University of Birmingham South Asian Music Ensemble
This year Sonia Sabri Company has been delighted to partner with the University of Birmingham Music Department to deliver a brand-new South Asian Music Ensemble. The group is open to students, staff, and local community, who play a traditional South Asian instrument, or want to explore the repertoire on a Western classical instrument. Musicians with a range of abilities and experience are welcome to join.
The ensemble rehearses under the direction of world-renowned Tabla player and composer, Sarvar Sabri and regularly joined by guest coach, Gulfam Sabri, an internationally acclaimed Sufiana and Ghazal vocalist from New Delhi, India.
Take a look at some of the superb feedback received so far:
“I’ve been able to build up on the basics which I learnt previously and we’re trying to create new pieces by collaborating different musical instruments. Its great - learning new things and collaborating with different music instruments.” Participant
“I’ve learned a lot about Indian classical music which I always wanted to learn. And these sessions have been very helpful, they have given me a new insight, new sounds, and also we have diverse people from different countries […] We infuse ragas with western kind of music”. Participant
After only two terms of playing together, the group performed publicly for the first time in March at Sonia Sabri Company’s weekend showcase Akaar to an audience of 300 people! Akaar is the only showcase for live South Asian music and dance in the West Midlands, celebrating emerging talent and supporting the growth of South Asian arts and culture in the region.
The University of Birmingham’s South Asian Music Ensemble closed the first half of the show, wowing the audience with an original 8-minute composition, created in their weekly sessions under Sarvar’s guidance, incorporating tabla, vocals, piano, harmonium and percussion. They showcased an incredible new sound, created from the rich range of musical traditions explored in the sessions.
Gavin Allsop, University Music Manager at the University of Birmingham writes “University Music at Birmingham are so pleased to be partnering with Sonia Sabri Company in delivering the very first South Asian Music ensemble on campus. Since September we have been gradually building the ensemble and are looking forward to seeing the group grow over the next few years, both in performances on our campus and across the city. This has also been supported by the University Alumni Impact Fund, who have provided support as we purchased a range of new instruments for the ensemble – including dhol, dholak, a sitar, and a harmonium!”
What’s next?
As well as exploring the University’s new stock of instruments, the group are also working towards a performance at the University’s Come to Campus Community Festival, as part of the University’s 125th Anniversary Celebrations! We can’t wait to see what they do!
Click here to watch the ensemble’s Akaar performance in full on our YouTube channel
Click here to find details of the University’s Come to Campus Community Festival
The ensemble meets weekly in term-time on Wednesdays 3 - 5pm at the Music Hub, University of Birmingham.
Click here to find information on how join.
photo credit: Reel Master Production