Jhalaa, an ensemble of classing music with contemporary touch to feature at WAVES Summit

Mumbai, April 28 (IANS) The upcoming WAVES Summit is turning out to be a major attraction with a line-up of some of the biggest artists of India. It’s now revealed that Jhalaa, a raga-based music ensemble, will be unveiled at the event in Mumbai on May 1.

Jhalaa features an ensemble of 12 gifted musicians including 6 women (singers-dancers) and 6 men (singers & multi-instrumentalists). It blends raga-based music with a fresh, contemporary spirit, making this rich tradition both accessible and deeply resonant for today’s audiences.

This landmark initiative is the flagship project under the Bharat Maestro(a) Awards, launched earlier this year by music legend A. R. Rahman to celebrate India’s musical heritage and uplift the next generation of classical musicians.

The ensemble is curated by Rahman, and was formed through a global talent search that received more than 500 entries. It brings together the finest young artists formally trained in Indian classical music and classical dance forms.

“In the golden eras of Indian classical music, ragas drew inspiration from nature, the seasons, and the changing tides of human emotion. JHALAA seeks to rekindle that connection offering an immersive experience that weaves the moods of nature and the rhythms of life into every performance”, said award-winning composer Khatija Rahman, who, alongside music director & BMA’s Advisory Board Member Sai Shravanam and Kannika Urs, Project Head of Jhalaa & Head of KM Musiq, has worked passionately to bring this vision to life.

Jhalaa will feature only live, all-natural instrumentation, with no pre-recorded tracks or digital layering. Each performance will present the raw, powerful essence of unique compositions from legendary gharanas of India, including works by Padma Bhushan Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan Saab, Oothukkaadu Venkata Subbaiyyar, Guni Gandharva Pt. Laxmanprasad Jaipurwale, Padma Vibhushan Ghulam Mustafa Khan Saab, Kunwar Shyam Ji, and the saint Amir Khusrau Rahmatullah, along with additional compositions by Rahman.

The launch event is expected to be graced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is anticipated to attend the ensemble’s inaugural performance at the WAVES Summit.

“Jhalaa’s music is curated with great care to expand the audience for Indian classical art forms. Our aim is to reignite a deep love for raga-based music in the hearts of young Indians and global audiences alike. By forming this collective, we are exploring infinite possibilities to discover new combinations of Indian sound”, Khatija added.

--IANS

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