Mandala Will Present CROSSROADS: QAWWALI & GOSPEL

Mandala South Asian Performing Arts will present musicians Sonny with Riyaaz Qawwali  and Seaux Chill  in At Crossroads: Qawwali & Gospel, a performance integrating Black American gospel music with South Asian Qawwali, a devotional musical tradition rooted in Sufi Islam. The free performance takes place Friday, November 8, 7–9 p.m. at the Madden Theatre, 171 Chicago Avenue, Naperville. This program expands upon initial work that was supported by a 2023 Joyce Award.
 
Drawing on the complex history of cultural exchange between South Asian and Black communities, the artists are collaborating on improvised music that highlights parallels between the two genres while celebrating their distinct historic roots, bridging communities and cultures.
 
This performance expands upon a previous music composition, which was the culmination of workshops and conversations that invited community members to make connections across their unique linguistic, musical, and faith traditions. Participants explored the complexities and inherited histories of Chicago's cultural and neighborhood relationships throughout the project, creating opportunities for learning, reconciliation, and solidarity across different immigrant and diasporic backgrounds.
 
Shared Mandala Executive Artistic Director Pranita Nayar, “This exciting collaboration, which features a unique weaving of music representing different Chicago BIPOC artists, allows us to present cultural understanding and acceptance through the Mandala South Asian lens. And with support from SECA (special events community arts) funds from the City of Naperville, we can continue to build bridges and deepen understanding between different Chicago communities.”

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