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Pandit Shivkumar Sharma
SHIVKUMAR SHARMA, ZAKIR HUSSAIN TO PERFORM APRIL 20 IN ORLANDO
By NITISH S. RELE - editor@khaasbaat.com

If you haven’t seen them perform together, here’s your rare chance.

Santoor maestro Shivkumar Sharma and tabla player Ustad Zakir Hussain will present a classical music concert on April 20 in Orlando. The event is being presented by the not-for-profit Asian Cultural Association.

Pandit Sharma gets the credit for developing the santoor, a Kashmiri folk instrument, as a vehicle for classical music, changing the instrument’s tuning, construction and playing style. He has developed a unique and sonorous voice to express his sophisticated and melodic playing. He also is a film composer.


Ustaad Zakir Hussain

Ustad Hussain is well known in world music circles through work with his own group Rhythm Experience, as well as his work with Mickey Hart’s Planet drum ensemble, and productions for his record label, San Francisco-based Moment Records. He received a Grammy Award for best world music recording for the work with Hart.

The two greats of the Hindustani classical music will take to the stage at Dr. Phillips High School Auditorium, 6500 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20, $35 and $50.

For more information, call ACA’s Jasbir Mehta at (407) 333-3667 or click on www.aca-florida.org


WHAT IS ASIAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION?

Formed in 1991, Asian Cultural Association seeks to encourage preservation of the ancient performing arts traditions of Asia and, in particular, the unique art forms of the Indian subcontinent.

“We want to increase awareness of these traditions among Asian and non-Asian audiences to advance and preserve their continued existence in the modern world,” said Jasbir Mehta, program director of ACA. “Toward that end, we look to educate Western performing arts students as to the unique character of these traditions to assist in integrating these traditions into the Western mainstream of world performing arts.”

ACA produces an annual season of programming, which includes annual events such as the highly acclaimed South Asian Film Festival at the Enzian Theater, as well as exhibits of traditional Asian visual arts, concerts and dance performances. ACA has for many years produced an award-winning series of educational programs that are provided free to K-12 students and schools alike in Central Florida.

In late 2004, ACA was awarded its second award from the National Endowment for the Arts, this one to support the April 2005 concert of Shivkumar Sharma, and Zakir Hussain, and also received a $45,000 in-kind advertising donation through the LYNX Public Service Bus in Orlando. The last two years have included successful programs such as the annual Indian Music and Dance Festival, and the 10th anniversary presentation of the South Asian Film Festival. ACA reaches more than 5,000-7,000 K-12 students annually with its continuing education programs.

ACA has created a “local corps of traditionally trained artists” with a first-ever community based and produced traditional Indian dance and music program (SEASONS) at the Helen Stairs Theatre in Sanford. Original choreography was by ACA resident artist Geeta Raaj, and original music composition and direction by another resident artist Nandkishor Muley. The production included 45 local artists ages 5-55, trained by ACA resident artists over the last eight years.

Also last year, ACA produced the acclaimed “Indian Festivals in Florida” photo exhibit at Seminole Community College. “Our programs (other than education programs) reach audiences of about 13,000 annually,” said Mehta.





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