This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Drisha Music Academy. To celebrate, the school has partnered with the Market Theatre in Newtown to present a not-to-be-missed festival for all Indian music lovers.
Called The Evolution of Indian Music, the three-day festival which starts on Friday aims to show how this music has changed since its earliest known sounds.
The academy was established in India in 2002. But by 2005, it became clear that a move to South Africa was necessary. So the school moved to Joburg where classical and light vocal music of the Indian persuasion formed the primary lessons.
By 2011, the academy had established a Durban branch and has been growing from strength to strength.
Taking place from Friday to Sunday, the festival will present a range of themed nights which will illustrate the evolution of the music. There will be everything from Bollywood to bhajan and beyond. And everything will be performed by the students who attend the Drisha Music Academy.
On Friday, expect to go on a musical journey that will begin with classical Indian music and will meander into shabad as well as vedic hymns, bhajans, Sufi and, of course, qawali. Saturday will present something totally different. Under the subtitle of “golden oldies,” this will be the night to get your dancing shoes out. Expect to hear songs that were brought to the public’s attention by everyone from Yesu Das to Mohammed Rafi, Asha Bhosle and even Lata Mangeshkar.
Sunday will be the final day of the festival. Unlike the other days in the festival which will start at 7.30pm, the last show will start at 3pm. Here, the audience can expect to hear some of the biggest Bolly-wood bangers on and off the radio.
So if you are keen to hear different renditions of songs from blockbusters like Blackmail for Kishore Kumar’s rendition of Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas, or just to find out more about Indian music’s evolution up to its contemporary side, the Evolution Of Indian Music festival is the place to be.
l Be at the Evolution of Indian Music three-day festival at the Market Theatre in Newtown, Joburg, from Friday to Sunday. Tickets are R100 at the box office.