Lydia and Yolanta to create decorative cloaks based on the gargara (Indian dancing skirts) for the visiting Divas.
INTERIORS
Sustainable approach to materials, specifically cardboard, which will be repurposed and recycled. The effect should be magnificent yet erring towards somewhat faded grandeur… The installation will also references themes developed in the other related projects during ENCOUNTERS. Presented by Queensland Univeristy of Technology under the guidance of Lydia Pearson, Kathleen Horton and Paul Sanders.
WHEN: 13 to 19 May WHERE: Conservatorium Foyer & featured in key concerts TICKETS: FREE
MASTERCLASSES
MASTERCLASS
MASTERCLASS
Accomplished in ballet, modern, and Indian classical dance, Sutra Foundation’s Ramli Ibrahim (pictured above) is a cultural icon who has performed internationally for more than three decades. In this masterclass, he presents the basics and further insights into the art of movement on stage while demonstrating some of the processes involved in crosscultural and crossart collaboration.
Born in Bombay, Patricia Rozario studied at London’s Guildhall School of Music, winning the Gold Medal, and then at the National Opera Studio. Her unique voice and artistry has inspired several of the world’s leading composers to write for her, most notably Sir John Tavener who has now written over thirty works for her.
MOVEMENT
Rajeswari Sainath is one of India’s foremost exponents of the Bharatanatyam tradition of classical dance. Recipient of numerous awards and Director of the Sruthilaya Kendra Natarajaalaya, she has conducted seminars and lectures around India and abroad. Her masterclass is an introduction to the aesthetics, principles and philosophy of the Bharatanatyam dance tradition. Please note: There will be other masterclasses throughout the week. For more information visit: encountersfestival.com.au
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
10am - 12noon & 1pm - 3pm, Tues 14 May Opera Space $30 / $20 conc.
VOICE
Theirs is a collaboration almost nearly unique in contemporary music. “She is Tavener’s muse”, one commentator has written. Their best-known association is perhaps the Song for Athene which Patricia sang at the funeral of Princess Diana. More recently, in 2006, she travelled to Sydney for the premiere performances of Lament for Jerusalem with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and the Australian Youth Orchestra. (ABC Classics 476 1605). In this special presentation, Patricia will speak about her association with the famous British composer, on the eve of his 70th birthday.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
2.30pm, Wed 15 May Basil Jones Orchestral Hall $20 / $10 conc.
STRINGS
PHOTO: Keith Wynn Photocraft
MASTERCLASSES
MASTERCLASS
Rohan de Saram is considered one of the most gifted in his generation. Pablo Casals said of this Britishborn Sri Lankan, “There are few of his generation that have such gifts.” He originally made his name as a classical artist, but has since become renowned for his involvement in contemporary music. Rohan has performed with the world’s major orchestras as well as with composers such as Luciano Berio. After the UK premiere of Il Ritorno Degli Snovidenia, Berio said of him: “… your sound, your perfect intonation, your phrasing and bowing technique, make you a great performer of any music.” And so, Berio composed the last of the famous series of works for solo instruments, his Sequenza XIV expressly for Rohan de Saram. In this special presentation, Rohan will explain the origins of the work and his close association with Berio, on the 10th anniversary of the composer’s death.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
10am, Thurs 16 May Basil Jones Orchestral Hall $20 / $10 conc.
MASTERCLASS
RHYTHM
Indian rhythms have inspired some of the greatest fusion experiments with Indian music, including the legendary McLaughlin’s Shakti, and Mickey Hart’s Planet Drum. In this master class, percussionists can get a glimpse of the richness of Indian percussion and its potential to inspire collaborations. The masterclass by Aneesh Pradhan, a leader among India’s emerging tabla players, will display the skill, artistry and scholarship which never fail to impress his audiences. A disciple of the legendary guru Pandit Nikhil Ghosh, Aneesh has inherited from his guru a considerable repertoire of traditional tabla solo compositions from the distinct style schools from Delhi, Ajrada, Lucknow, Farrukhabad and Punjab. He has also acquired a keen and probing critical faculty reflecting on various aspects of Indian music.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS:
10am, Sat 18 May Basil Jones Orchestral Hall $20 / $10 conc.
SYMPOSIUM
THE TIES THAT BIND US The Ties That Bind Us is two-days of panels, incoversations and keynotes reflecting on India’s rise as a superpower and what this means for Australia. Discussions will be underpinned by the need for soft diplomacy, particularly cultural diplomacy, but will encompass a much broader canvas, as political leaders and scholars, commentators and artists explore the ways we might bridge the imaginations of our two cultures.
Speakers include: John McCarthy AO, Amit Sarwal, Randeep Agarwal, Christopher Kremmer, Shubha Mudgal, Anupama Kundoo (pictured above left, PHOTO: Andreas Deffner), Anupam Sharma, Kevin Murray, Datuk Ramli Ibrahim (pictured above), Rohan de Saram, Patricia Rozario, Patt Hoffie, Aneesh Pradhan and many more.
Key sessions explore: the role of cultural diplomacy in Australia-India relations; Indian Identity through film and television; Western concepts of intellectual property and Indian traditions; musical interactions between Australia and India; contemporary Indian culture in the world; the role of soft diplomacy in Australia-India relations; and the rise of India as a superpower.
WHEN: WHERE: TICKETS: MORE INFO:
Thur 16 & Fri 17 May Cinema A, GOMA $80 (1 day) / $120 (2 days) encountersfestival.com.au
SYMPOSIUM
DOING BUSINESS WITH INDIA
SYMPOSIUM RESONANCES
A two-day forum focussing on: 1. Understanding the Indian business environment 2. Understanding the Indian culture and its impact on business
Provocations: reflections on music
Participants will come away better prepared to: assess the growth opportunity that India offers to their business; appreciate the business environment, consumer mindset and market realities in India; understand the socio-cultural norms and management principles that work in India; understand legal, taxation, labour and other operating issues for the Indian market; and to apply the learning to other emerging markets.
Provocations addresses several important themes in current socio-musical discourse: South Asia and Australia - discoveries through ethnographic inquiry; classical music in contemporary India; Indian-inspired composition and performance: sustainability in Indian music cultures and the related arts; film music and the global market. The central focus of the opening session is Australian composer Peggy Glanville-Hicks, whose intimate connection with India and Indian music has sparked the interest of various international scholars.
Presented by the Australia India Business Council & the Indian School of Business
Speakers include: Andrew Alter, Robert Davidson, Sandy Evans, Karaikudi Mani, Shubha Mudgal, Adrian McNeil, Rajesh Mehta, Aneesh Pradhan, Patricia Rozario, Ritwik Sanyal (pictured above), Huib Schippers, V Suresh, Adrian Sherriff, Suzanne Robinson, Deborah Hayes and many more
WHEN: Thurs 16 and Fri 17 May WHERE: Conservatorium Boardroom MORE INFO: aibc.org.au
WHEN: Sat 18 May WHERE: Conservatorium Boardroom TICKETS: FREE
KEY ARTISTS & THINKERS Australian Art Orchestra comprises 20 of Australia’s leading performers and composers operating at the nexus of notated, improvised, western, non-western, new and traditional music. We are joined by four key members Adrian Sherriff, Adam King, Scott Tinkler, and Sandy Evans. Andrew Alter teaches ethnomusicology and contemporary music at Macquarie University, Sydney. He has published widely in the field of Indic Musicology with an emphasis on Himalayan traditions and ritual practice. Basavaraju Balasai is a well-known flautist and composer. He has performed extensively over India and abroad and composed music for many Indian Classical and contemporary dances ballets. He is appearing with Sruthi Laya Ensemble. Leah Barclay is a composer, sound artist and curator working at the intersection of art, science, technology and the environment. Betty Beath is a composer and pianist, She has produced much orchestral, chamber and instrumental music, art song and music drama. Tunji Beier is an accomplished percussionist. He performs improvisations and compositions drawing on various traditions, especially South Indian, Yorubi and Middle Eastern traditions. Greta Bradman is a lyric soprano who is gaining increasing attention for her vocal capacity and ‘evocative and moving’(Arts Hub 2012) performances of classical, romantic and contemporary repertoire, both in the concert hall and on the stage. Nicholas Brown is an Australian actor, singer, songwriter and screenwriter who has spent much of his professional life in India. In Australia, Nicholas has appeared in Channel 7’s City Homicide, Underbelly, Home and Away, The Cooks. He is currently starring in the international Blockbuster Bollywood film Kites opposite Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan.
Kim Cunio is one of Australia’s most accomplished researching composers and was awarded an ABC Golden Manuscript Award in 2004, in recognition of his work with traditional and Islamic music. His music has been played around the world. Robert Davidson is a prolific composer, bassist, lecturer and founder and artistic director of Topology, ensemble-in-residence at the Brisbane Powerhouse. Davidson’s compositions are regularly performed, recorded and broadcast around the world. Rohan de Saram is a world famous cellist. He works with a variety of artists, friends and composers, bringing together music from a range of musical periods and parts of the world, both eastern and western, classical and contemporary, composed music and improvisations, with players from many musical backgrounds. Ross Edwards is one of Australia’s best known composers and has created a unique sound world which seeks to reconnect music with elemental forces and restore its traditional association with ritual and dance.
Stephen Emmerson has taught at Queensland Conservatorium for over 25 years and, as a pianist, has performed widely in concerts and festivals around Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the Pacific. Sandy Evans is recognised as one of the leading saxophonists (tenor and soprano) and composers in contemporary jazz in Australia. She leads the Sandy Evans Trio, and co-leads the internationally acclaimed Clarion Fracture Zone. Amber Evans is assistant conductor and a member of The Australian Voices. She is in her third year of classical voice and a member of St Stephen’s Schola, a professional octet. Flamenco-Indo Jazz is an acclaimed Queensland-based fusion band bringing together the rhythms and melodies of the music of Andalucia, India and the US. Shen Flindell is an active force in Australia’s India and world music scene. He is best known for his supportive tabla accompaniment.
Anna Grinberg is Performance Research Fellow
Robert Keane studied piano in Sydney, and at
at the University of Queensland School of Music. Born in the former Soviet Union, Anna’s career has seen concerts in the USA, Australia, Israel, England, Italy, Germany and Belgium.
Queensland Conservatorium with Nancy Weir. He was the first Musical Director of the Queensland Theatre Company and the Queensland Theatre Orchestra.
Felicity Halon is principal oboe of Queensland
Anupama Kundoo graduated with a Bachelor
Youth Symphony. She has appeared in ensembles such as Auckland Youth Orchestra and Auckland Chamber Orchestra. In 2012, she performed oboe concertos with the Devonport Chamber Orchestra. Michael Halliwell has pursued a dual career as opera singer and scholar in operatic studies. He has performed over 50 major roles and is a respected and widely published academic. Deborah Hayes is professor emerita and former associate dean for graduate studies in the College of Music of the University of Colorado at Boulder. Her publications include seminal bio-bibliographies of Peggy Glanville-Hicks and Peter Sculthorpe. Ramli Ibrahim has set dance stages ablaze from Chennai to Paris for more than three decades. His rigorous training in ballet, modern and Indian classical dance reflects his multifaceted approach to the arts. The King of Malaysia recently conferred on him the distinguished title of Datuk.
of Architecture in Bombay and was awarded her doctorate from the University of Technology, Berlin. Dr Kundoo has had the experience of working, researching and teaching in a variety of cultural context across the world. Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani was well known as ‘”Master Mani’’ down south wherein he has shared stage and performed with many leading artists and won many awards. His dedication and hard work resulted in the Karakui Mani Bhani Style, wich won the hearts of percussion officianados all over the world. Christopher Kremmer is the author of The Carpet Wars: A Journey Across the Islamic Heartlands. His other books include Bamboo Palace: Discovering the Lost Dynasty of Laos, and Inhaling the Mahatma, a memoir of the eight years in which he lived and worked in India. Christopher is appearing courtesy of the Australia India Institute.
Jaadu
Kurilpa String Quartet
is an intercultural band based in Brisbane. The band currently consists of Ravi Welsh (acoustic guitar), Robert Welsh (piano, keyboards, percussion and vocals), Ranjini Shome (North Indian vocals) with a selection of guest artists. Nirmal Jena followed intensive training in the Jena style of Odissi, North Indian vocal, Orissan vocal, Chhau dance, instrumental music (Pakhawaj and Mridang) and has performed and given workshops widely. Graeme Jennings is a former member of the now legendary Arditti String Quartet with Rohan de Saram. He has toured widely throughout the world, made more than 70 CDs, given over 300 premieres and received numerous accolades including the prestigious Siemens Prize and two Gramophone awards.
was formed in 2011 by leading Brisbane musicians Graeme Jennings, Brendan Joyce, Yoko Okayasu and Katherine Phelp. They specialise in contemporary music. Heather Lee is an award winning singer and soloist who has performed in many of the leading venues and companies of Australia. Sebastien Lipman performed for major conductors, as principal harpist of the Berlin Philharmonic, and, as a chamber musician and soloist. Norma Marschke is a versatile and experienced accompanist working across opera, lieder and a variety of other genres. Gregory Massingham has performed as tenor soloist with symphony orchestras and choral societies throughout Australia.
John McCarthy
has served as Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Mexico, Thailand, the U.S, Indonesia, Japan and High Commissioner to India. McCarthy is currently Chair of the AustraliaIndia Council, Deputy Chair of the Australia-India Institute, Chair of the Advisory Board of the Griffith Asia Institute and Co-convenor of the AustraliaIndonesia Dialogue. John is appearing courtesy of the Australia Institute of International Affairs.
Adrian McNeil has undergone intensive training according to the guru-shishya parampara on the Hindustani instrument, the sarod. He regularly performs in major concerts where his playing attracts critical acclaim. Rajesh Mehta is an internationally renowned hybrid trumpet player, ensemble leader, composer, and engineer who creates music-artworks. Shubha Mudgal is a versatile and popular performer and recognised composer. She has also been closely involved with several projects related to music education in India. Shubha is appearing courtesy of Griffith Asia Institute. Kevin Murray is Adjunct Professor RMIT University, Research Fellow University of Melbourne and Adjunct Research Fellow Monash University. Sudhir Nayak
is a familiar face at most music festivals in India and has gained recognition as a sensitive harmonium accompanist to numerous vocalists. Nicholas Ng is a composer, performer and researcher who works in classical and world music, dance, theatre and film. Curator of ENCOUNTERS: CHINA (2010), he has written for ensembles such as the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and has performed at many international festival. Colin Noble is a solo pianist, educator, chamber musician, recording artist, and PhD candidate. Govind Pallai is one of a few Australian male exponents of the ancient Indian Classical dance form of Bharatanatyam. Govind’s documentary production “Sutra : secrets of classical Indian dance” has enjoyed successful seasons.
Lydia Pearson is a well known fashion designer who works in partnership with Pamela Easton. Their brand, Easton Pearson was establish in 1989 and now supplies over 100 stores across 24 countries. Raina Peterson is a dancer and choreographer trained in the classical Indian dance form of Mohiniattam. She is currently working with Jacob Boehme in his production Bush Mudra, a collaboration between Walpiri traditional dancers of the Tanami desert and classical Indian dancers of Tara Rajkumar’s Natya Sudha Dance Company. Vincent Plush is widely known as a composer, conductor, educator, broadcaster and writer on many arts subjects. Aneesh Pradhan is one of India’s leading tabla players. A disciple of Pandit Nikhil Ghosh, Aneesh has inherited from his guru a considerable repertoire of traditional tabla solo compositions. Ashwini Raj is a versatile vocal talent. Specialising in Carnatic voice, she is the Founder and CEO of Nandanam Music Academy Queensland and has released an international album In Voc—the Divine Within. Ashwini trained in India, and worked as a vocal teacher in Kerala and Australia. She is the recipient of numerous prizes and has worked with fusion artist Toby Wren.
Suzanne Robinson pursues research interests include feminist musicology from the New Woman to Betty Friedan and modernism in the music of US, British and Australian composers such as Peggy Glanville-Hicks. John Rodgers is a Brisbane-based composer, improviser, violinist, pianist and guitarist. He is highly regarded for his creative genius as a composer and has produced many works in fields including music theatre and new media. Patricia Rozario was born in Bombay and studied at London’s Guildhall School of Music, winning the Gold Medal, and then at the National Opera Studio. Her unique voice and artistry has inspired several of the world’s leading composers to write for her.
Rajeswari Sainath is a leading Bharatanatyam dancer. She underwent advanced training under Mridangam Maestro Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani in the nuances and intricacies of Laya. Amit Sarwal
is Alfred Deakin Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Citizenship and Globalisation, Deakin University, Australia and also the Founding Convenor of Australia-India Interdisciplinary Research Network (AIIRN). Amit is appearing courtesy of Deakin University. Peter Schaefer has studied sitar in india, the US and Australia. His music has been performed, recorded and broadcast in Australia and overseas. Margaret Schindler is senior lecturer in voice and head of vocal studies at Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University. She has appeared as soloist with many major orchestras throughout Australia, New Zealand and Germany. Huib Schippers has a long, diverse and profound history of engagement with music, education and training in various cultures. Trained as a professional sitar player, he proceeded with (partially overlapping) careers in performance, teaching, research, journalism, the record trade, arts policy, and project management.
Anupam Sharma
is a film director, actor, producer, and author. He has been named as one of the fifty most influential professionals in the Australian film industry (Encore Magazine). He is best known for producing Bollywood films in Australia. Adrian Sherriff is a performer, composer, teacher and multi-instrumentalist. He has been an ongoing member of the Australian Art Orchestra, The Wide Alley, Andrea Keller’s Bartok Project and the Bennett’s Lane Big Band amongst other ensemble. Sruthi Laya Ensemble is a unique ensemble started by Guru Kaaraikkudi Mani in 1986 combining melody and percussion. Guru Mani gave importance to talavadya concerts and released several CD’s. In 1989, Sruthi Laya Seva School opened in a small room in Chennai. With gurujis blessing, the school now has centers in Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chalakudi (Kerala), Australia, London and Germany.
Topology, one of Australia’s most surprising music organisation, creates original work across many genre boundaries. Ensemble-in-residence at the Brisbane Powerhouse, their full-bodied energy brings out the full potential of five musicians comprising saxophone, strings and piano. Dheeraj Shrestha is one of Australia’s foremost tabla players. With an international reputation, Dheeraj is unsurpassed as a stylist and his easy flowing style of playing sets him apart from other players of international renown. Vanessa Tomlinson is a leading musician, active in the fields of solo percussion, contemporary chamber music, improvisation, installation and composition. Suresh Vaidyanathan is a versatile percussionist who has mastered the ghatam, an earthen clay pot instrument. Suresh can adapt with remarkable speed & precision the techniques of drumming of any part of the world. Liam Viney is a soloist, collaborative artist and teacher. First prize-winner of the Lev Vlassenko Piano Competition, Liam has performed regularly in Australia, the U.S., Europe and Israel. Graham Williams
is a pianist, scholar and meditation teacher, graduated with a PhD from Adelaide University where he taught piano for 20 years. He is founder and director of the Lifeflow Meditation Centre and has published two books on meditation. David Williams’ skills as a didgeridoo player have taken him around Australia and also internationally to Beijing , Shanghai , New Zealand and San Francisco. Toby Wren is a jazz guitarist and composer. He teaches jazz guitar at the Queensland Conservatorium where he is also completing a PhD that examines cross-cultural music making.
SOUTH BANK BUS STATION
Griffith Film School
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SOUTH BANK RAILWAY STATION
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SOUTH BANK INSTITUTE
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LITTLE STANLEY
THE SHIP INN
THE ARBOUR
PICNIC ISLAND
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ALL GAS HOUSE
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STANLEY STREET PLAZA
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VENUE DETAILS QTIX BOOKINGS PARK AVENUE AQUATIVITY APARTMENTS FORMAL For further maps, public transport and informationGARDENSAll bookings, unless stated otherwise with the please visit encountersfestival.com.au/visitorinfo program details, are handled by qtix.com.au RIVER QUAY GREEN Phone: 136 246 (Toll Free outside Brisbane) STREETS BEACH QUEENSLAND CONSERVATORIUM VENUES or visit QTIX : Corner Grey and Melbourne Streets, CLE M JO E 140 Gret Street, South Brisbane South Bank, QLD, 4101 NES PROMENAD Conservatorium Theatre, Level 2 Box office opening hours: 9.00am to 8.30pm, PUBLIC MOORING Ian Hanger Recital Hall, Level 2 FERRYMonday to Saturday (AEST). TERMINAL Conservatorium Foyer, Level 2 Please note the Box Office is open two hours prior Basil Jones Orchestral Hall, Level 1 to a scheduled performance on Sundays. Boardroom, Level 3 QCGU BOX OFFICE OTHER SOUTH BANK VENUES The Queensland Conservatorium Box Office is Cultural Forecourt, The Courier-Mail Piazza located in the Conservatorium foyer, and is open Nepalese Pagoda, South Bank Parklands one hour prior to the start of performances for Queensland College of Art, 226 Grey St, South Bank ticket sales and collection of booked tickets. Griffith Film School, Cnr Dock and Vulture Streets, South Brisbane PRICES INCLUDE ALL FEES Cinema A, Gallery of Modern Art, Stanley Place, All information is correct at the time of printing. South Bank, Queensland, Australia Please confirm all details when booking. R IV ER
MARITIME MUSUEM
ABI GROUP
S IST YCL &C
LY) ON
OTHER VENUES Queen Street Main Stage, Queen St Mall Brisbane Main Auditorium, Brisbane City Hall, Adelaide and Ann Street, Brisbane Concert Hall, The Old Museum, 460 Gregory Terrace, Bowen Hills
CONCESSIONS Where concessions are offered, these will apply to full-time students, pensioners, and health care card holders.
Gallery of Modern Art
ENCOUNTERS TEAM Professor Huib Schippers, Director, QCRC Mr Vincent Plush, Artistic Director Ms Rhiannon Phillips, Business Development Dr Nicholas Ng, Assistant Curator Mr James Lees, Producer Ms Saba Al-Saleem, Associate Producer Ms Lydia Pearson, Design Consultant Ms Nora Farrell, Website Developer Mr Boris Bischoff, Multi-Media Coordinator Ms Petah Chapman, Volunteer Coordinator Ms Simone Vitiello, Marketing Assistant QUEENSLAND CONSERVATORIUM VENUES & EVENTS Dr Helen Lancaster, Executive Manager Ms Clare Wharton, Enterprise Services Manager Mr Cameron Hipwell, Technical Manager Ms Lauren Suto, Publicist Ms Leisa Godden, Marketing Manager (Acting)
SPECIAL THANKS Professor Paul Mazerolle, Pro Vice Chancellor (Arts, Education and Law), Griffith University Mr Tarun Kumar, First Secretary, Culture, The High Commission of India in Australia Mrs Archana Singh, Honorary Consul of India, Brisbane Mr Randeep Agarwal, President, Australia India Business Council - Qld Ms Manju Jehu, Honorary Ambassador for the City of Ipswich Mr Shyam Das, President, GOPIO - Qld Mr Suneel Lalwani, Bombay Dhaba, Bombay Bliss Ms Jo Pratt, CEO, Brisbane Multicultural Arts Centre Professor Herman van Eyken, Head of School, Griffith Film School Ms Heidi Piper, Deputy Director International Ms Meredith Jackson, Director, External Relations Griffith University Mr John Davis, Australia Music Centre Darren Baker, Jamisen Lander; Jocelyn and Bruce Wolfe; Sara Smart, Barry Hancock, Craig Ball & Ben Love from Brisbane City Council; Sumit Panjwani; Yousuf Alikhan, Yousef Sanjeet, Shulakshna Narayan: Anuj Sodha, Sumit Panjwani, Parth Ravel, Earl Bridger, Darshil Shah
Principal PARTNERS
PROGRAM PARTNERS
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.
OFFICIAL TRANSPORT PARTNER
OFFICIAL CATERER
ARTIST PARTNERS
PROGRAM SUPPORTERS
Karma Dance Inc, Odissi Dance Company, Hetva Beauty
MEDIA & COMMUNITY PARTNERS
9am - 6pm Sat
9am - 4pm Sun
FREE
FAMILY EVENT Experience the Indian Bazaar, part of
Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University’s ENCOUNTERS: INDIA festival (13- 19 May): an extravaganza of Indian street life featuring an array of stalls - fashion, craft, food, henna - and vibrant music and dance. Cultural Forecourt, South Bank Parklands
encountersfestival.com.au