Masters of Sarangi

Indian Classical Music of Benares

7th and 8th generation sarangi masters from the ancient city of Varanasi, Pandit Santosh Mishra and his son Sangeet Mishra will be performing around Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and NNSW with Brisbane's leading classical tabla player Shen Flindell and special guests Yuki Taniguchi Flindell (mantras, Dhrupad) and Shrabani Choudhury (sitar - August 26 only).

Brisbane region 2012 Tour Schedule

7pm Fri Aug 17 Woombye - Home concert

7pm Sat Aug 18 Bracken Ridge Hall

5pm Sun Aug 19 Oxley - Home concert
ALSO Workshop from 2pm

7pm Fri Aug 24 Nimbin School of Arts Hall

7pm Sat Aug 25 Ocean Shores - Home concert
ALSO Workshop from 3pm

4pm Sun Aug 26 Mt Gravatt Progress Hall
Strings of India 2012 - with Shrabani Choudhury (sitar)

 

IN BRIEF

Eighth generation sarangi master Sangeet Mishra returns to the Brisbane region after his successful tours in 2009 and 2010. This time Sangeet will be accompanying his father, renowned sarangi master of Benares Pt Santosh Mishra, without whom no concert in Varanasi is complete.

Indian classical music is a diamond of global culture, a timeless spiritual vibration with unmatched opportunities for improvisation and expression, transporting listeners into realms of sound. This tour brings together musicians from India, Australia and Japan to evoke the peaceful sounds of Planet Earth.

Sarangi is an Indian bowed instrument with about 50 strings. Its sound is considered to match the human voice most closely, and its name literally means "hundred colours", reflecting the wide range of tones and moods it can evoke. An extremely difficult instrument, the art of sarangi is slowly dying. The sound is that of ancient spiritual India. Santosh and Sangeet Mishra come from a long lineage of sarangi players from India's holiest city, Varanasi, and have performed with leading artists all around India and the world.

Pandit Santosh Mishra
Pandit Santosh Mishra of Benaras tradition, learnt music from his uncle Maestro Narayan Das Mishra and his father Maestro Bhagwan Das Mishra. An A Grade artiste of All India Radio and Doordarshan, Pandit Mishra has performed in numerous prestigious music festivals, both in India and abroad.

Sri Sangeet Mishra
Young Maestro Sangeet Mishra has learnt music from his father Pandit Santosh Mishra. He has also received advanced training from his paternal and maternal grandfathers Maestro Bhagwan Das and Maestro Narayan Das Mishra respectively. Sangeet has performed on several music platforms in India and overseas. Sangeet is a talented musician and a capable exponent of the Benaras tradition.
Check out Sangeet on Youtube here.

Sri Shen Flindell
Shen Flindell started learning tabla in Melbourne from Sri Debapriya Bhattacharya in 1994. He went to Varanasi in India to study under Pt. Kaviraj Ashutosh Bhattacharya, a great tabla master of the Benares Gharana. Based in Brisbane, Shen spends several months of each year in Japan and India. Within the realm of Indian classical music, Shen is capable in the four fields of vocal accompaniment, instrumental accompaniment, Kathak dance accompaniment and tabla solo. Shen has also given successful accompaniment in South Indian music and dance performances.
Check out Shen on Youtube here.

Srimati Yuki Taniguchi Flindell
Through Mantra, Kirtan and Indian Classical Music, Yuki became interested in the power of sound. She studies Mantra Yoga in Rishikesh and Dhrupad (Indian Classical Vocal) and Sanskrit in Varanasi. She regularly travels and gives workshops and concerts in India, Japan, and Australia.

LISTEN: Download a recording of one of Sangeet's concerts with Shen Flindell and bansuri player Taro Terahara here.