NCPA International Jazz Festival

NCPA International Jazz Festival

This Thursday, 28th May at 6 pm NCPA@home presents a unique show which will witness 15 international Jazz and Blues artists jamming with each other one stage! This magical performance by two Latin bands and three traditional and contemporary Jazz bands was a part of the NCPA International Jazz Festival ’18 finale. Members of Latin bands, Los Gatos and the Brazilian Samba Express shared the stage for the finale of NCPA International Jazz Festival’18 performing well known Latin Jazz numbers whilst improvising on them. The face-off between the percussionists from Cuba, Brazil and Panama will enthral the viewers who have never heard the likes of this confrontation! Further, members of the Clifford Brown band, MND FLO and Ari Roland’s Quartet combined to play this rousing finale. Three jazz classic tunes were on display, but with a blues touch. Expect to hear All Blues and Bag’s Groove at this set, amongst other popular Jazz standards. NCPA@home series includes exclusive videos and content across genres from NCPA’s extensive archival library. Block your calendar and stay tuned to NCPA’s YouTube page to enjoy an exclusive showcase of Musical Concerts!  YouTube link -  https://www.youtube.com/TheNCPAMumbai1 Performing Musicians: Chris Byars – Tenor Saxophone Clifford Brown III – Trumpet Zayed Nasser – Alto Saxophone Francesco Lento – Trumpet Jim Porto – Vocals & Piano Simon Moullier – Vibraphone Pradyumna Singh Manot – Piano Sharik Hasan – Piano Miguelo Valdes – Conga Roberthino Bastos – Percussion Alexander Toth – Bass Sonic Shori – Bass Ari Roland – Bass Rayford Griffin – Drums Kunal Netrapal – Drums Opening its doors to the world in 1969, the NCPA became the first multi-venue and multi-purpose cultural centre to be built in South Asia. Vibrant and diverse, the NCPA today is recognised by artistes, patrons and media alike as India’s premier performing arts institution. The Centre provides a fine showcase of India’s rich performing arts traditions, all thanks to the institution’s training and research initiatives. The NCPA presents over 600 events each year across all major art forms, most notably Indian Music, International Music, Theatre and Film, Dance, Visual Arts and Photography. There are Heads of Programming for each of these art forms who curate innovative events and festivals; representative of everything from classical to contemporary throughout the year. The NCPA produces its own programmes as well as collaborates with leading cultural promoters from around the world. The NCPA is the only member organisation of the International Music Council (IMC) from India. To know more visit http://www.ncpamumbai.com When: Thursday, 28th May at 6.00 pm Where to view: NCPA YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/TheNCPAMumbai1     NCPA International Jazz Festival

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 Urdu and Hindustani translations of the selected poems of Rabindranath Tagore by Gulzarji

Urdu and Hindustani translations of the selected poems of Rabindranath Tagore by Gulzarji

On the occasion of 159th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, NCPA@home showcases a mesmerizing presentation by Gulzar Sahab of Urdu/Hindustani translations of the selected poems of Rabindranath Tagore on Friday, 22nd May 2020, 6 pm on the NCPA YouTube channel. This event was staged at the NCPA in July 2014 as a part of NCPA’s 3-day annual festival titled Bandish: Celebrating the Legendary Composers. Rabindranath Tagore’s (1861-1941) life epitomized a rare combination of unsurpassed creativity and innovation integrated beautifully with the prevalent artistic traditions. Nobel laureate, poet, novelist and composer, Tagore’s unique farsightedness, statesmanship, and vivid retrospection are especially reflected in his innumerable volumes of profoundly sensitive poetries, appealing songs, intellectual essays, riveting novels, mystic dance dramas and timeless short stories. Gulzarji is a celebrated poet, writer, lyricist and film director whose works have also been influenced by Bangla poetry and literature. He has been decorated with several accolades and awards including the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. NCPA@home series includes exclusive videos and content across genres from NCPA’s extensive archival library. Block your calendar and stay tuned to NCPA’s YouTube page to enjoy an exclusive showcase of Musical Concerts! NCPA YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/TheNCPAMumbai1 Urdu and Hindustani translations of the selected poems of Rabindranath Tagore by Gulzarji

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 Online – a New Performance Venue for the Arts

Online – a New Performance Venue for the Arts

International Dance Day is celebrated the world over on April 29. It is a global celebration of dance, created by the Dance Committee of the International Theatre Institute, the main partner for the performing arts of UNESCO. No one can undermine the effect of a live performance. The experience of alert minds bonding with each other through the arts. A silent exchange of energy, a silent connection giving rise to multiple emotions. A few weeks back this medium suddenly came to a standstill. With the country under lockdown, live performance spaces are closed. Empty stage, vacant seats. But the show must go on. And it did. Every challenge comes with opportunities. NCPA and many such veteran organisations started their online screening from their archival treasures.   As an arts manager at the NCPA, going online has given us the opportunity to add art more to the lives of our audiences. With live shows we were able to only reach out to people who can physically visit our venues but with online we reach out to even that lady who perhaps has never stepped out of her kitchen. My grandmother listened to the radio as she cooked. Those memories of Indian classical music drenched in her mild spices still linger in that space. Growing up her kitchen was no less a space that I connected with good art. An experience dotted with explanations of ragas or stories of wondrous sadhanas of acclaimed artistes as she chopped away. This course into music appreciation was no less for a young mind as mine.  She always missed not being able to watch dance. Today she would have been happy. Every time we have a screening of our music and dance shows, we have audiences sharing photos of themselves – at their homes, with their kids watching an Indian classical music or a dance show. Online surely has helped us reach out better. It has created a new performance venue for us. Both to perform and to experience… With opportunity comes the necessity of focussed research and planning so that the presentations do justice to the art and the artiste. And with that also comes the topic of sustainability. I know NCPA and all organisations who ticket their shows have put in a lot of effort in creating this habit of paying for good art. With a lot of content now being shared for free, though a beautiful way of reaching out in such tragic conditions but with it is also a growing concern of losing the habit of paying for the arts. This contribution is important. Though in most cases box office collection for the classical arts barely cover the expenses of putting up the show but this participation from the audience in acknowledging the efforts and years of hard work by the artistes are important. It is important to that young kid sitting with her parents watching Indian classical dance with a paid subscription to believe in the talent that she has. A confirmation that her dancing talent matters to the world as much as her skills in solving trigonometry. So what kind of content then should be free online? It’s tough to answer this. Probably something which can’t be recreated or has been extensively performed (and some investment has been recovered). I feel new content (unless supporting a cause) should be reserved for the special person who gives us the respect of creation with subscription. By Swapnokalpa Dasgupta- Head- (Odissi dance artist) and Dance Programming, NCPA. Online – a New Performance Venue for the Arts

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