Raga Maqam

Brooklyn Raga Massive, the India Center Foundation, and CultureHub presented Raga Maqam livestreamed on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Monday 30 March 2020 at 4 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 6 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 7 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4) / Tuesday 31 March at 12 a.m. BST (London, UTC+1).

Originally scheduled at the Rubin Museum of Art, in this special experimental livestream, Amir ElSaffar, Jay Gandhi and Arun Ramamurthy will perform from multiple locations in coordination with our partner CultureHub.

For centuries, Maqam has been the tonal language of Arab, Turkish, and Persian traditional music, while Raga is practiced throughout the Indian subcontinent. The two modal systems have developed independently of one another according to specific rules and structure. Yet, there are many commonalities and cross-influences, as both traditions emphasize improvisation, resonance, and devotion.

As this project develops these musicians and uncover intersections between these ancient, profound musical languages.

Amir ElSaffar - trumpet/santur/vocals
Arun Ramamurthy - violin
Jay Gandhi - bansuri

The project Raga Maqam is produced by The India Center Foundation.

Raga Maqam is made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature.

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council.

About Brooklyn Raga Massive
Praised by the Wall Street Journal for “expanding the notion of what raga—the immersive, epic form of Indian music—can mean” and dubbed the “leaders of the raga renaissance” by the New Yorker, the fun-loving members of the Brooklyn Raga Massive collective have made huge waves for “preserving the past while blurring genres in an inventive spirit” (New York Times). Brooklyn Raga Massive is dedicated to education, engaging in workshops, in-school programs, private teaching, and various community activities to share their love for music.

About The India Center Foundation
The India Center is a national, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States dedicated to the study of the Indian subcontinent, the promotion of its cultural life, and the unique relationship between India and the United States. Based in New York City, The India Center hosts dialogues and exhibitions, mounts programs, educates audiences, and fosters debate focused on India’s future as well as its rich and varied past.

About HowlRound TV

HowlRound TV is a global, commons-based peer produced, open access livestreaming and video archive project stewarded by the nonprofit HowlRound. HowlRound TV is a free and shared resource for live conversations and performances relevant to the world's performing arts and cultural fields. Its mission is to break geographic isolation, promote resource sharing, and to develop our knowledge commons collectively. Participate in a community of peer organizations revolutionizing the flow of information, knowledge, and access in our field by becoming a producer and co-producing with us. Learn more by going to our participate page. For any other queries, email [email protected], or call Vijay Mathew at +1 917.686.3185 Signal/WhatsApp. View the video archive of past events.