INDIA’S BIGGEST MULTI-DISCIPLINARY ARTS FESTIVAL
IS BACK WITH AN EXCITING LINEUP OF PROJECTS
The Music programme at Serendipity Arts Festival to explore diverse traditions in India
Panaji, Goa 15 - 22 December, 2019
India’s biggest multi-disciplinary arts event, Serendipity Arts
Festival 2019 launches its fourth edition in Goa from the 15-22
December 2019, with over 100 dynamic projects highlighting
India’s rich traditions of music, dance and theatre, alongside
culinary arts, craft, photography and visual arts exhibitions.
The music program, curated by Aneesh Pradhan, one of
India’s leading tabla players and Sneha Khanwalkar, a
leading Bollywood music director, in its latest edition will
explore a range of Hindustani and folk music traditions,
in addition to Hindi poetry and the art-rock genre. This
will include visual and aural installations, offering
visitors a unique sound experience that showcases the
synergy between sound, visuals and technology. The
music programming will be showcasing known national
and international musicians as well as groups from Goa,
Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Bengal and Manipur.
Highlights of this year’s music projects include Sadaarang,
a concert underlining the melodic, rhythmic and poetic
variety experienced in Sadaarang (18th century Hindustani
musical composer and artist, Niyamat Khan’s) compositions;
Bandish Antaakshari, a performance-based game, portraying
compositions (bandish) from the Hindustani art music tradition
through antaakshari; Dhun Mela, a folk song extravaganza
bringing together groups of musicians and dancers from
various states; Serendipity Soundscapes, where the music
curators are invited to bring the unique sounds of the
subcontinent together; River Raga, Hindustani classical music
concerts taking place on a ferry cruise along the Mandovi river;
and Sound Interventions, a multi-artist project experimenting
with interactivity, sound and performance-based installations.
Other performances include an evening of jazz with
Louiz Banks and Braz Gonzalves; Dastaan Live, a
genre-defying art-rock project; a performance by Floy
Krouchi, bassist and composer of electro-acoustic music;
renowned musician, songwriter composer DJ Karsh
Kale; and renowned playback singer for Indian films,
Rekha Bhardwaj. The Neemrana Music, Foundation
will also be conducting a workshop titled Discover Your
Opera Voice where world-renowned voice coach Jasmin
Martorell and opera singer Priya Wacziarg will conduct.
The Festival will also be organising concerts in the park
by a variety of musicians and bands, with genres ranging
from jazz to fusion, pop to retro, and blues to funk.
Talking about this year’s music programming, Ms. Smriti
Rajgarhia, Director, Serendipity Arts Foundation, said,
“The Music projects have always been diverse and experimental
at Serendipity Arts Festival. This year, apart from having an
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exciting line-up of popular headlining acts combining a variety of
genres, the curation will also showcase the diverse musical roots
of the region, explored through traditional rhythm and melodies”.
Speaking of the aspects of his music curation at Serendipity
Arts Festival 2019, Aneesh Pradhan said, “The arts have
traditionally been regarded as a composite whole in India,
but over a period of time we seem to have lost the dialogue
between them. Serendipity Arts Festival brings to the fore the
possibility of reviving an interdisciplinary approach while
not diluting each of the arts. As a result, practitioners and
audiences can witness experimental works in this direction
alongside the more traditional presentations. In fact, in some
cases the traditional performances are also located in new
contexts, thus providing fresh challenges to performers.”