05 April,2010 08:53 AM IST | | Kasmin Fernandes
East and West harmonise at the LPO Renga India tour. Now is your chance to head to the Bangalore leg of the groundbreaking concerts
In 2009, Scott Stroman from the London Philharmonic Orchestra's (LPO) Renga Ensemble invited KCP4 over to London for a collaboration.
Vocalist Ramamani, percussionist TAS Mani, percussionist Ramesh Shotham and pianist Mike Herting make up KCP4, "or Karnatic College of Percussion Quartet, if you will," says Stroman.
Combining classical Indian music with Jazz and Western Classical influences, the musicians explored the different melodies, harmonies and improvisations possible in this unique soundworld.
Ancient Indian folk melodies were fused with dynamic jazz harmonies and bass lines. Soloists blended these folk melodies with classical melodies in their improvisations.
This April, LPO's Renga Ensemble and KCP4 will perform these unique pieces in three cities of India, the country of their inspiration.
Mumbai was their first in line for the concerts.
Stroman, who landed in the country with a group of 10 musicians, said, "The Renga ensemble was created five years ago by the London Philharmonic Orchestra to collaborate with musicians who come from outside the classical mainstream."
The name is a perfect fit. Renga is a genre of collaborative Japanese poetry. The essence of Renga is in the idea of 'change.' Basho, the famous master of Renga described this as 'refraining from stepping back.'
Just as Renga poetry thrives on variation and newness, the ensemble finds pleasure in working with Jazz and Folk musicians across the world.
"We try to work on their music rather than bring them into the music of the orchestra.
The idea is for our group to learn their music and to find some way that we can collaborate together," says Stroman, conductor, composer and trombonist, equally at home in Classical, Jazz and World Music.
LPO will also teach Indian kids a thing or two about Western classical music.
In a bid to nurture talent in India, composer AR Rahman's alma mater Trinity College, London has partnered with LPO for workshops with schools in each city they perform in.
An ensemble of musicians, led by animateur Lucy Forde, will introduce pupils to different instruments from the string, woodwind and brass sections of the Orchestra.
Children will learn about how composers have used devices like solo passages, harmony, melody and rhythm to such great effect in their music. Do we see wavy-haired little Rahmans on the horizon?
On April 5, 7 pm at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Bangalore.
Call 91 890 448 7471 to reserve passes on a first-come-first-served basis.
