Indian Fusion Lab Summer 2016

Brighter Sound presents Indian Fusion Lab, a brand new course for summer 2016 at Band on the Wall.

Indian Fusion Lab: A ten week course including performance for musicians who are interested in how to use Indian Classical music as a creative spark and as a medium for collaboration.

The Lab is an exploration of different ways to use elements of Indian Classical Music in creating new original music. Leaders Avital Raz and Sam Lewis will introduce the rich pallet of wonderful subtleties in melody and exciting rhythms that Indian Fusion music has to offer songwriters and composers.

Suitable for intermediate to advanced ability musicians of any genre and style who would like to gain some insight into Indian scales (Raags) and rhythms (Taals) or just those looking for new inspiration for their compositions. The sessions are two hours long and will include some vocal work for all participants.

Much like jazz, Indian classical music involves improvisation within certain frameworks. Raags are more than just scales. They have specific personalities. They may differ on the way up or down and have specific ways of treating notes or embellishments to create a very distinct mood. During the course participants will experiment with improvisation and the concepts used by Indian Classical musicians. Participants will explore ways in which these concepts can be applied to their own songwriting.

Avital Raz was born in Jerusalem and had an impressive career in Western classical singing before she relocated to India and devoted herself to the study of Dhrupad- (the most ancient form of Hindustani classical music), for six years under Prof. Ritwik Sanyal of Benares Hindu University. Today she lives in the UK and focuses primarily on using the various traditions she's learnt in creating her own original music.

"Indian music is a completely different experience to Western music. Rather than taking you up and down and building suspense, it moves you from the centre – it’s a very experiential form of music. We’re hoping the project will spark people’s creativity. We’ve called it a lab as we really want to experiment and just see what happens.”

Sam Lewis is an experienced saxophonist who over his 21 years of playing has been involved in a wide range of genres and performed with a number of acts to an International level. His passion for Indian Classical music began five years ago. He travelled to India to take lessons in shehnai from master musician Lokesh Anand in 2010 as well as taking lessons from Indian Classical saxophonist Jesse Bannister before and after his travels. Since then Indian music has continued to be a big influence on his playing. It has also given much inspiration with his approach to composition, especially with two of his projects; Emu and Rangeela.

Venue: Education Room 1 at Band on the Wall

Dates: Weds: 20, 27 Apr. 4, 11, 18, 25 May. 8, 15, 22, 29 June.

Provisional Performance Date: Weds July 6.

Times: 7-9pm

Cost: £100 / £85 conc. / £13 pay per session (booking fees apply)

NB: Concessions are for unwaged, full time students and OAP only. Under 16's should be accompanied by a responsible adult.