(Principal Artist OS Arun)The Indian Academy of South Africa presents its 32nd Heritage Series, a highly acclaimed annual cultural event. The presentations showcase classical, semi-classical and devotional music and dance featuring acclaimed artistes from India supported by guest appearance by South African artists. This cause of preserving, promoting and presenting our rich cultural heritage has been the ongoing aim of the Indian Academy, now proudly 52 years old.
The Indian Academy was founded by well-known and respected Dr T P Naidoo who has received many awards for his role in the promotion of the arts and culture in South Africa and for building bridges across the world. The Academy is an NPO and, despite hard-pressed economic times and lack of funding, it continues to persevere in its quest to promote, preserve and uplift the rich Indian Heritage.
A highlight of the Heritage Series is the Swami Thyagaraja Music Festival which takes place in the Durban City Hall on May 20.
Now in its 32nd year, this presentation has received accolades from all visiting artistes over the years as being of a very high standard. The Festival is presented worldwide in tribute to Swami Thyagaraja, a great poet and composer of classical krithis. The Swami Thyagaraja Festival features for the first time a large star-studded troupe of 18 ever from India led by Principal Artist O S Arun with Dancer Dr Padma Subrahmanyam accompanied by a team of accomplished musicians.
O S Arun is a gifted and talented artist and his many fans and music lovers in South Africa eagerly await his visit. He is known for his sonorous voice which he uses with much confidence. Arun inherits the mantle of singing from a family where music has been a way of life. He began his music lessons under his father Vidwan O.V. Subramaniam. He topped the Sangeetha Shironmani diploma course in Carnatic music conducted by the Faculty of Music and Fine Arts at Delhi University. He has a wide repertoire of songs, which has earned him a keen following.
Arun has performed widely, both in India and abroad and his appearance as Kovalan in an Indian Opera staged at the Singapore Arts Festival won him huge accolades. He has released CDs on Bhajans / Carnatic / Fusion & Devotional Music. Arun has also established a Choir, which maintains the pristine grammar of Carnatic Music.
Dr Padma Subrahmanyam heads a troupe of seven dancers and will perform to live music rendered by the five-member orchestra that is part of her troupe. She is here kind courtesy of High Commissioner of India, Pretoria and the International Council for Cultural Relations, New Delhi.
Other Heritage Series concerts taking place in KZN are:
May 13 at 16h00: Mothers Day Tribute in association with Woodview Ramakrishna Andhra Sabha - an evening of Andhra Culture, Entertainment & Dinner, at the Umhlatuzana Civic Centre. Admission R100 pp. Enquiries: Kusturi Naidoo on 031 505 9567 or 031 400 7962
May 18 at 19h00: Concert in association with Shree Mariammen Temple Society & Woodview Ramakrishna Andhra Sabha at the Mt Edgecombe Shree Mariammen Temple Hall. Admission R50pp. Enquiries: Kusturi Naidoo 031 505 9567/Temple: 031 502 1232
The 2011 Heritage Series was well publicized with strong support by the print media. This year’s media partners are Eastern Express, Eastern Mosaic/SABC 2, Lotus FM and special corporate support from Pick n Pay and Toyota South Africa. Hospitality sponsor: Garden Court: Marine Parade “Southern Sun”. Dr Padma Subrahmanyam and troupe appears per kind courtesy of ICCR.
The Indian Academy acknowledges the support of the National Arts Council and the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.
The Swami Thyagaraja Music Festival will be held in the Durban City Hall on May 20 at 14h00. Tickets R50, R40 and R30 available from B Nagiahs on 031 400 5565; S K Naidoos on 031 401 8153 or Little India Restaurant on 031 201 1121. More information from Vasantha on 074 124 6889 or 031 400 7962 or email: naidoovsm@telkomsa.net
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