An equal music: Mentorship programme for Indian, UK musicians

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: As part of the Our Shared Cultural Heritage program, the British Council will be organizing a show titled RhythmXChange. This collaborative project seeks to explore rhythm as a shared language between East and West.

As part of the year-long program, four young musicians from India and the UK took part in a mentorship program. The four mentors were Joash Gill, Aditi B Prahlad, Vinthya Perinpanathan, and Ashwin Mandoth.

The first phase of RhythmXChange will be held at the Indian Music Experience Museum in Bangalore between November 25-27, and on the 26th artistes will give their debut public performance. The Festival at IME will include Percussion-themed Museum Walkthroughs, enthralling performances by young artists from around the world, a rap battle, panel discussions, and a screening of 'Dollu', the National Award winner for Best Kannada Film.

Speaking about the initiative, Museum Director of IME Preema John said "Through RhythmXChange we aim to promote young musicians from India and UK and grow their global networks. Being a bilateral project and on-site festival, the young musicians have had the opportunity to discover musical connections between India and the UK and now get to travel to the partner country to perform and connect with the host communities.

We remain committed to developing many more such programs with the support of our partners like the British Council that promote opportunities for young musicians, diversity, and interconnectedness through music.”

Skinder Hundal MBE, Global Director of Arts at the British Council, said “This collaboration between the Indian Music Experience Museum and Manchester Museum – showcases Indian Carnatic music alongside eastern and western percussion traditions to explore rhythm as a shared language to engage young people and artists beyond borders to improve how we understand our cultures.

The festival will run at Manchester Museum in the UK and the Indian Music Experience Museum in Bangalore.” The same artistes will perform in the second phase that will take place next year in Manchester Museum in the UK between March 17 and 19.

Where: Indian Music Experience Museum, JP Nagar

When: November 25-27