Two events in Surrey will feature the music and words of Josh Feinberg, hailed as a cutting-edge sitar player raised in New York.
Surrey Civic Theatres presents Feinberg in a candlelight concert Friday, May 13 at Surrey Arts Centre’s Main Stage, starting at 8 p.m.
The evening before, on Thursday, May 12, a “meet the artists” discussion with Feinberg and tabla player Vivek Pandya will be held at the venue’s Studio Theatre, 7 p.m. start. It’s a chance to ask questions, share experiences and learn tips and advice from “a master of his craft and an up-and-coming prodigy.” Admission is free but registration required via tickets.surrey.ca, or call 604-501-5566.
Tickets are $25 for the two-hour concert on May 13.
Audiences around the world have been wowed by Feinberg’s ability to infuse the art of traditional Hindustani music with modern influences from jazz, fusion and Western classical, according to a concert advisory on surrey.ca.
“Hear traditional North-East Indian ragas imbued with other musical styles. Allow Josh and Vivek to take you on an ambient, meditative, and spiritual journey. This unique show is certain to inspire new listeners and Indian music aficionados alike.”
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At a young age Feinberg studied piano and bass in New York City. He later fell in love with the music of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, and shifted his focus to sitar and Hindustani music.
By 2013 he’d recorded a debut album and published a sitar method book for the Hal Leonard Corporation.
In 2019, Feinberg went on three international tours, including 25 concerts in 28 days in India.
Today he teaches at a pair of colleges in Portland and also online, and splits his time between homes in Portland and New York City.
In Surrey, the consultant for the Feinberg events is Nina Buddhdev, with The BANDISH Network.
Through the resource organization, Buddhdev has been advocating and representing this market of our industry for the last 20 years here in B.C., she says. “I am currently consulting with venues across Canada to help integrate programming that takes traditional music to new accessibility whilst keeping the core of cultural essence intact,” Buddhdev noted in an email.
For more about Feinberg and his music, visit joshsitar.com.
tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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