Brahmastra Arts House presents
River of Life: An Intercultural Odyssey
(As part of the Composers’ Series)
12th September 2024, 8 pm
Esplanade Recital Studio
Dive into a visual and musical odyssey as the magic of five rivers unfolds, revealing the evolution of life through mesmerizing original compositions by prolific composers Avik Chari, Chok Kerong, Dr. John Sharpley, Eric Watson, and Gu Wei. These five original compositions will be performed by the NP Collective, an ensemble managed by Brahmastra Arts House. The concert will also feature Sarfaraaz Khan, one of the leading exponents of the Sarangi, as a soloist.
This concert bridges Indian classical and folk musicians with Western classical music composers, creating a harmonious blend of both worlds. The fusion of diverse musical traditions highlights the universality of music, bringing together the unique sounds and rhythms of Indian and Western classical traditions in a unified, transcendent performance.
The concert is supported by the START and Sands Innovation Fund – National Arts Council (Singapore) with venue partnership by Esplanade Co.
The concert is directed by Gildon Choo and artistically directed by multi-award-winning composer and accomplished flautist, Niranjan Pandian. The NP Collective musicians include:
* Niranjan Pandian (Music Director / Flautist / Konnakol)
* T Ramanan (Mridangam)
* NJ Pravin (North Indian Folk Percussions)
* Fabian Lee (Acoustic and Upright Bass)
* Tan Wen Bin (Cello)
* Eshan Denipitiya (Electric Keys)
* Bryan De Rozario (Tenor Saxophone)
* Muraledharan Naidu (Drums)
About Brahmastra Arts House
Brahmastra Arts House is a leading arts institution renowned for its high-quality arts, cultural, music, and language-based productions. The house supports four ensembles: Brahmastra Ensemble, Brahmastra Multi-Ethnic Ensemble, The Vamshika Quintet, and The NP Collective, performing at local and international festivals. Notable productions include the “My Identity” series, “Venu Nadam” series, “7 Wonders of Tamil” as part of the Tamil Language Festival 2022, “7 Wonders of Punggol” as part of Arts In Your Neighbourhood 2019, and “In Sanga Senses: Poetries of the Human Experience” as part of the Tamil Language Festival 2024. Brahmastra has also supported commissions presented at the Culture Festival 2021, Heritage Festival, Kala Utsavam 2020, and Singapore Writer Festival 2023. Brahmastra Arts House is led by multi-award-winning composer and accomplished musician Niranjan Pandian, who has pushed boundaries and built an ecosystem connecting musicians across the Southeast Asian diaspora.
About NP Collective
NP Collective is an Indian Jazz fusion ensemble that brings together Indian classical and Jazz musicians, fostering a confluence of ideas and shared musical moments on and off stage. Launched in 2022 as part of “Our Conversations: Our Festive Stories” by Our Tampines Hub, the NP Collective later presented its original concert, “Samavaya: A Euphonic Co-Existence,” at the Indian Performing Arts Convention 2023 held at the Esplanade Annex Studio.