Asia Society
725 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021-5088
Phone 212.288.6400
Fax 212.517.8315
www.asiasociety.org
Asia Society Presents World Premiere of Kinsmen/Svajanam
with Saxaphonists Kadri Gopalnath and Rudresh Mahanthappa
Thursday, Friday, Sunday, May 5, 6, 8 at 8:00PM
At Asia Society and Museum
725 Park Avenue at 70th Street, NYC
Two masters of the alto saxophone, one a living legend of South Indian Carnatic music and the other a fiercely innovative Indian American jazz musician, present a world premiere performance suite commissioned by the Asia Society. The cross-cultural, intergenerational collaborative work will be performed Thursday, Friday, Sunday, May 5, 6, 8 at 8:00 PM.
A recognized innovator, Kadri Gopalnath has introduced and adapted a relatively new western instrument to the traditions of Indian Carnatic music. Rudresh Mahanthappa fuses a myriad of contemporary and traditional influences, drawing on his Indian ancestry and using American jazz as his foundation, into his highly improvisational work. The distinction between their respective influences, training and idiom is both complicated and enhanced by their shared South Indian heritage as well as their common vehicle of the alto saxophone. The two are joined by their co-led Dakshina Ensemble including Kanya Kumari (violin), Rez Abbasi (guitar/sitar), Carlo de Rosa (acoustic bass), Gautam Siram (mrdangam or barrel drum) and Elliot Humberto Kavee (drums).
"This exciting work takes listeners to a new place where jazz and classical Indian music come together," says Rachel Cooper, Director of Cultural Programs and Performing Arts at Asia Society. "Their collaboration bridges differing traditions, influences, generations and cultures, taking listeners on a ground-breaking artistic journey that is timely and represents both America and India today."
Kinsmen/Svajanam is part of the Asia Society's Crossovers series which highlights important contributions by Asian and Asian American artists to contemporary music, dance and theater. The program was inaugurated in 1995, with a focus on music - specifically jazz - as an art form that transcends its ethnic origins and creates meaningful cultural experiences for people all over the world. Crossovers is an integral part of the Asia Society's efforts to promote contemporary Asian American artistic expression and debunk the notion that 'authentic' Asian art is purely traditional and belongs entirely to an idealized past.
Ticket prices for the performance are $16 for Asia Society and World Music Institute members/students/seniors and $20 for nonmembers. For tickets and information, call (212) 517-ASIA or visit
www.AsiaSociety.org. Members of the press interested in the performances should contact Asia Societyıs public relations department at 212.327.9271 or
pr@asiasoc.org.
The commission is made possible by the Multi-Arts production Fund, a program of Creative Capital supported by the Rockefeller Foundation. Major support for performances at the Asia Society is provided by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Helen and Will Little Endowment for Performing Arts.
Asia Society is an international organization dedicated to strengthening relationships and deepening understanding among the peoples of Asia and the United States. A nonprofit, nonpartisan educational institution, the Asia Society presents a wide range of programs including major art exhibitions, performances, media programs, international conferences and lectures, and initiatives to improve elementary and secondary education about Asia. The Asia Society is headquartered in New York City, with regional centers in Washington, D.C., Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Hong Kong, Manila, Shanghai and Melbourne, Australia. For more information, contact the Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10021. 212.288.6400. (
www.asiasociety.org).
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