Artistic director, Ritesh Das presents Toronto Tabla Ensemble and Youth Ensemble featuring Odissi dancer, Mukur De
Experience a compelling evening of Indian music and dance with the Toronto Tabla Ensemble on Saturday March 21st at 7:00 PM. Taking place at York Woods Library Theatre, 1785 Finch Ave W, this will be the fifth installment of an intimate concert series presented by Ritesh Das.
The evening will be a showcase of Indian classical arts, opening with a performance by Odissi dancer, Mukur De. She will be followed by the critically acclaimed Toronto Tabla Ensemble and their Youth Tabla Ensemble made of young musicians aged 8-16.
Active in Canada since 1991, the Toronto Tabla Ensemble has brought tabla into mainstream Canadian music, receiving numerous accolades including a JUNO Award nomination. They have released six albums and performed in festivals across Canada as well as touring internationally.
In the past, the Ensemble has emphasized the versatility of the tabla through successful cross-cultural collaborations with Spanish Flamenco, Japanese Taiko, and even Canadian rock ‘n’ roll. The Ensemble’s recent work instead reflects the traditional form focusing on the pure sound of the tabla.
With his newly formed Youth Ensemble, artistic director Ritesh Das has composed a range of new pieces that focus on the tonal qualities of the tabla and the intricacies of the North Indian classical system. Senior Ensemble member, Razak Pirani said, “It’s really exciting to see the improvement of these young musicians who I’m sure will be some of the next big talents in Toronto.” Youth Ensemble members have all been chosen from the Toronto Tabla Ensemble’s School of Tabla which has locations in Toronto, Scarborough, and Mississauga.
The evening will begin with a presentation of traditional Odissi dance repertoire by Dr. Mukur De. A disciple of legendary Odissi dancer, Smt. Sanjukta Panigrahi, Mukur’s passion for the art has established her as a brilliant top-rung dancer who has performed in numerous music-and-dance festivals collecting several awards and favourable media reviews in the process. She has also choreographed pieces of contemporary dance items with a mixture of classical styles, which have been well-appreciated.
Mukur enjoys teaching and realizes that learning is never complete unless acquired knowledge is effectively passed on. She founded Pallavi Arts Center of Mississauga through which her aim is to groom dance lovers and produce passionate and flawless dancers. Mukur will also be starting Odissi classes at the Toronto Tabla Ensemble Centre for Indian Arts, as part of the centre’s educational programming.
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