Russian Musicians Blend Rock Classics with Indian Sitar in Innovative Ensemble

Mar 31, 2024

Source ANI/TV BRICS: Rock hits of the 20th century and the strings of the Indian sitar. The history is cyclical: unusual arrangements that recognize legendary songs of yesteryear—a tribute to Eastern ethnicity, in turn, inspiring musicians from all over the world for decades. Ivan brought his sitar, handmade by Indian masters, to Moscow from the state of Uttar Pradesh. There, the artist was trained by local professional musicians. His colleague, Kirill Parenchuk, a multi-instrumentalist, has a similar story. He began learning the tabla in an Indian centre in Moscow and continued in the homeland of this musical instrument. Kirill is a vivid example of the fact that learning is an eternal process. In his pursuit of the "perfect sound," he learns new, unusual instruments and finds unexpected uses for seemingly familiar ones. The musicians have transferred their love for Indian classics into their compositions, where melodic ragas and rhythmic tala are juxtaposed with the sound of instruments more familiar to Russian listeners—for example, the cello, echoing the Indian ensemble. For pianist Anna Böhme, playing the Indian harmonium has been an interesting experience, and the instrument has organically integrated into the ensemble's work. The Musical Ensemble Regularly Tours with Concerts.