Soorya Global Festival of Indian Dance and Music on May 8, 2009

Soorya (Singapore) organizes two major Festivals of Indian Dance & Music every year with high profile artistes - one in May/June and another in Nov. In the forthcoming event this May 8th Soorya proudly presents the legend of Bharathanatyam dance Dr Padma Subrahmanyam & others. This is the ninth event in the Soorya Global Festival series in Singapore.

Event Highlights: A classical dance performance and a classical music recital on the same evening. The dance segment features the legendary virtuoso Padmabhushan Dr Padma Subrahmanyam and Dr Gayatri Kannan . And the music segment features a Carnatic-Hindustani instrumental jugalbandhi (South Indian - North Indian musical confluence) on Veena and Sarod, both stringed instruments. The artistes are Maestro B Kannan on Veena and Pandit Mukesh Sharma on Sarod.

The Artistes
Dance Segment – Padmabhushan Dr Padma Subrahmanyum will take the stage along with another reputed danseuse Dr Gayathri Kannan

Dr Padma Subrahmanyam, an international celebrity & a legend of Bharathanatyam or Bharatanrityam has won innumerable awards in India & abroad including the highest civilian awards from the President of India like the Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri for lifetime achievements in art and culture. She has held several prestigious positions in India. She is acclaimed as a rare combination of a dancer, research scholar, choreographer, singer, music composer, teacher, author and indologist. She is also the first dancer in the world to receive the prestigious Fukuoka Asian Cultural award from Japan for her contribution to development and harmony in Asia. For five decades she has been performing extensively in India & abroad. Her tutelage has given the world some of the best dancers of India. Do not miss the wonderful opportunity to watch this great dancer perform live in Singapore .

Dr Gayatri is one of the senior most disciples of Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam (Director, Nrithyodaya) for dance and Vidwan Sri S. Rajam for music. She has presented several lecture demonstrations in India & abroad. For being an all-rounder (Dance, Nattuvangam & Vocal), Gayatri was awarded the prestigious title of “Yuva Kala Bharati” by Bharat Kalachar in 1993.


Music segment is a duet (Jugabandhi) of two instrumental music notes Hindustani & Carnatic music that of Sarod by Pandit Mukesh Sharma & Veena by Maestro Kannan

Pandit Mukesh Sharma is India's leading exponent of Sarod among the younger generation. His highly versatile and aesthetic perception of the Sarod has enabled him to touch most profound depths of this instrument. His purity of style, uniqueness of imagination with his brilliant technique in which he blends the elements of "Gayaki ie, Vocal rendering and "Layakari" ie... Instrumental rhythmic patterns, make his recitals enchanting.

Kannan B is known for his charming creativity and clarity in head-reeling speed without loss of emotion. He makes full use of the 3-1/2 octaves in Veena. He is the only Veena artiste who has performed Jugalbandhis with Santoor, Sarod and Sitar artistes of the Hindustani world. Kannan has composed many Tillanas. He has been featured in Chennai Doordarshan, Jaya TV, Sun TV, Raj TV and Vijay TV and also Asian Television Network (ATN) Canada. He is the Secretary of Nrithyodaya, Chennai and is also a Trustee-Secretary of Director K. Subrahmanyam Memorial Trust as well as Bharatamuni Foundation for Asian Culture.

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Venue: Victoria Theatre , 9 Empress lane
Date: 8th (Friday) May 2009
Time : 7.30pm
Duration : 2 & 1/2 hours apprx
Tickets : Public: $30, $50 (stall seating), $15, $10 (circle seating). student price: $15 (stall seating) Free admission for Soorya members.

For Membership details
Email address: soorya.sg@gmail.com
Event website: www.sooryafest.org
Contacts : 0065-9389 0407 (krishnakumar) /9369 2920 (chitra)/91903789 (priya)