Description
Lanesboro Arts presents “Summer Rain,” a new production with music developed and performed by Zeitgeist and composer/veena virtuoso Nirmala Rajasekar, at the St. Mane Theatre in Lanesboro on Saturday, May 12 at 7:30 p.m. A blend of Indian Classical music (Carnatic tradition) and Western classical new music, SUMMER RAIN features five musical compositions interspersed with discussion and interactive opportunities designed to bring audiences a greater understanding of the two traditions.
For millennia, the sharing of music has been a natural, joy-filled means for peoples of different cultures to grow in their understanding of one another and increase the artistic possibilities of each practice. For musicians, the pull to increase their palette by exploring new timbres, melodic structures, and rhythms is absolutely irresistible, and the rich results of cross-cultural musical sharing can be traced throughout our human history.
Zeitgeist and Nirmala Rajasekar felt that irresistable pull several years ago, during a five-day workshop devoted to the development of new work. The result was Thillana Shuffle, a work that features Western and Indian drumming and improvisation by each of the ensemble members. As their collaboration has continued, more works have ensued, including Summer Rain, written by Rajasekar, and Morning Dew, written by her daughter, Shruthi. Sublime Journey was composed by Rajasekar for a world-wide tour featuring both Carnatic and Hindustani musicians. Taken with the work, Zeitgeist member Pat O’Keefe made an arrangement for Rajasekar and Zeitgeist, adding Western influences to the Carnatic and Hindustani mix. Knowing that music has a profound place in our spiritual worlds, they created an arrangement of Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, a traditional Indian devotional song much favored by Ghandi. Together, this collection of works makes up the musical evening, “Summer Rain.” “Summer Rain” celebrates our differences, delves deeply into our common ground, and creates a new musical experience for our audiences and musicians.
Nirmala Rajasekar began her training in Veena at age 6 from well-known practitioners such as Sri Deva Kottai Narayana Iyengar and Smt. Kamala Aswathama. After moving to Bangalore, she learned at the Gana Mandira School in Basavangudi Smt. G Chennama and Smt. E. P. Alamelu. The violinist Vidwan Sri A. D. Zachariah also guided her, and she began her career as a soloist at age 13. Later in Chennai, she was guided by the revered veena vidushi for Smt.Kalpakam Swaminathan who passed away on April 6 2011. Nirmala trained with her for nearly 30 years. Her vocal Gurus are Sri B.Sitarama Sarma and Sri T.R. Subramanyam. Nirmala travels around the world teaching and performing Carnatic Music vocally and on her veena She is an active collaborator with other forms of art as well including western Classical music, Jazz, Chinese poetry. She is the artistic director of the school Naadha Rasa (Essence of Tone), Center for Music.
Lauded for providing “a once-in-a-lifetime experience for adventurous concertgoers,” Zeitgeist is a new music chamber ensemble comprised of two percussion, piano and woodwinds. One of the longest established new music groups in the country, Zeitgeist commissions and presents a wide variety of new music for audiences in the Twin Cities and on tour. Always eager to explore new artistic frontiers, Zeitgeist collaborates with poets, choreographers, directors, visual artists and sound artists of all types to create imaginative new work that challenges the boundaries of traditional chamber music. The members of Zeitgeist are: Heather Barringer, percussion; Patti Cudd, percussion; Pat O’Keefe, woodwinds; and Nicola Melville piano.