Gana would like to give the audience more information about the songs being performed. See below
Shaadi Shindig
A celebratory piece written for a cousin’s wedding. The wedding, or shaadi, was postponed by COVID but nothing stopped the song from reminding listeners of the joyful spirit that such occasions bring.
Modern Carnatic Dream
This piece was an experiment of solo acoustic guitar improvisation playing with South Indian/Sri-Lankan classical nuances.
Dancer: Keerthi Ravi
Dancing Anecdote: This dance tells the story of a painter who yearns for artistic inspiration. She tries to find inspiration around her, whether it be in nature or her surroundings. In her travels, she comes across a beautiful bird but it eventually flies away. In a disgruntled state, she is almost ready to give up until she has a dream. She imagines a beautiful lotus and the formation of goddess Saraswathi. She rushes to paint it before her memory slips away. She creates a beautiful painting of Saraswathi, depicting the beauty and grace of the goddess, accompanied by the veena. She is overjoyed and overcome with love and devotion for her artform.
Water Trance-Lake
From a walk in the Blue Mountains, a peaceful stream of water held a moment of timelessness which Ganathipan was eager to explore. A Tin Whistle melody accompanied by soft jazz harmonies and mridangam subtleties made the piece what it is today. This has been combined with Lake, written through COVID as part of the urban meditation album, Stillness. Ganathipan was keen to incorporate the influence of Chinese relaxation music and the dulcet tones of the guzheng echo the aqua theme from Water Trance.
Dancer: Maddie Williams
Dancing Anecdote: This dance revolves around flow and motion. The influences of Tai Chi, Qigong and Avatar Waterbending were conscious influences layered over a classical dance base.
Mandolin Madness
This piece combined 2 influences Ganathipan discovered in his youth: guitar percussion and the Carnatic/Indian Mandolin art form. Showing this piece to his mentor, Audius Mtawarira, some years later began Ganathipan’s quest for the multicultural sound he was after. For this performance, both the Indian Mandolin and Irish Mandolin will be used.
Mother and Child
The name of this piece is purely theoretical. Some sections are in a scale called Chakravakam, which is a melakarta ragam or Mother Ragam. Other sections select 5 of these notes, unofficially called the Child scale/ragam, and use these notes instead. That scale, in this piece, is called Revathi, which is often used to evoke devotion. Using the aspects of these scales to explore colourful harmonies is intended experimentation from Ganathipan.
Freedom Dance
Influenced by Macedonian culture and the events after a war/battle, this is another song where both geographically and musically, East meets West. The rhythms and trills used in similar types of songs, like Leventikos, are captivating for both listeners and performers.
Celebration
Having written this as 16 for another wedding present, Ganathipan reclaimed an old love of South American music and placed his own identity when releasing it in the album, ‘Dance, Dance, Dance’.
Angry (Wo)Man
Originally written as a Carnatic Rock piece for a bharatanatyam male dancer, this rendition of the piece is turned on its head, where Eastern Classical meets Western Classical.
Dancer: Durga Shivaji
Dancing Anecdote: The choreography represents the combative mindset towards past cultural wrongs and was used at an event hosted by the organization, Diverse Women in Law,.
Mahatma
This piece was a dedication to Gandhi and peace through a theme Ganathipan wrote in a charity production. Another piece that incorporates solo acoustic guitar improvisation playing with South Indian/Sri-Lankan classical idioms.
Veetu Kuthu
Kuthu is a South Indian folk-music and dance style that has always connected with the subcontinental masses. Ganathipan creates an almost-acoustic contemporary interpretation to this style. Watch out for an unexpected instrument!
Dancers: Durga Shivaji, Amira Buttsworth
Dancing Anecdote: In the spirit of highlighting family and bringing local youth and talented experience together, a depiction of Daughter and Mother will be seen through this dance.
Irelon Stomp
Ganathipan was interested in both the contemporary performances of both Irish music and Carnatic music (or classical music from Ceylon). This is a taste of both flavours joining together with the guzheng playing a special part in the performance of this piece.
Ecstasy
Ganathipan found a unique rawness from the Bul-Bul Tharang. Whilst looking for a sitar in 2010, he bought this instrument in Delhi and after some notable jam sessions with the instrument, Ecstasy was born.
Dancer: Keerthi Ravi
Dancing Anecdote: In this piece, Radha is searching for her Krishna. She looks for him in the forest and asks everyone around her if they have seen her beloved. In searching for him, she recalls the life of Krishna, beginning from his early years when baby Krishna eats dirt and shows his mother, Yashoda, the entire universe in his mouth, to lifting Govardhana Giri to protect the people of Vrindavan. She imagines seeing Krishna and feels troubled by this game of hide and seek. In the end, she is united with her lover and feels ecstasy.
