“When your ears begin to see … the eyes listen.”
That motto of the Mushtari Begum Festival of Indian Classical Music and Dance expresses a great deal about how Cassius Khan sees the world of classical music: as a melding of mind, body and soul.
“Classical music, whether Indian or Western, it’s very good for the mind and for the body,” he says.
This is the fourth year that Khan and his wife, Amika Kushwaha, have been producing the festival at the Massey Theatre. This year’s edition runs Saturday, Sept. 26 at 6:30 p.m.
Once again, Khan and Kushwaha have pulled together a lineup of world-class talent from the world of Indian classical music. For the first time, this year’s festival features South Indian classical violin (Carnatic violin) and drum (mridangam), featuring Kaushik Sivaramakrishnan and Abhishek Iyer. Also on the program is sitar soloist Sharanjeet Singh Mand.
Kushwaha, a renowned Kathak dancer, is also on the program, along with Khan himself – frequently billed as the “tabla tornado” or “tabla wizard,” and recognized for his unique ability to sing in the classical Ghazal style while playing tabla.
As always, the festival is open to everyone – and Khan encourages everyone, whatever their cultural background or age, to turn out.
Part of his emphasis in the festival is to help introduce Indian classical music to everyone, so you won’t be left wondering what’s going on – education is all part of what he and Kushwaha want to achieve with the festival, named for one of Khan’s own teachers.
“This is an event for everyone,” he says.
Tickets are $35, or $18 for seniors, students and youth. Kids are free. Call the Massey ticket centre at 604-521-5050 or see www.masseytheatre.com.
Check out www.mbfestival.ca for all the information about the festival and the artists.
Choral concert
Choral fans, here’s one you won’t want to miss. (And I swear I’m not just saying this because I’m part of this choir.)
In any case, New West’s own Amabilis Singers, under the direction of Ramona Luengen, made a journey onto the international stage this past summer with a tour of Italy – singing in a number of amazing destinations that included the Pantheon in Rome.
The touring choir has returned home safely and is polishing up some of its favourite tour repertoire for a homecoming concert, set for Saturday, Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. at New Westminster Christian Reformed Church, 8255 13th Ave.
Tickets are $20, or free for children under 11. You can buy at the door, or call 604-503-2074 to reserve.
(For the record, I won’t be singing in this concert – I wasn’t part of the tour. But I will be in the audience cheering on my compatriots! Join me, won’t you?)
A celebration of Wait for Me, Daddy
It’s become one of the most recognized photos in Canada, it provided the inspiration for one of New Westminster’s major public art pieces, and it’s responsible, again and again, for inspiring new works of art.
The city is once again celebrating Wait for Me, Daddy to mark the 75th anniversary of when the photo was taken in the city during the Second World War.
Wait for Me, Daddy Reduxis set for Saturday, Oct. 3 and includes a series of events, including a public ceremony at Hyack Square at 1 p.m. At 2 and 7 p.m., the Anvil Centre Theatre will host contemporary performances inspired by the classic image, and the array of talent on display promises to be dazzling.
New Westminster composer Brian Garbet,with the University of Calgary Wind Ensemble, will perform an original orchestral piece. A performance curated by Jan Derbyshirewill reflect on past and current tools of communication and the way families separated by war communicate with one another.
Brief Encounters will present a collection of interdisciplinary films and performances that animate the stores of three New Westminster residents with ties to conflict. The talents involved include writerJ.J. Lee,actor Marilyn Norry, storytellersJoey Le, MaryamandDavid Levy,theatre artist Pedro Chamale, dance artist Michelle Lui, filmmaker Jessica Han, singer-songwriter Eden Fine Day,orchestrator C.S. Fergusson and art worker Michael de Courcy.
For more information or to reserve a complimentary ticket, call 604-527-4640 or see www.anvilcentre.com.
Season opener
Must send out my apologies to local actor Karen Golden, whose name was misspelled as “Golda” in my last column.
Golden is one of the ensemble for the Vagabond Players’ season opener, Jon Robin Baitz’s family drama Other Desert Cities.
Wayne Nolan directs an ensemble cast that also features Julia Grace, Rob Stover, Miles Lavkulich andNancy Ebert.
The drama centres around the character of Brooke Wyeth (Grace), who returns home after a six-year absence to celebrate Christmas with her family, only to announce that she is about to publish a memoir that dredges up a tragic event in the family’s history.
Tickets are $15, or $13 for students and seniors, with $10 previews on Oct. 1 and 2. It plays Oct. 1 through 24, with Thursday to Saturday performances at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. It all happens at the Bernie Legge Theatre in Queen’s Park. Check out www.vagabondplayers.ca or call 604-521-0412.
Get into the swing
Love to dance? Dance for Fun is holding its Swing and Country Club right here in New West.
Dance sessions take part every Wednesday night from 6:30 to 11 p.m. (except the fourth Wednesday of each month).You can take part in all the fun for $12, including lesson, or $5 for just the dancing.
Email [email protected] or call 778-709-8880 for more details, or see www.
tinyurl.com/DanceForFunSapperton.
Gallery opening
Have you had a chance to check out the Anvil Centre’s Community Art Space yet?
The gallery is getting set to host a new exhibition, The Dichotomy of Change, presented by 100 Braid Street Studios.
The exhibition will run Sept. 28 to Nov. 27, with an opening reception on Thursday, Oct. 8 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Check out www.anvilcentre.com or call 604-527-4640 for more information about the gallery.
