Southbank Dawn Raga Series Returns This Month

Melburnians are invited to start their day by awakening their senses through the sounds of Indian classical music at the free monthly Southbank Dawn Raga Series at Arts Centre Melbourne from 26 April - 21 June. Audiences have the opportunity to enjoy the meditative and spiritual sounds of the sitar, flute and veena with the uplifting beats of the tabla. The free musical journey through tranquil and uplifting Indian music has been designed by Arts Centre Melbourne and Multicultural Arts Victoria with support from VicHealth to energise and prepare audiences for the day ahead.

The monthly Southbank Dawn Raga Series concerts will feature Melbourne-based Indian musicians, Jay Dabgar (tabla), Vinod Prassana (bansuri - Indian flute) and Hari Sivanesan (sitar) along with internationally claimed Indian musician, Pandit Purbayan Chatterjee (sitar).

A Raga, in Indian classical music, is the melodic framework for improvisation and composition. It is based on a scale with a given set of notes, a typical order in which they appear in melodies, and characteristic musical motifs. By using only these notes, by emphasizing certain degrees of the scale, and by going from note to note, the performer sets out to create a mood or atmosphere.

The Southbank Dawn Raga Series has been designed to elevate the mental state with blissful, Indian classical music in the early morning.

"Indian classical music actively demonstrates humanity's deep emotional connection with nature and our surrounding environment." says musician Jay Dabgar.

Arts Centre Melbourne, Multicultural Arts Victoria and VicHealth present
Southbank Dawn Raga Series

FREE EVENT, 7.30am
26 APRIL Hari Sivanesan (veena) & Jay Dabgar (tabla) - Arts Centre Melbourne lawn
24 MAY Purbayan Chatterjee (sitar) & Jay Dabgar (tabla) - Hamer Hall St Kilda Rd foyer
21 JUNE Vinod Prasanna (Indian flute) & Jay Dabgar (tabla) - Hamer Hall St Kilda Rd foyer
*Audience members are encouraged to bring a mat or towel to sit on.

More info