Akshara to Perform Indian Percussive Sound Oct. 12

10/02/2014 

Akshara, an up-and-coming, percussion-based ensemble rooted in Indian classical musical traditions, will perform Sunday, Oct. 12, at SUNY Cortland.

Presented by the College’s Campus Artist and Lecture Series (CALS), the group will begin at 3 p.m. in the Corey Union Function Room.

Admission is free for all SUNY Cortland students and children ages 10 and younger. The general admission charge is $5. Tickets can be obtained through the Campus Activities and Corey Union Office, Corey Union Room 406, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. or at the door one hour prior to the performance. For more information, call 607-753-5574.

Bala Skandan composed the original pieces for Akshara that demonstrate the powerful and complex rhythmic structures that are characteristic of South Indian classical music. The leading instrument used in the group’s performance is the mridangam, a double-barreled drum played with both hands to produce a deep, rich tone.

Akshara performs on numerous other percussion instruments that contribute to the ensemble’s unique sound. These include the tabla, which is primary in the Hindustani tradition; the kanjira, a South Indian frame drum with a bass tone; morsing, an Indian version of the jaw harp; and konnakkol, a form of vocal percussion. Melodic accompaniment is provided using carnatic violins, cello and flute.

Members of Akshara perform on a variety of traditional percussive instruments.

“The percussionists were brilliant,” critiqued Dawoud Kringle, a solo musician on the sitar, of the group’s work. “Akshara has proven themselves to be master musicians, whose work is exemplary of beauty and sublimity."

The performance enables the College to fulfill key institutional missions to promote the cultural and social well-being of all community members and provide a transformational education.

More information on Akshara can be found in its website.

Prepared by Public Relations Office intern Paul Barchitta