The Toronto Sun n Friday, august 5, 2011

Weekend festival strives to answer Whats Classical

Its an exclusive art form only enjoyed by the elite. Its a dead genre. Its intimidating and hard to get. Those are some of the perceptions people have about classical music, but the most popular one sees us equating it with Western classical music or with composers like Bach and Beethoven. There is, of course, a rich and ancient tradition of classical music from India, the Middle East and Far East. So, whats classical, you ask? That big question will be explored in depth through several concerts, dance performances and interactive listening stages at the Whats Classical festival beginning tonight and ending Sunday at Harbourfront. The shows Im most excited about are Now & Then: Music from South Asia featuring Classical India 3 and Now & Then: Music from South Asia featuring Indian West Fusion. The first is a concert of classical Indian music performed by ace tabla player Ravi Naimpally and the brilliant singer Samidha Joglekar from Tasa, and George Koller, one of the countrys most prominent bassists wholl be trading his upright for an Indian instrument called the dilruba. The Indian West Fusion show features the same musicians along with singer Pat Murray and saxophonist Sundar Viswanathan. To my ear, Western classical music is composed of three sophisticated components: one-part rhythm, one-

Roll over again, Beethoven

Rhythms N Rhymes

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part melody, and one-part harmony; whereas Indian classical is one-half advanced

hear thIS!
Errols cant miss list

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Levon Ichkhanian & Global Village brings its electrifying world-jazz fusion to the Taste of the Danforth festival tonight. 7 p.m. Celebrity Stage. Expect Kae Sun to sing songs off his solid new EP, Outside the Barcode, at YongeDundas Square tonight. 8 p.m. Free. The Honey Jam artist showcase celebrates its Sweet 16 anniversary at the Mod Club Thursday. $25. Proceeds support YWCA Torontos programs for women and girls.

cyclical rhythm and one-half advanced ornamented melody, Koller told me from Vancouver where he was attending the 11th World Harp Congress. These are general divisions since the science of harmony, raga, tala and melody are ultimately at the mercy of the imagination of the performers. Their skill and experience must take the music to transcendent places beyond these descriptions. Koller feels the most satisfying East/West fusion happens when advanced Easte r n o r na m e nte d m e l o dy soars over Western harmony on a mixed bed of Eastern and Western rhythm, with added improvisation in the hands of free-spirited imaginative souls. If youre curious what that sounds like, I highly recommend checking out the Indian West Fusion gig. Pat Murray and I will do a Beatles medley for sitar and voice; Sundar, Ravi and I will explore the jazz improvisation side of things, and Pat, Sundar, Samidha, Ravi, and I will delve in to compositions that incorporate everything we have to offer from jazz to classical to folk. NOTE: Now & Then: Music from South Asia featuring Classical India 3 starts at 1 p.m. Sunday. Now & Then: Music from South Asia featuring Indian West Fusion follows at 2:15 p.m. Both shows are free. 235 Queens Quay W. For more information on the festival, visit harbourfrontcentre.com

geORge kOlleR