News / East meets west
THIS year’s Peerie Willie Guitar Season gets underway next week with an exciting mix of western and Indian music from the Svara Kanti ensemble, led by guitarist Simon Thacker.
The ensemble plays Bigton public hall on Friday 14 October and the Garrison Theatre the following night.
There will also be a free masterclass for people to learn about the group’s music and instruments in the Garrison at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
Svara-Kanti brings together four acclaimed masters of Indian and western music to reinterpret a range of Indian classical, modern and Bollywood film music using western classical and jazz influences.
As well as Thacker on classical guitar, the group includes Carnatic South Indian violinist Jyotsna Srikanth, who has recorded over 200 Bollywood soundtracks, and internationally renowned tabla player Sarvar Sabri, who has a musical lineage stretching back ten generations to the Royal Court of the Mughal Emperor Akbar.
The fourth member is London based singer and actress Japjit Kaur, who has performed extensively and was musical director and vocal coach for the Royal National Theatre’s production of Rafta Rafta.
Each concert will begin with a solo classical guitar recital from Thacker.
Shetland Arts music development officer Bryan Peterson said: “Svara-Kanti is a virtuosic group of musicians whose members seamlessly blend Indian and western styles. A taste of the exotic is the perfect antidote to autumnal blues.”
Tickets cost £10 (£8 concessions) and are available from Shetland Box Office or 01595 745555. Bookings for the masterclass can be made through the box office.
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