In the subtle tremor of silence, a note awakens. It does not come by force — it blossoms. The raga unfolds its invisible petals and awakens the inner spring of the soul.
A few years ago, a voice awakened the courtyards of the old palaces of north Kolkata – Natmandir, Sovabazar, Chattubabu Lattubabu, Madan Mahan… The ancestral walls of St-John, Bengal’s first cathedral, vibrated to the rhythm of that voice. It then resonated in many other historic places across India, pure, powerful, beautiful. It was the voice of Pandit Shyam Sundar Goswami, a well-known Indian classical singer of the modern era… He reached the ears of the great connoisseur of classical music, Sri Gopalkrishna Gandhi, who, during his term as governor of West Bengal, invited Pandit Goswami to perform first at the Flag Staff House in Barrackpore, then at Raj Bhavan itself. During his concerts, Panditji reveals the soul of the raga, where moods and feelings are hidden: melancholy, doubt, anxiety, love, happiness, joy… His distinctions include terms such as “jewel” and “magic” from critics. In December 2010, Panditji received a grant from the French government and stayed at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris, where, with musicians from around the world (flutists, cellists, saxophonists, violinists, and others), he researched and worked on songs from the Middle Ages. Year after year, he has been invited to perform in auditoriums and theaters in Europe (and beyond), in several famous venues: the Théâtre de Locarno, Lugano, Ascona, and Radio Ticino (Switzerland), in Belgium, in France - Paris, Lyon, Chambéry, Montpellier, Toulouse, Grasse, Perpignan, as well as in certain churches and private salons. Pandit Goswami has taken part in renowned festivals - among them, the Festival de l'île de France, the Festival des Arts Sacrés de Champeaux, the Les Orientales festival, the Festival international des Musiques Sacrées du Monde in Fès, Morocco, the World Music Conference in Switzerland, the West Bengal State Music Conference, the Parliament of Bangladesh, the Sacrées Journées de Strasbourg festival, and many others…. He has mastered the songs of the “Geet Govind,” a work of poetry and songs by Jayadeva, a highly renowned 12th-century poet. His first album, “Peace N Harmony,” was released in 2009 by the artist Shanu Lahiri, followed by five more albums. Panditji also leads workshops in various educational institutions in India and abroad.
Price: From 10 to 20 euros.
Source: paris.fr — photo: Ville de Paris