Crossing Indian Rhythms at the Bickford Theatre - September 16

Crossing Indian Rhythms
A gateway for music lovers into Indian music with a young ensemble that teaches, drums, dances and “duels”

WHEN: Sunday, September 16, 2018 at 2:00PM
WHERE: Bickford Theatre, 6 Normandy Hgts. Rd., Morristown
TICKETS: Museum and CMANA Members: $15; Non-Members: $20; Seniors: $18; Students: $15 (with valid ID)
Tickets can be purchased by calling the Box Office at 973.971.3706 or at www.morrismuseum.org/special-performances/

The Morris Museum will launch its new partnership with the Carnatic Music Association of North America (CMANA) with a percussion concert.

CMANA, based in New Jersey, promotes and propagates the understanding and appreciation of Indian music and related fine arts throughout North America. Carnatic music, in particular, is the classical musical tradition of southern India, and remains more elusive for North-American audiences, than the better-known Hindustani music of northern India. This partnership strives to bring great performances of Carnatic music to the Indian-American community of northern New Jersey, while designing performances that introduce this fascinating music to general audiences. http://www.cmana.org/

In Crossing Indian Rhythms, young Indian percussionist, Akshay Anantapadmanabhan (above, left), and his ensemble will decipher the astounding complexities of Indian rhythm, featuring the ancient mridangam and kanjira drums, as well as the konnakol "scat-singing" of percussion syllables and bharatanatyam dance.

This five-part concert will give an inside view of the most sophisticated and rhythmically complex hand-drumming in the world. Beginning with an elegant showcase of the dual-headed mridangam drum, played by Anantapadmanabhan and his disciples, the jaw-dropping konnakol (rhythmic "scat-singing") of South Asia will demonstrate the numerical principles behind these intricate drumming techniques.

Guest percussionist, Adam Maalouf, will add further global accents into the concert, playing the cajon and hangpan. Fresh rhythmic interaction will be added in the second half of the concert, as dance is added into the mix.

The audience will be invited to participate in many of the demonstrations, and there will be opportunities to ask questions of the performers after the grand conclusion.

Top: Sudharma Vaithiyanathan. Photos by Chella Vaithiyanathan.