|
Music Blog - Prabha Girish, Senior Manager, Business Strategy, Walmart ARTISTS: Matangi Arun, Medhansh Sankaran, Vishaak Rajaram, Vedanth Attili “Enna Thavam Saithanai” – a beautiful composition by Papanasam Sivam set in Raga Kapi translates to asking Yashoda, “what penance did you do to get Lord Krishna as your child?” I wonder, what penance did we do to witness the Yuva Utsav this year. Thanks to Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation for the platform and opportunity to bring young and budding musicians to perform and delight us on a Saturday evening. Matangi Arun, Medhansh Shankaran disciples of Vidwan Shri. Vittal Ramamurthy and Vishaak Rajaram, disciple of Rohan Krishnamurthy, rendered spectacular performances on Indian Classical Violin and Mridangam. The show started with a Bhairavi Ata Thala Varnam followed by some of the famous Kritis (songs) Parathpara, Guruleka, Maragathavalli composed by Papanasam Sivam, Saint Thyagaraja, and Muthuswami Dikshitar respectively. The main piece, a Thillana Medley in Karnaranjini, Dwijavanthi and Mishrashivaranjini ragas composed by Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman and arranged by Vidwan Shri. Vittal Ramamurthy, was exhilarating. The piece included the raga alapana elaborating the three different ragas leading up to the song followed by swarams extemporization (unrehearsed notes of the raga) and a solo performance by Vishaak. Vishaak delivered complex patterns of the rhythm and displayed his outstanding percussion skills with the mridangam. The artists were scrupulous in their delivery and simplified it for the diverse audience to enjoy their performances. The introductions of raga and tala of the song, sharing memorable experiences during their phase of learning these songs from their Guru were some of the more interesting interactions with the audience. As a musician myself raising two young boys who are inclined towards Indian Classical Music, I feel the Yuva Utsav was an inspiration to young children who are pursuing learning this form of music. Before the dance section, one of our local students, Vedanth Attili performed on his mridangam with Medhansh Sankaran accompanying him on the violin. This was his first time playing as an accompaniment to another instrument and he completed the task with elan. It was short performance of 15 minutes but very well executed. We look forward to a full concert from him in a few years. nce Blog - Vidushi. Megha P Rao, Artistic Director of Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance ARTIST: Radha Varadhan The stage was set, the anticipation palpable as the audience eagerly awaited the performance of Radha, a promising disciple of the legendary Kathak dancers Nirupama and Rajendra. Having witnessed the awe-inspiring performances of her esteemed gurus, I entered the theater with high expectations, and I was not disappointed. Radha, undoubtedly, is on the path to greatness, her performance echoing the influence of her mentors while showcasing her unique flair and dedication to the art form. From the moment Radha stepped onto the stage, her presence commanded attention. As she began her mesmerizing chakars, it was evident that her training was rigorous and precise. Each rotation was executed with grace and control, leaving no room for error. What truly impressed me was her impeccable landings after the chakars – firm and strong, displaying her mastery over every aspect of her craft. Despite the challenges posed by a rough surface, Radha’s footwork remained unwaveringly strong and clear. Her movements flowed seamlessly, effortlessly gliding across the stage with a fluidity that belied the surface beneath her feet. It was a testament to her skill and dedication that she managed to navigate the terrain flawlessly, never once faltering in her performance. The selection of choreographies for the evening was diverse, each piece imbued with its own unique feel and emotion. From the delicate intricacies of a thumri to the exuberant energy of a tarana, Radha showcased her versatility as a dancer, captivating the audience with her every move. Her dedication and perseverance towards her art form were evident in every step, every gesture, as she poured her heart and soul into each performance. What struck me most about Radha’s performance was her ability to embody contradiction. She was graceful, yet firm; elegant, yet infused with a hint of naughtiness in her eyes. Like water, she moved effortlessly across the stage, her movements fluid and effortless, captivating the audience with every sway of her body. Her drishti, sharp as a dart, held the audience in thrall, drawing us into her world with every glance. As the final notes of the evening’s performance faded away, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe and admiration for Radha and her incredible talent. It was a well-spent evening, filled with moments of beauty and brilliance that will stay with me long after the curtains have closed. Radha is undoubtedly an artist in the making, her potential limitless, her future bright. I eagerly await the opportunity to witness her continued growth and evolution as a dancer, knowing that she is destined for greatness in the world of Kathak. Event Experience Tom Hoehn, Resident, Bentonville I had the pleasure of attending a Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation event called Yuva Utsav (Youth Festival) with performances of both music and dance. Three young performers played Carnatic violin and the mridangam, a double-sided drum. It was super helpful to have these excellent musicians share information about the music that they were playing. They described how the melodies were constructed and the structure that was being used. Ra-Ve is such a great asset to our community. If you have not attended a Ra-Ve performance, you should remedy that situation - they are a colorful, energetic treat for your senses! Sudhir Katke, Practice Manager, IBM Technology Expert Labs It was an incredible experience on Saturday, February 10th, at the Yuva Utsav! The dedication and talent of young artists like Matangi Arun, Medhansh Shankaran, Vishaak Rajaram, Vedanth Attili, and Radha Varadhan truly shone through in their performances. It's inspiring to see the passion and hard work they put into honing their craft, despite the challenges of college coursework. The support of organizations like Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation, as well as the commitment of parents and volunteers, play a crucial role in nurturing and showcasing such talent. Here's to many more unforgettable performances in Bentonville, AR, and beyond! 
0 Comments
The Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation (Ra-Ve) is well-known across Northwest Arkansas for providing classes, training, and musical events for all who are interested in the music and dance tradition of classical India. Since our founding in 2018, we have brought hundreds of students and audience members to a greater appreciation of these ancient and beautiful traditions. The Master Concert Series is the ultimate expression of that vision, bringing the finest practitioners of Indian music and dance to NWA in live performance. Scheduled twice per year and featuring music, dance, and folk traditions, the performances celebrate the skills and achievements of India’s most accomplished professionals. These concerts have proven to be highly popular for Indian and non-Indian audiences alike; as well, they serve double-duty as our major annual Fund-Raising event. It is only through your continuing support that we can showcase these outstanding artists for you—not in India, not on TV, not in the movies, but right here, on stage, to you, here in Northwest Arkansas.  Offering an unmatched opportunity to connect with Indian culture and heritage, the Ra-Ve Master Concerts feature top-tier Indian artists, promising to give you unmatched musical experiences. These masters create and present a 90-minute thematic presentation of their art form, which includes expert music and dance accompanists to express the fullest embodiment of the work. And to make it even better, delicious Indian food is provided to all who attend! Come and enjoy the music, savor the food, and connect with the delights of Indian music, dance, and food. Unusually among arts organizations, Ra-Ve provides competitive artist fees and underwrites all the costs of travel, meals, and lodging. We are proud of our commitment to the arts and the artists, and from the first we have ensured that the dancers and musicians are fairly compensated for the many years of skill they bring to the Master Concerts. Equally important is our continuing collaboration with other prominent arts organizations in NWA. These partnerships benefit all concerned, and include the Walton Arts Center, Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance, Trike Theater, the University of Arkansas, Downtown Bentonville Incorporated, Crystal Bridges Museum of Contemporary Art, and many others. Over the past five years, the Master Concerts have presented a highly diverse schedule of performances and workshops:
Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation and the Master Concert Series bring to you the very finest examples of some of the most beautiful music and dance traditions in the world. Join us as we celebrate these ancient, lustrous—and highly entertaining—arts! From Diana Richards, Communications Director, Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation January, February, and especially March were busy, busy, busy for RVCF and its artistic partners across the NWA region. The biggest, the most ambitious, and the most popular event in the history of RVCF was in March: The Jungle Book, a tri-partite partnership between RVCF, Trike Theater, and Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance. The three organizations joined together to produce and perform an updated version of the classic novel, in a multi-media extravaganza of Indian and western dance, music, and theater. Performed before a sold-out audience of 1200, the event proved to be a great crowd crowd-pleaser and an artistically successful cooperative effort between the three organizations. While The Jungle Book was our biggest collaboration, it did not stand alone. RVCF joined with a plethora of arts associations throughout the quarter. On March 3, 2023, in collaboration with Open Mouth Literary Centre, the Music Education Initiative, and Dhirana Academy we presented Matumani: Expressions of Struggles and Freedom, a celebration of the diversity of people and cultures who have resisted and overcome the shackles of slavery and servitude. 100 people attended. Downtown Bentonville Inc. sponsored Market at the Record on March 4th, and RVCF staffed an informational table at this popular and well-attended event. On March 14th, Mary Mae Jones Elementary School hosted Multicultural Night, where our own Vijayashri Vittal, Music and Dance Coordinator, performed for an enthusiastic audience of over 200. Since its inception in 2018, RVCF has enjoyed a mutually beneficial artistic partnership with Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. In this quarter, we have performed or exhibited before audiences at CBMAA several times, totaling more than 250 individuals. The University of Arkansas and the Fayetteville Public library have also hosted events for us, including Master Classes and music performances.
The goal of RVCF has always been to spread our mission through cooperation, collaboration, and co-sponsorship with arts organizations across NWA, and the first quarter of 2023 proved to be our best ever! From Srividya Venkatasubramanya, Executive Director, Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation Working with Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance and Trike Theatre to produce The Jungle Book was an honor for Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation, a privilege, a creative and commercial triumph—and a lot of hard work! Megha Rao at Dhirana and Kassie Misiewicz at Trike provided the essential artistic vision that made The Jungle Book so successful. But a work of this magnitude also requires significant administrative and logistical support, and this was the role of RVCF. We worked alongside Trike and Dhirana to take care of all the details such as the marketing, coordinated the space requirements for classes and rehearsals, recruited and scheduled the many volunteers, and in general furnished the critical behind- the-scenes support structure that is so important to an epic-scale event such as The Jungle Book. The success of this unique and unprecedented collaboration can be measured by the sold-out crowd of over 1200 enthusiastic audience members, tidy profits for all three organizations, and the commitment from all of us to do it again next year––in fact, we’ve already started! From Megha P. Rao, Artistic Director, Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance The collaboration between Dhirana, Trike Theatre and Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation brought together artists from diverse backgrounds and art forms, resulting in the successful production of The Jungle Book. This collaboration provided a valuable learning experience for all involved, with individuals from different communities and cultural backgrounds working together in unison. As a Bharatnatyam artist, it was particularly enlightening to work with a theater artist like Kassie Mickiewicz and gain insight into the workings of theater production. The perseverance of Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation made this collaboration possible, highlighting the importance of working together to create something new and exciting. This collaboration is a testament to the growth and learning that can come from artists coming together to create something truly unique. From Kassie Misiewicz, Artistic Director, Trike Theater The strength of the jungle is us, and the strength of us is the jungle. Ra-Ve, Trike Theatre and Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance came together to create something new, something that neither of us had ever done before. Megha and I brought our unique strengths, along with the strengths of our production team, and co-created, learned from each other and grew as artists. I hope that this production (and future collaborations) inspires our community to create more opportunities for cultural exchange and creative partnerships. Since its inception in January of 2022, Chai Time has proven to be one of the most popular events at RVCF. Informative, fun, and full of insights and laughter, Chai Time is now a must-do on social calendars throughout NWA, and the first quarter of 2023 was our best yet! January’s theme was Game Night, with participants enjoying board games, table games, party games, team games—whatever the gaming style, we had it all! A bonus in January was that Sthri Couture generously donated a $100 gift card. The winner, Payal Shah, was randomly picked from all registrants present at the event at the time of drawing. February was Travel and Destinations Day, when a certified travel agent from Destinations AR discussed cruise vacations and traveling by air to European destinations. Tracee Williams, Luxury Vacation Designer at Destinations AR, answered question such as: How to plan for a cruise. The best cruise line for kids. Traveling by air to favorite places in Europe. Costs of air travel versus cruising. Tracee also sponsored a $100 gift card which was won by Jaishali Thakore. We are curious where Jaishali will go this year! Finally, March Chai time was all about Spring Gardening. Local master gardeners explained how to plan, prepare, and plant a beautiful outdoor oasis. Horticulturist Laura Brewer, Site Manager for the Peel Museum and Botanical Garden, and Indian Community Gardening enthusiast, Lali Neha Dahal joined us to discuss plant care and answer questions. We also had a seed and plant exchange, where attendees could trade anything garden related with each other. And don't forget the Maya Bazaar—great shopping and bargains galore! Purchases of our beautiful, gently-used Indian clothing and RVCF-branded items help raise awareness about our Indian music and dance programs at KIFA.
The details: Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation Chai Time Third Sunday of each month 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM Kalaloka Institute of Fine Arts 1380 SW Westpark Drive, Ste #2 Bentonville, AR 72712 This House Concert delved a little more deeply into some of the musical pieces presented in the Professional Series Concert earlier in January of 2023. The three singers of the original concert, Vijayashri Vittal, Priya P. Ram, and Vidhya Ramachandramani came together again to discuss more deeply some of the historical origins of Indian music, its themes, its variety, its composers and its technical details. They each presented information and performed specific pieces to elaborate further on each topic. Vijayashri introduced the audience to the basic technical concepts of Indian music and how it is put together. She compared it with the western music system to draw on similarities and differences. She introduced the basic terms of swara, raga, tala, and shruthi in Indian music. She spoke about the differences of the hindustani and carantic styles. Priya presented information about the history of carnatic music - starting from the vedas to current day composers and artists. Tracing her way through millenia, she brought out different aspects of music through history. Vidya showed, in a very interactive way, how ragas affect our moods. For every emotion that we feel from joy to misery, she performed a raga that expressed it fully. The audience was a good mix of age groups and cultures. Everyone enjoyed the different aspects of Indian music, especially the chai and snacks at the end. Join us at our next event! Ra- Ve Cultural Foundation was started in 2018 with the aim of bringing Indian traditional performing arts to where we live, right here in Northwest Arkansas. Who we are is rooted in centuries of rich cultural heritage, and we abide by our responsibility to celebrate and share this, in the hope that it brings peace and happiness to the generations to come. We want to thank each and everyone of you who has bought a ticket, donated their time or money, sponsored our events, or just showed up to say you value this experience in our community. Ekam Satyam Bahuda Vadanti is a phrase from the vedas…meaning the “One truth that many speak.” The world today is divided on so many counts - the way we look, the way we dress, our food, our languages, and not to mention our beliefs, but now more than ever it is critical that we find common ground and celebrate humanity. The concert brought together NWA artists from very different backgrounds on the stage today. Though each one has learned a different style of the same Carnatic music, they performed in perfect harmony. They performed songs from a timeline of almost 15 centuries. Yet, these songs are present in our collective consciousness even today! Each one of the poets, musicians showcased stands out for their unique contribution to this common body of literature and music that we call Carnatic music. Here is a small introduction to all the artists who performed at this wondrous concert: Vijayashri Vittal is the artistic director of today’s performance. Born and raised in a family of musicians, Vijayashri started her musical training from her grandmother, Smt Krishnaveni and her father, Vidwan Vittal Ramamurthy, an internationally acclaimed violinist. She is also a senior disciple of Vidhushi Bombay Jayashree. Dr. Priya P Ram works full time as a Data and Analytics Manager and has been performing and teaching Indian music in the NWA region since 2014. She began training in Carnatic music at a young age under the tutelage of Smt. Kunnakudi Saroja and Smt. Saraswathi and later trained with Smt. Bhooshany Kalyanaraman. Vidya Ramachandhiramani , is a software engineer by profession and has been learning music from the age of 6 . She underwent her training during her early years with Smt. Sankari, in Chennai. Vidya received her advanced training in Carnatic music from Acharya choodamani. Sri. A. Sundaresan, the asthana Vidwan of Kanchi Kamakoti. Dr. Kartik Balachandran has learnt violin in Singapore from Smt. Dhanadevi Mitradeva and Sri K. Sivaraman, both senior disciples of Prof. Sri T.N. Krishnan. He was awarded the title of Vadya Visharad in 1999 from the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society for his excellence in music. Santhosh Ramaswamy began his musical journey at a young age taking to Mridangam, the principal drum of South Indian Classical music. With several years of training and guidance from masters in the art form, he has been performing in concerts accompanying eminent artists in the Carnatic music tradition for over two decades.  The evening began with a varnam, traditionally performed as the first piece in any Carnatic concert. The varnam marries lyrics, swarams/notes and encapsulates the distinct features of the chosen raga or mode. This varnam was in the beautiful raga of Kalyani, a prominent raga in the Carnatic music tradition, known for its versatility in conveying emotions. Composed in the late 1800’s by Sri Ramanathapuram Srinivasa Iyengar, this song describes a young lady pining for her beloved Lord Krishna. Vanajakshiro - Kalyani ragam - adi talam/8-beat cycle. While the earliest devotional compositions in Carnatic music were around the 12th century AD, we consider the mid-1700s to mid-1800s as the golden era. This was the time when the Carnatic music trinity, or three great composers lived. Shri Shyama Shastri, Shri Thyagaraja, and Shri Muthuswamy Dikshitar. The trinity were instrumental in the development of Carnatic music, via their prolific number of compositions, and the codification of different aspects of Carnatic music theory. The cocnert proceeded with one of the most popular compositions of Shri Muthuswamy Dikshitar, Vathapiganapathim bhajeham in the raga Hamsadhwani, adi tala, composed in Sanskrit language. This is a hymn in the praise of Ganesha, the remover of obstacles. All the artists performed very effortlessly, especially in the fast-paced swara improvisation on the last line of the song. This was followed by a song by Saint Thyagaraja who was a contemporary of Dikshithar and part of the Trinity of Carnatic music. He is said to have composed more than 24000 songs in various languages, predominately in Telugu and mainly in praise of Lord Rama. Amongst all the beautiful songs he has composed, there are 5 that are considered his best - The Tyagaraja Pancharatna Krithis. Today, our artistes will present the fifth pancharatna - Endaro Mahanubhavulu… In this song, Tyagaraja, with great humility, pays respects to all the great souls who have come before him - those who have uplifted the poor and weak, have spread love and joy amongst everyone, have immersed themselves in music and devotion, recognize the same eternal soul in one and all and live in love and peace - the core idea behind our concert - Ekam Satyam, Bahuda Vadanti . The song was performed beautifully by the singers and the audience was enthralled. Devotion and music transcends time. While Carnatic music as a formal musical system was codified starting from the 12th century AD, devotional music predated this. Priya and Vidya presented a composition of Kothai Naachiyaar or Andal, the only female of the 12 AaZhvaars or esteemed devotees of Vishnu. Andal was the reputed poet - saint of the Tamils.
The song describes what happens when one is filled with love and devotion to the Lord. It goes on to say that while the goodness and devotion of even one lone believer will ensure prosperity and plenty for everyone in the land, with so many devotees, there is no limit to how much good will happen to this world. This was followed by the main piece of this concert - the ragam tanam Pallavi (RTP). The Ragam Tanam pallavi (RTP) is a musical form in Carnatic music with improvisation at its center, explored in three distinct ways. First, in the Ragam was a raga alapana. In this form of pure melodic improvisation, the musician starts with a refrain to create the mood of raga and lays a foundation for the composition to follow. Tanam - is the second component of this composite form of improvisation. Originally developed for the veena, Tanam consists of expanding the raga with the rhythmic syllables "a-nam-tam". This thanam was explored on the violin. The lyrical component of the RTP is the Pallavi - The word Pallavi is derived from the three syllables Pa - Pada (words), La - Laya (rhythm) and Vi - Vinyasam (variations). Pallavi is the equivalent of a refrain in Western music. The Pallavi is usually a one-line composition set to one or more cycle(s) of a tala, and is followed by Kalpanaswaras/swarakalpana. As part of kalpanaswara, the musician delivers increasingly complex, improvised sequences in the Indian music solfege (sa, ri, ga, ma, pa, da, ni) within or towards the end of a composition. Kalpanaswara is integral to the pallavi portion of a Ragam Thanam Pallavi. The RTP sung today will be in Brindavana Saranga raga, and later improvised in other ragas, namely, Vaasanthi, Aabogi and Revathi. The audience reacted to this intense performance with a lot of appreciation. Even though this piece could be perceived as being technical, the choice of ragas and the interaction between the singers and the accompanists made it memorable and energizing to the audience. Perhaps the most popular piece of the concert was the abhang. The Abhang is a form of devotional poetry sung in praise of the Hindu deity Vittala, also known as Vithoba. The word "abhang" comes from a for "non-" and bhang for "ending" or "interrupting", in other words, a flawless, continuous process, in this case referring to a poem. While the devotional songs known as bhajan focus on the inward, contemplative journey, Abhangs are more exuberant expressions of the communitarian experience. This abhang is composed by sant Tukaram Maharaj. In this song, Tukaram warns people about Pandhari or Pandharpur. He says it is haunted by a dreadful ghost or spirit. Be careful when you are passing by this place or visiting it. This ghost nabs everyone going near the place. If you are afraid of being possessed by the ghost, change your path or just cancel your plan in the interest of your (so called) well being. While that was the literal meaning, in reality, Tukaram wants to suggest exactly the opposite. He hints, if you stay away from the place, you will never have the divine experience.Maharaj has used a soft humor in instilling a deep belief into the minds of people that the place is special. It is divine. It is the final destination the soul is searching to rest in peace. As tradition demands, the concert concluded with a Thillana. Dance enthusiasts in the audience will agree that Thillana is an exciting fast-paced musical form usually associated with Indian dance. This thillana was composed by Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman, one of the most prolific composers of Carnatic music in the modern era. Known for his thillana compositions, this one in the raga Yaman kalyani speaks to the grace with which lord Krishna plays on his flute and protects the grazing cows - all in a day’s work. At the end of the thillana, the singers presented a mangalam, a song expressing gratitude for a concert well done and prayers that peace be upon us all beings. We hope you enjoyed this concert through this blog. There is but one truth - whatever name you may know it by or still seek it. Rest assured that this truth is spoken by many. Ekam satyam, Bahuda Vadanti. If you liked this one, then join on the next on April 22nd, 2023! Your support means a lot! True to the spirit of all Ra-Ve events, everyone enjoyed the lovely Masala vadas from Chola Cafe at the end of the concert. Some supporters bought KIFA t-shirts to support our classes. Hope to see you at our next event. Below is a You tube Playlist of all the songs that were performed at this concert. Enjoy and follow us for more. Blog contributed by Prabha Girish NWA local resident Project Manager | Walmart “Set your Heart upon your work, But Never its Reward” - This quote from Lord Krishna in Bhagvad Gita – the sacred book of Hindus can be well seen in the endearing dance show Baala – the Tale of Kanha, performed by the amazing youth disciples of Vidushi Megha P Rao at the Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville on 20th August 2022. Eleven talented students and their ingenious guru (Megha herself) set the stage for the audiences who were immersed in each of the segments for almost an hour and a half. Krishna’s tales are one of the most popular in Hinduism and to showcase His brilliance and innocence is an accomplishment. The artists captured the hearts and minds from the initial scene of Devaki’s wedding to Vasudeva. Medhansh Sankaran in his role of Kamsa did full justice to the character, the emotional dilemma of a doting brother to the powerful selfish King of Mathura whisking the newlyweds, Devaki (Darshine Ponnusamy) and Vasudeva (Prerana Kodakandla), to a prison. The performances take a light and fun turn after Krishna is born and set in Yashoda’s arms. Young Krishna (Deethya Rao) brought smiles to the audiences with his playful mischief leaving the audience asking for more of the ‘Natkhat Nona’ (naughty one). The story of Pootana – the demoness who attains liberation at the end portrayed by Megha Rao with unparalleled facial gestures deserves a special mention. The segment of Yashoda and Krishna, mother-son affection, portrayed in the song “Maadu Meikum Kanne” brought cheer and adoration for Krishna. Matangi Arun as Yashoda in her beautiful lehenga costume played the role of a mother who showers love and concurrently disciplines her son Krishna to protect Him from the complaining neighborhood ladies of Gokul. The story progresses to teen Krishna (Sinchana Natraj) – the ever smiling, notorious boy who is full of compassion, tenderness, and love. His charades with his brother Balarama (Tanusha Suvarna) and other friends including the battle with the multi headed serpent Kaliya (Jyothika Arunkumar) were some of the highlights of the show. The Dandiya Raas (an energetic dance from Gujarat in India) was beautifully blended in with the traditional Bharatnatyam and thoughtfully delivered in great fashion. The fast-paced dance moves and vibrant costumes exuded love and energy. The final battle between Krishna (accompanied by his brother Balarama) and his evil uncle Kamsa (accompanied by his great warrior Chanura), symbolized the end of tyranny and evil. Portrayed beautifully again by Medhansh (Kamsa) and Matangi (this time portraying Chanura), it was a great conclusion to a story well told through the medium of dance. The well-coordinated songs and graceful choreography encapsulating every mood and emotion of the diverse audience was commendable. Baala – the Tale of Kanha was a magical, divine production and the artists deserve every reward for their efforts. Contribution By Diana Richards, Communications Director, RVCF Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation has always been an enthusiastic partner with the many arts organizations in and around NWA, and May 2022 was no exception! The month started off on May 6 with our participation in Trail Mix, the signature event at Artosphere in the Walton Arts Center. The Frisco Trail was alive with art, pottery, and activities, but especially with the music and dance of All Time Hits of Carnatic Music by Priya Ram and her students. https://waltonartscenter.org/artosphere/trail-mix-2022/
The very next day, on Saturday the 7 th , RVCF again collaborated with Walton Arts Center with a screening of The Wonderful Stories from The Space Station. This documentary covers the stories and experiences of the many astronauts that have inhabited the International Space Station since its launch in 1998. Spanning 42 missions, 230 astronauts, and 230 spacewalks, this extraordinary feat of scientific unification is told through the words of those that lived it—including the Indian space pioneers who flew and lived in space!.  Mother’s Day is a special day for moms and families, and The Crystal Bridges Museum Family Day was a super fun outdoor event on the grounds of the museum. RVCF was there, showcasing with dance and music the vibrant, family-oriented cultural tradition of India. The Himachali dance was a huge hit! This free event also featured nature walks, food trucks, interactive arts activities, and tours of the WAC’s outdoor works and installations. Moms—and and their families– had a great time!
Finally, auditions opened for an exciting new adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. This unique performance event brings the classic story to new life and is a joint production of RVCF, Trike Theater, and the Dhirana Academy of Classical Dance. https://bit.ly/3rEfVaR  Simone Cottrell she | her | hers Founder, Owner & Creative Disruptor of Rachhana Creative Consulting Do you know what artists secretly love that we don't talk more about? How we are in creative heaven when we can be in the audience of other artists and listen to them share their craft. Not just a performance of their craft, but the history, social and cultural relevance, and how their craft is tied to other artforms. We love an artist's artist and I'm speaking directly about the brilliance of Priya P. Ram's House Concert at Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation on March 6. On one of the rainiest Sundays NWA has seen in 2022, Priya performed Carnatic music while also teaching the audience about the pre-Trinity, Trinity, and post-Trinity movements. In short, the history of where all Indian music comes from. What excited me the most as an artist was witnessing the trinity that occurred in this sold-out house concert. Though Priya was the headliner, she graciously shared space with three young, talented vocalists. And then as if having a headliner with students performing wasn't enough, members of the audience were so familiar with certain songs that they sang quietly around me. The trinity connection between master artist to apprentices to the audience and back again is how the arts rooted in culture works in real-time. Oh, and it didn't hurt that once the concert was over, the monsoon rains cleared for a golden sunset and samosas provided by Punjabi Kitchen. These are the magical experiences that an artist lives for. Anand Sankaran Director, Walmart President of Hindu Association of Northwest Arkansas Music transcends language, religious and cultural barriers and is “food for the soul”. This statement would ring true for all those who attended the Carnatic music house concert hosted by Ra-Ve Cultural foundation on March 6th at the KIFA center in Bentonville, AR. Whether it was an uninitiated local Arkansas, a well informed Carnatic connoisseur or an ignorant Indian immigrant, there were all equally enthralled by the melodious and encapsulating lecture demonstration of the history of Carnatic music right from the origins of sound and music in the Vedic period to 2020’s. To traverse multiple centuries in a 90 min program is difficult enough but it was done in a flawless fashion by both Dr. Priya Ram and her husband Dr. Narasimhan Rajaram along with Priya’s disciples. Whether it was the songs of the spiritual masters of the early millennium or the more recent Carnatic trinity in 18 th century, it was evident that the painstaking research done by the presenter deserved the standing ovation the performance received. Well trained and gifted musicians such as Dr.Priya ought to help spread the inspiring Indian music to both India Diaspora in Northwest Arkansas and curious locals. May the force be with these artists! |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Archives
February 2024
Categories |
RSS Feed
Our Sponsors and Supporters
© Ra-Ve Cultural Foundation Inc. All rights reserved.
1380 SW Westpark Drive, Ste #2, Bentonville, AR 72712
Mailing Address: PO Box 1083, Bentonville, AR 72712