India adventures- 25’-26’ 🙏🏾

i’ve just landed back in London, emotionally and physically, after a gorgeous month away in India. This trip was different from the last few Decembers I have spent there, a mix of music, travels, family time, movement, and reconnnections with old and dear friends. Absolutely nourishing and I won’t lie, I had a smile on my face and gratitude for the entirety of the month, even when we were being pushed in queues or in tight spaces with a lot of people!

It kicked off with my younger cousin joining me in London to fly over together, and we spent the first few days in Chennai together plus the first travels to Kolkata. It changed the rhythm to share the experience with someone close to me and also to remain myself. There aren’t many people who probably could be in a single room with me, while I exercised or did yoga plus sat and practiced singing and violin everyday! It sounds like a musical backtrack should be lovely, but the honest truth about personal practice is it isn’t performance- it is the working behind the scenes space where sound isnt always tuned or fluid. Ambika lived in my soundworld joyously and without complaints, working hard on her own set design work and film /script planning as she is a scriptwriter in the making. So for this, i am totally grateful!

And i got to introduce her to my Kolkata dearest: Prattyush Banerjee, musical mentor and his sister Thumpa, my Bengali family where I homestay- the Basus, street chai, restaurants, shops and of course the lake that I love, plus we even went to work out at a gym and Pilates studio, which was new for me in Ballygunge neighborhood!

Sriram Anna, performing Carnatic violin @ Arkay Convention Centre, with his violin students & entourage

My classes with Prattyush-da were rich, and though I didn’t do my usual monthlong immersion of classes and practice, I felt like the takeaways were greater. I’m able to pick up more and see the progression over the last few years. There’s a long way to go, a lifetime or more, but I’m inside the raft on the vast ocean instead of on the side trying to get in 😁😁 And the ragas we covered were really beautiful, and I realised how special it is to have contact with this particular tradition through the lens of Prattyush-da’s musical lineage and the perspective of the sarod, as such a contrasting instrument from the violin.

Returning to Chennai. the city of my roots and comfort zone, I had the privilege of taking classes with the highly esteemed and phenomenal musician and mentor Sriram Parasuram.

Sriram Anna is someone who is exceptional and for me, on another musical plane. He commands North Indian, Carnatic violin and vocals and also has a strong understanding and experience in Western Music having studied at Wesleyan University. It is clear that he lives and breathes music, and has immersed himself in the styles with a sharp mind to be able to clearly explain the nuances of movement of a raga and very nuanced articulations, be it in the voice or the violin.

I say all this to say how much inspiration I get from studying with him. I have greater appreciation for the connection between voice and violin adn the importance of cultivating the voice to truly understand and embody indian Classical music. Both Prattyush-da and Sriram Anna can sing their musical ideas, and this I realise is more and more important to truly hold the art form.

With Sriram anna, i have been learning small compositions that have lyrics, and this also adds meaning to the vocal practice- sometimes playful, flirty, romantic, with longing…and the lyrics, even independent of their meaning, have an impact on the quality of the voice. how you enunciate, how the vowel sound affects the breath control and focus of the sound, all these details require attention. And having a teacher who can observe and give a solution or a support to finding your way, it is a blessing!

Alongside the handful of lessons, I attended select kutcheris with family, or concerts, during the Marghazi Music season. Sriram Anna’s pictured above plus one of my favorite artists, TM Krishna, and getting a flash of Ganesh and Kumaresh, violin duet of two brothers. TM Krishna is breaking convention, not only with his political and social messages, but directly in the music- the boundaries of inclusion plus the hierarchies in performance. So it’s always inspiring to be around his presence.

Having had this depth of classes and musical exposure, I took my violin and voice with me and…the TRAVELS began…first, heading to Kerala to visit Guruvayoor Temple with my parents, Family reunion in Allepey, another reunion with my brother and his family in Kuala Lampur for New Year’s…

…and then, Mumbai!! where i reconnected with my soul brother Anuraag (and might I saw gorgeous singer and spiritually gifted! I also got to see my wonderful musician friends and collaborators, Joell, Chinmayi, and flute Shriram! Anuraag’s family was also soulfully warm and I left feeling like another member of their clan.

i wound down my final days in Chennai to make the transition to London whilst continuing to take classes- Sriram Anna’s guidance was my anchor, plus the love, the nurture, the coffee, and the dosas at my Periamma’s house! A joyous, warming, and enlightening trip all around.

Signing off with love and wishes to you all for a Happy new Year!

Preetha 💕🙏🏾💕

Bombay by day and night :)

Recap... all things music 2025!

The year seems to have flown by, faster than any other year I can think of. I haven’t really nailed why - maybe a combination of my own age and stage in life coupled with the environment around us: it feels like we have returned to a speed faster than ever even after slowing down with the pandemic, alongside technological developments, world events, challenging presidents, wars, It’s all just simply getting fast. With all this going on, it’s hard not to get stuck inside of it or affected. However, I still seem to find the most peace when I retreat to my bubble and sanctuary within, turning to the anchor that has been my anchor for years - my discipline and practice. The focus on the musical craft - the time to learn and to explore.

With my nurturing home practice where often I am solitary, the rest of my artistic practice is filled with people, those who have been consistently in my orbit and also new encounters, new faces. This is the joy of being an artist. This constant ebb and flow between what is familiar and what is refreshing, what and who inspires new thought and creativity.

In truth, it’s hard to even remember what all I did! Sometimes it feels like nothing much, but when i look back and take stock of this year, I am reminded there have been some key projects and also key collaborations & travels that have defined 2025, adding to my growth and enjoyment.

My early January was spent in Kolkata, which has become my yearly ritual- a real chance to polish my chops, be immersed in practice and the art of North Indian Music. I was introduced to Prattyush Banerjee, maestro sarod player by a London-based collaborator, and little did I know at the time this would become an ongoing relationship with a mentor and a new pathway for my musicianship. Nerdy nuances on the violin coupled with deepening my understanding of the style, with someone to guide me to help me connect the dots. Plus, it has been a unique experience to be in a different city from my own Indian roots, a vastly contrasting approach to life and cultural habits.

Returning from India, it was very exciting to be asked by Indian - American composer Shruthi Rajasekar and Warwick University to perform solo Carnatic violin and singing with their University Orchestra and Choir in a new premiere. Though I do not consider myself a typical or traditional Indian Classical player, I thoroughly appreciated exploring the select ragas in the context of her piece, having both improvisational freedom and set material. Also, it felt like the perfect setting, where I was a bridge between Indian Classical & Western Classical, truly understanding what was happening on both sides. I was challenged as well because I rarely sing publicly, let alone, Carnatic music, and Shruthi asked me to sing in some moments of the piece- as you will hear in the video clips. I appreciated being able to learn a new raga and how to deliver a viruttham (improvised raga melody using lyrics.) Congrats to Shruthi for creating such a monumental, outstanding new piece of work! Check more about her here.

BALLADESTE ACTION

One of the main focuses of the Winter into Spring was Balladeste’s two new albums…yes, two!

First, our next duo release…Tara and I had fixed recording dates with our long-time collaborator, multi-instrumentalist and producer Fred Thomas & recording engineer Alex Bonney, which gave us a real push to complete the tracks on the album and get moving! Collaborative composition is not always the most efficient process 😆 We are both extremely meticulous about specific details, plus to merge our joint ideas takes a fair amount of back and forth, experimenting, hearing each other out, and testing ideas. Having a set timeline forced us to get moving, to not get too precious and instead, move forward with a real ‘Yes, and’ attitude. We managed to create a full album and had the chance to perform the fresh off the press work at during on our third gig, part of a longer residency series at SJQ. It’s one thing to write the tunes, and also another thing to let them feel settled enough to perform, and let alone, record. So this was indeed a challenge. But it helped the tunes settle ahead of recording at one of our favorite spots in town, Sands Films…and since then getting this album near to the finish line. Fred’s gave the album his touch with his instrumental additions, weaving magic, really. and we’ve now mixed with Alex. We even did a photoshoot in hastings on the seafront with gorgeous musician and multi-talented artist Tamsin Elliot…so the new album will definitely be out in mid-2026 with very exciting developments that we will tell you about in due course:)

Balladeste x Ana Silvera Live at SJQ, December 2024

Whilst making our next album, Tara and I have also been creating a collection of new songs with our dear friend and brilliant singer-songwriter Ana Silvera, which has been a really beautiful addition to our duo process- the chance to work as we do, but with a third collaborator - a thoughtful artist who brings a fresh perspective and offers a different lens through lyrics and vocal melody. Similar to our duo working process, the different tracks started from small seeds of material, either a texture or instrumental seed or vocal /lyrics idea or melody. Ana also wrote song over two existing Balladeste tunes. This new EP will be out in March with the first single dropping in January, really excited for you to hear:)

Video of ‘Hand in Hand’ here.

EP artwork by Priya Sundram

My ‘Traveling the Face of the Globe: Intimate House Concert’ Series has been a highlight throughout the year for me. The May Edition brought Saied Silbak, one of my closest friends and a beautiful oud player alongside Sura Susso, Gambian kora player and Griot. They played individual sets and then came together (wth me too!) for a few improvised tracks. It felt political, it felt spiritual, it felt soul stirring and also challenging. I didn’t realise that planting the seeds of hosting would also lead to more musical collaborations. Sura has since become a wonderful friend and. a collaborator, and i had the chance to perform with him in London and also in Bath with his go to percussionist Amadou.

The Summer edition in the garden was certainly moving but lighter in spirit, with Aleh Ferreira’s Samba and one of my favorite London-based bands Alvorada. It was the first time I even truly let go and enjoyed the playful interactions of the band and the charming, danceable grooves. And more recently, Tara and I performed Balladeste music alongside Ziyang Huang, erhu player. Truly a night of serenading strings. And i felt totally in my element with violin in hand and Tara by my side:)

Sheherazaad Tour

Had a great time joining Sheherazaad, up-and-coming singer from California on a leg of her Europe tour, along with two other musicians based in the UK, Ashley Blasse on bass, guitar & Arun Janssens on drums. Sheher first approached me to ask if i’d be game to play in January. In this phase of my career, I am trying to focus more on my own music and also reduce travelling, particular long stints abroad. However, once we met, I really liked her music and her vibe. She has so much respect for her collaborators, and I immediately felt like an experienced and mature musician as well as an older sister. And the music connected me not only to my South Asian roots but also to my first days touring as a professional with more popular/experimental styles of music, where I play with more feisty energy! I used octave, distortion, and reverb pedals to add some grit to my usually sweet solos. All in all, we had a great time on and off stage. The entire team grew like a family throughout our days together, credit going to our compassionate tour manager too. And i cannot leave out how wonderful it was to be hot. sometimes we were sticky and underslept from the lack of fans, but even so, it felt freeing to be in 38 degree heat.

We started at Fusion festival, a few hours outside of Berlin, which is in a sense like the communist spirited Glastonbury of Germany. What a vibe! A diversity of music, including punk, metal, and experimental plus it was very organised and the people were emotionally generous. 2 shows there followed by a cozy one in Berlin, and then we drove across to Lucerne where we performed in the city’s festival in the central cathedal. A change of ambience, though still with a lovely vibe and greatly received…and last stop in Munich at an underground club (en route where we hopped in the large gorgeous Swiss lake to cool off), where my parents arrived from the USA to see us in action!

Check out Sheherazaad’s music here

Flamenco has grown increasingly important to me as a recreational and creative outlet. It feels resonant with my journey in Indian music, and also over the last 4 years I started spending more time with the London-based community and developing a sense of belonging in that circle of wonderful people ~musicians, dancers, and beyond. There are regular jams called ‘juergas’ that keep the spirit alive, where dancers and musicians of all levels will just get up and participate!!! I started dancing as well, which has been such passionate addition to my wide set of existing interests and helps to make the link to the music stronger, where the way the dance and music interact are central and integral to the art form.

I perform with the up-and-coming London-based band Identidades from time to time (Bryan Reyes, guitar; Ago Hernandez, percussionist; Carlos de Luisa, singer) and also perform with visiting artists. In August, I had the opportunity to perform with a Madrid-based dancer Cristina San Gregorio at Battersea Spanish and Jamboree in August. and two other beautiful and well-experienced Flamenco musicians, Adrian Sola, guitar & Jasmine villa-lobos, singer.

Flamenco night @ Jamboree

Identidades @ The Angelic

And finally, to get a glimpse of all the stuff in between, no less important, here are some pictures across the year, both work and play! …

performing in Madrid with my dear friend and stunning composer/guitarist Martin Espada & Luis Taverna, percussionist; Moira Smiley & Balladeste string quartet in the begining of October, recording with Tamsin Ellior & Tarek Elazhary in Bristol, Radhika Das at Union Chapel, reunion with my two piano teachers from growing up, backstage at the Roundhouse playing strings for Thee Sacred Souls, Dorset solo adventures, canal jamming with Bryan Reyes, helicopter rides during the Masterclass at Lossenham Farm. and petting a dolphin in Mexico on a family reunion holiday:)

So grateful for the breadth of experiences that continue to shape me personally and artistically. As I set my intentions for 2026 and look forward to the new developments and flow it will bring, I celebrate all that has been so far: the nurture of new and old friendships and musical collaborations, creative adventures, travels, and soulfulness.

2024 ~ Highlights & Reflections

Dear friends,

Wishing you a positive transition into 2025:) Hope have all been able to have a bit of peace, calm and nourishment during the holidays. I always take these moments in this transit between years to reflect on the highlights- milestones- learning of the previous year and in a gentle way, use it as a launching pad to look ahead. Somehow, with the pace of life and the way time flies, it is really easy to lose track of all the beautiful moments and memories created in the year, be it professional or personal. I really have enjoyed taking stock of 2024 and realising how big a year it was for me! As a freelance artist, no day, week, month or year is really ever the same. The professional engagements, choices, and lifestyle that surrounds it definitely keeps me on my toes. And as a disciplined, structured, and routine-oriented individual, I am grateful for the chaos.

This year felt especially significant because I turned 40! In the lead up to entering a new decade and period of my life, It felt important me to curate, connect, and celebrate with music and also to mark it with a couple of musical goals; 1- to showcase my solo compositions, old and new. 2- to perform an indian classical set with indian violin, which i play so rarely in public especially since starting to study Hindustani music with Prattyush Banerjee in Kolkata. So, i set out to do just this :)

…On a side note, I wrote an entry for my childhood friend and author Nishta Mehra’s blog about my relationship to music as a spiritual practice, which is very connected to my experience of Indian music. You can read this here: https://nishtajmehra.substack.com/p/music-as-a-spiritual-practice

Birthday Celebration & The launch of TFG

For my milestone birthday, I organised a night of music and dance at a local venue called Hoxton Cabin called 'Traveling the Face of the Globe', which became the beginning of more curated nights throughout the year.

My close friends and stunning musicians Saied Silbak, oud extraordinaire, and Ana Silvera, singer-songwriter, kicked off the evening sharing songs from their new project 'Songs we Carry' which explores the common ground between their heritages– the emotive melancholy of Ladino music and the rich Maqams and intricate melodies of Arabic song.

This linked so beautifully to the following act, a London-based Flamenco group Identidades (Bryan Reyes-guitar, Ago Hernandez-percussion, Carlos Barba Jiménez- voice, and guest Laura González- voice) featuring Víctor Ramos, aka 'El Chuli'- a wonderful dancer visiting from Barcelona. Claudia Rubia and Aitana Sola also danced, and the entirety of the group's set was spirited and gripping.

The night continued on with a jam where different styles, people, and  cultures interacted—something bound to happen in London that makes this city so special and why I truly feel blessed to be here. Moments of kathak bols and footwork meeting Flamenco tango, or jazz guitar and indian melodies soaring above!

It was really quite the atmosphere and so so special for me to see such incredible music-making happening and also an audience of stunning musicians, artists and friends. A night that I was truly honoured to host, to see, and to be a part of. Thank you to everyone who came down:) and to Héctor Manchego for capturing the lovely images above/below and also some pictures from my dear friend Isaac Swift of the event on a real film camera!

Solo Debut @ Canterbury Free Range

One of my main artistic goals this year was to perform some of my solo compositions live. Over the years I have been composing, but many of my own works are hidden gems that haven't really been shared widely. I'm very fortunate to have received a creative award from Help Musicians UK to support some gigs/touring and to have beeen able to bring along a stellar team of collaborators (and of course all close friends!!)

The first iteration of this project was at Free Range Canterbury, a really thriving and community-driven event series in Kent. I re-arranged some of my existing music plus wrote new compositions for musicians Zac Gvi- multi-instrumentalist (piano, accordion, bass clarinet, clarinet- you name it he can play it!), Saied Silbak, oud maestro and percussion and also brought along Mithun Gill and Nandita Shankardass, two beautiful dancer/choreographers, to perform a set of three pieces that they had choreographed to. It was beautiful to watch the music come alive and to also have such a warm and receptive audience that was eager to listen to more/find the pieces again.

This definitely boosted my confidence and let me see that there was indeed a place and space for my contemporary compositions. I also felt very blessed to have other musicians/artists who wanted to be a part of the music-making. Zac, Saied and I, with my go to filmmaker Hatem Kiwan, created three new videos of two new tracks of mine and one of Zac’s- which you can find on my youtube channel and on the right.

TFG Jamboree - Indian Classical Trio & Common Cause

 

Filmed by Thom Seamann, a collaborative choreography by Mithun Gill & Nandita Shankardassin response to a violin and piano instrumental piece from my solo EP ‘Rebirth’

'Unfolding'...the weight of uncertainty, personal and societal, transformed into the discovery of the unknown. Drawing on the confluences of Indian, Arabic, and contemporary music.

Another highlight to the summer was the second edition of TFG- Indian Classical- that I curated at Jamboree, one of my favourite venues in town. With two stunning musicians, Giuliano Modarelli- a dear friend and versatile guitarist- and the brilliant tabla player Harkiret Singh, we presented an Indian Classical-inspired set bringing our contemporary take to the style. It was a wonderful vibe with a full house and such a nice challenge and opportunity to play Indian violin, which is performed seated cross-legged on the ground, a style I have rarely performed in public. I invited Giuliano’s latest project, Common Cause, a cross-genre band to headline and they were fantastic and complementary, with their modal melodies and funky grooves.

Hatem Kiwan captured the music beautifully, which you can find on youtube too. It has been great to see the response to the trio, and since Jamboree, we have continued to perform together - pictures also from Diwali Wembley below- and are hoping to record an album in 2025.

TFG House Concert 1 - Flamenco meets Latin American

Putting on a gig at home as a space for music is a vision I have had since I moved to my home in the beginning of 2023. Such a gift to have space in a big city like London and for me, a dream to be able to fill it with all kinds of music, musicians, and warmth. And the seed to finally try it out came when a collaborator of mine, Martín Espada wanted to visit me to perform together again - the first time being in Seville in September 2023 in a charming venue called Allegro ma non troppo. Martin performed a mix of Latin American repertoire - some his arrangements- and his original compositions. Ago Hernandez, percussionist and I joined him in his set. To make the night complete, I invited my flamenco friends along with Víctor Ramos to perform, and together it really special evening. We lucked out with the good weather, and the garden was filled with vibrant rhythm and energy:) As host, cook, and artist, I definitely learned a lot from this night about event management!!! definitely a learning curve and ideas to shape the future house gigs.

Flamenco stories.

I’ve already mentioned flamenco a few times above, and it must have come through that I am a fan of the style and also play from time to time with flamenco artists and friends.

What you probably didn’t pick up though was that I also dance…as a beginner! In September 2023, I spent 3 weeks, taking Spanish classes and Beginner’s technique. A friend then invited me to play violin on a choreography and that was the start of my involvement at Escuela de Baile school run by Nuria Garcia and the spark to attending dance classes. I find like Indian art forms, flamenco is a style where music and dance are interconnected, deeply linked by rhythm. And doing both strengthens the understanding of the flamenco language. I took a beautiful course in the summer with Cristina Otero from Jerez, which really honed my interest and understanding of dance whilst showing me the complexities of the coordination—arms free flowing and expressive whilst feet solid and rhythmically precise.

This year has been full of informal jams in addition to gigs, particularly with my dear friends of Identidades. And a flamenco highlight for me was performing on the Jamboree Flamenco night in July with Adrian Sola (guitar), Monica Garcia (singer) and a fabulous dancer from Madrid named Cristina San Gregorio. I was definitely in the deep end being less experienced with the flamenco improvisatory language and how the dancer interacts. But even so, it was great to find my way and use my instinct to let the violin sing in the midst of the rhythm.

Green Room Collective

A multi-disciplinary project that took place this year over the course of three residencies and four performances was The Green Room Collective. Produced by Soumik Datta Arts, we were a team of migrant/refugee artists across disciplines, including two of my dearest friends Saied Silbak and Giuliano Modarelli. Giuliano and I were invited on to the project as facilitator of sorts, to hold the space and bring our collaborative experience. It isn’t easy to bring 7 artists from different cultures and artistic disciplines together in a short time to create a product, so we definitely had our challenges

With residencies at Hawkwood College in Dec 2023, January and March 2024, we created a new show that premiered at Rich Mix in February and evolved into a largely musical show through gigs in the summer in Sheffield, Stroud, and King’s Cross Coaldrops Yard music festival. reating a new show/ new musicGigs in Sheffield, Stroud, Kings Cross Coaldrops Yard summer festival.

The subject matter is poignant and touches on leaving home and the trials of moving out of both force and choice, and forging new homes. And we created some groovy pieces, with a great final team (Héctor Manchego -spoken word, film; Hossein Mirzagholi -bass, vocals; Giuliano Modarelli -guitar; Deeptarka Mukhopadhyay -tabla, dholak & dhol; Saied Silbak, oud).

Me without You

One of the summer projects/performances that I have been a part of is 'Me Without You' - a new multi-disciplinary piece about grief, love and loss co-created by composer Emily Levy (her own intimate story as the starting point) & Director Mella Faye. Two weeks in a vulnerable, playful, and ambitious creative process warmly led and incredibly held by Mella, bonding this stellar team of artists across dance/movement/sound/visuals: we played, laughed, danced, sang, improvised, moved, cried, listened, spoke, challenged and connected as we strived to discover and embody what this show is really about. The launch was at the prestigious Aldeburgh Festival in Snape Maltings, followed by shows in London and Leeds. The response all in all was very powerful, and fingers crossed the show continues in 2025.

TFG House Concert 2- Indian Classical

I was thrilled to host another house concert to kick off the winter, with up-and-coming sitarist Lakshay Mohan from Delhi accompanied by my dear friend, Harkiret Singh, tabla. I had to ask myself, why a house concert when there is so much music happening in venues all around London? For me, the special aspect of this is to be able to curate the evening, bring together musicians from my network, and make certain genres accessible to those who may not be familiar with it or know much- be it for musicians of another genre, music lovers, or new listeners. It was so cool to witness such profound virtuosity and playfulness so up close and personal, and to be handheld through the Hindustani Musical experience. and the chai, chaat and company was memorable too:)

Moment’s Notice @ Amp Studios, December 16th

I didn’t expect that this to make my highlights list, especially so close to the end of the year and the day before i was traveling to Indi, but this improvised gig event on December 16th, the vision of photographer George Nelson, has really managed to make a lasting impression on me and to also recognise my strengths as a performer and where I thrive.

Brought together for a fully improvised evening in different musical combinations with James Kitchman- guitar, Seb Rochford- drums, Luzmira Zerpa- Venezuelan singer/percussion, & Rosie Bergonzi- steel pan/percussion, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The night kicked off with James and me as a 40 minute duo performance, followed by the trio. and then we all came together for the final set.

My first fear was being cold! as it was outside. so I kept my many layers and ski gloves. and then tackled the problem through delicious homecooked Caribbean food and a shot of whiskey. The whiskey did the trick- i definitely felt warm and not just to manage my hands and get by but really fully from inside out. That is a huge part of playing an instrument that requires not only your physical flexibility from fingers, arms and full body but also your mental and emotional connection to the instrument.

Sometimes it is easy to feel boxed into a genre, or left to follow a more foundational instrument like piano or guitar. Or to perform pre-written music that has a clear identity of genre. And in this case, as a fully improvised set, the individual that you are with to create the dialogue will inform what the experience and the sonic output. But James and I were a lovely pairing; as a guitarist, he was listening and responding to what i did, and could venture into both harmonic leading whilst equally being versatile on melody and texture. It allowed us for a more expansive pallette and we even got into some shredding, free jazz like moments that contrasted the sweeter melodies that emerged.

In reflection, I valued this opportunity to remind myself that as much as I am an eternal student and will continue to grow musically and professionally, I have actually created a niche artistic voice for myself and have a strength as a performer and something meaningful to express.

 

Balladeste ~ My long-term duo project with Tara Franks

It has been another beautiful year of growth as a partnership and creating a vision together. A long-term collaboration is so different from fleeting, momentary projects, and Tara and I have now been musical partners since 2012. This requires being able to evolve together, set new challenges, and have a shared ethos and musical understanding.

We’ve traveled to Berlin and back, and around the UK performing, making time amidst it all to start writing our next duo album. At a time where living in different cities and having lots of individual work makes it challenging, there's nothing more beneficial to a shared creative practice than quality time:) I have been traveling to Hastings from time to time for mini residencies in Tara’s studio, the shed, which has definitely been fruitful.

Amongst a range of performances (Medicine Festival, GemArts Masala Festival in Newcastle, London-based Brazilian choro band Alvorada’s album launch, and more), some of the really memorable ones were Hastings Castle in the night backdrop of this magnificent outdoor setting, Colourscape music festival in the colourful inflatable installation.

This year also kicked off the start to some new duo collaborations. Tara and I curated a beautiful double bill at the end of the summer, the first of our SJQ residency series. Our guests were New York-based violin duo Arun Ramamurthy & Trina Basu, two artists that have forged a unique string duo that draws on Indian and Jazz influences.

We brought them into our tracks and played on one of theirs. With their sensitivity and fluidity across both composition and improvisation, we felt a great affinity to their creative process and output. You can check out their latest release Nakshatra here.

The second of our SJQ residency series was Dec 15th, where we premiered a new set of compositions/songs that we are writing with lovely singer-songwriter-instrumentalist Ana Silvera. This has been a unique process, for us to write collaboratively with another individual in the mix. Ana brings a sensitivity to our instruments and shared string language whilst adding a new element of lyrics and a songwriter’s ear and vision. We are really excited about the future of these pieces as we are in the process of recording so do keep an eye out:)

 

Personal Memorable moments

Though my post here is largely focused on music & collaborations, there have been so many beautiful personal moments this year that have added to its beauty: travels, bringing people together at my home and discovering myself as a gatherer/connector, and of course, quality time spent with friends old and new and family. I am ever grateful to be able to connect in all ways with those I love and to forge new connections and collaborations that continue to keep each day fresh and challenging plus keep my heart full.

Balladeste in Mexico!

Tara and I have had quite the 2023 so far, traveling here there and everywhere in the UK plus an international trip to Mexico with two concerts. What a soulful time, sun, wonderful new encounters, and culture to invigorate us, plus two special shows - in La Cita festival in the yellow city (Izamal) in the Yucatan Peninsula and the iconic venue El Chopo, a museum known for its progressive attitude towards culture and music. My trip was made ever more special by the fact that my dear cousin Ambika lives in Mexico City and was cheering us on the whole way. And admittedly, was very key in making the concerts even happen, through introducing us to the most wonderful Izzy Jones, whom we will definitely forge a longer-term relationship with from this point forward.

Tara and I also had the chance to work with our dear friend and founder of SunLands school Nicholas Aguilar. We spent 3 days working with a group of teenagers to explore indian rhythm and write new pieces of music. We also did a performance followed by a Q&A for all the students and staff. We were so impressed by the questions we received! Thoughtful and very insightful into our collaborative compositional process, cross-cultural meld, and the language and communication of our performance.

Another mega-highlight was filming with Discos Corazon in the town of Tlayacapan in a cactus field!

Here are a few more snaps below, to paint more of a picture:)

Preetha Xx

2022- Never too late to look back:)

Somehow the winter has sped by, but reflections of 2022 still are very much present so I thought it would never be too late to sit down, gather my thoughts, gather key projects and personal moments of development to share, both with myself and with you. What a year it was. Following Covid, we kicked off January 2022 with a relaxing of rules and coming back to some form of a normal performance style and social rhythm. Normal is a big word to use- I’m not sure if we can ever return to what was before. Being with people and collaborating and the opportunities for residencies and travel felt ever more special, yet also came with its challenges- movement, speed, and over-stimulation that we had been out of practice of. But even so, I am ever grateful for the many inspiring and special moments throughout the year- from attending friends’ concerts to my own performances, resuming group sports and cycling through incredible London skies, growing my string duo and having so many opportunities to grow my creative practice. Below I share some of the highlights.

Sinfonia Viva Commission- Becoming One and Drifting Tides

One of the key projects I had last year was writing two orchestral pieces for Sinfonia Viva. It was an absolute honour to be commissioned to compose in celebration of their 40th Anniversary and a wonderful way to grow my solo compositional skills, as I had to date never written for large ensemble or full orchestra.

Becoming One

Encounters, communicating, connecting. INNER SELF. separating, joining. SILENCE. turbulence, nature and environment. TRANSFORMATION.  

Written in collaboration with Sing Viva, 'Becoming One' takes breath in all its meanings as the starting point for both the lyrics and the music. Loosely drawing on the Indian raga Charukeshi, the piece is a reflection and celebration of the relationship between individual and the collective.

The process of writing it really spoke to me and my ideal way of working, given its co-creative nature. I had the chance to workshop my ideas and introduce the concept of Breath to Sing Viva, Sinfonia Viva’s community carers choir. Leading various musical processes with a lyric brainstorming segment, we ended up with a poignant set of words that I subsequently took as seeds t0 grow the rest of the piece. As I developed parts of the piece, we met on Zoom to try out what I had written and write more. What I liked about this way of working is that I had tangible material to work with that had come from others and also they were able to find some sense of ownership and relatability with the piece that I was writing.

The piece was performed by Sing Viva, String Orchestra and percussion and premiered in May at Derby Cathedral.

https://www.sinfoniaviva.co.uk/programme-note-becoming-one

Along with ‘Becoming One’, I composed another piece called ‘Drifting Tides’ for full orchestra, which was to be performed as a part of a summer festival in Derby and New Year’s Eve. Very exciting indeed and quite celebratory. Following from the theme of breath, I took the theme of oceans and preservation of nature as the concept. The piece explores inner connection and mankind’s relationship to nature – capturing the ebb and flow of the tide, represented through beautiful melody and the interplay between instruments depicting the mysteriousness of the sea and the creatures below.

Of course, with music, much of concept the is demonstrated in an abstract way. The opening melody that is heard on brass was a tune that I wrote at the beginning of the pandemic and constantly returned to whenever I picked up my violin, It felt an appropriate time to find a larger melodic and harmonic setting for such a melody. In a way, as all creative processes go, the piece wrote itself. One step at a time and slowly it emerged. Of course, there were new challenges for me. Finding the balance between parts, knowing how to write for brass, winds, strings and percussion (as well as harp and piano!) With so many players and parts, finding ways to double lines, strike a balance between simplicity and interest can be difficult. With so many different parts, the music can get dense without space to actually hear the intricacy. I had a mentoring session with Johannes Beraeur, an outstanding composer in Austria, which helped me look at the nuances to orchestration and consider how to sharpen and strengthen the parts that I had written. It is a mega-skill in itself to translate music to an orchestra, and this was only about 7 minutes long!

Hats off to all the incredible composers out there who regularly write for orchestra. As a performer, I am well aware of the magnificence of so many works, but actually being behind the scenes in the compositional process gave me others kinds of insight and more humility.

The piece explores inner connection and mankind’s relationship to nature – capturing the ebb and flow of the tide, represented through beautiful melody and the interplay between instruments depicting the mysteriousness of the sea and the creatures below.

https://www.sinfoniaviva.co.uk/news/news-sinfonia-viva-announce-this-years-new-years-eve-gala-concert-at-the-royal-concert-hall

Balladeste

Balladeste really surged forward in 2022, following the release of our second album Beyond Breath in September 2021. We also were thrilled to receive Arts Council of England idea, which really allowed us to see through some of our creative ideas and invest more time into our duo development.

In February last year, we spent a week at the beautiful Hawkwod College in Stroud with 4 other wonderful string players (Laura Moody cellist, Flora Curzon, violin, Mandel duo- Misha Law viola and Emily Hall, violin) working on musical improvisation and arranging our music in an embodied way. Tara and I have long dreamed of having our music performed by an extended female ensemble and this was the first opportunity to trial our vision. Supported by Arts Council England, we were able to invite four versatile performer-composers to explore our musical ideas, in the gorgeous countryside setting. We started each morning with a collective yoga inspired warm up, scales and technique practice which organically led to a free improvisation. In the afternoon, we worked through selected pieces of ours, a combination of using backbone scores that I had prepared beforehand and jamming out and workshopping ideas. We ended up with some stunning arrangements and are hoping to bring this to the stage later this year.  

Notating our music has been an ongoing project, not only to have documentation of our violin and cello pieces for other musicians to be able to read along with the recordings, but also to plant the seed for future larger arrangements for string orchestra. We have some exciting potential collaborations with string orchestras on the horizon and the collection of pieces is nearly complete and ready to publish. Cannot wait to put it out into the world, alongside our albums. It is a different type of creative work for us, given that our composing is very much embodied. The nitty-grittiness of it can be taxing, but it has been rewarding to embark on this challenge.

Alongside our extended strings and notation project, we continued to tour and perform around the UK, some of the highlights being Dartington Concert Hall, The Old Wardrobe Theatre in Bristol to a really vibrant and enthusiastic audience, Festival of the New @ Snape Maltings testing out our new improv set, and a collaboration with Tullis Runnie, an electronic musician in Fat Tuesday Festival in Hastings. 

We also released a rework EP in the summer, an interesting take on our music by four outstanding contemporary composers: Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres, Anna Phoebe, The Vernon Spring, Midori Hirano. Alongside the EP, we made a film to an original track with amazing choreographer Vidya Patel and fantastic filmmaker, Greta Zabulyte. They were wonderful collaborators and a fabulous team.

Throughout the year, the two of us focused much of our playing on improvisation. We usually improvise in order to compose our tracks, but having built a duo language over the course of our long-term collaboration, we decided to spend time honing in the art of improvising in order to bring it into live performance in and of itself. This culminated in the recording of our next album as a part of Britten Pears Artist Residency, where we were joined by long-time friend and recording engineer Alex Bonney to create an improv album.

It has been very exciting to see our duo project blossom- not only seeing some of our creative ideas come to life but also seeing digital engagement and the love and support of more listeners and fans. As much as Spotify and similar platforms can be problematic, it has become the way people discover our music and a way to disseminate our music more widely. We are grateful to be heard.

Gigs with Soumik Datta and friends

Soumik Datta, a wonderful sarod player based in London and dear friend if mine, brought a group of beauitiful musicians together to perform new music that bridges his Indian Classical background with his modern influences. It was super special to reconnect to an old friend and be in an intimate musical ensemble, with Aref on tabla and Rosie on keys. Another close friend Camilo did the sound. I loved the small hook melodies and the freedom to improvise and express my own voice whilst in dialogue with Soumik on sarod and the foundational instruments. We performed at Snape Maltings on Serious Jazz’s Dome Stage, did an intimate summer garden home concert, and also played for Dishoom’s celebration of 75 years of Partition in Granary Square, King’s Cross. This musical experience was actually the spark of my travels to India. Soumik encouraged me to get in touch with his teacher, Prattyush Banerjee, and I sincerely wanted to return to a place that I love so much to develop my creative practice and also to experinece a new city and new teacher. More on my India travels and studies below.

Yoga Retreat (Daryn’s Yoga Shala)

I was thrilled to co-lead my first yoga retreat alongside my dear friend and KYM teacher training classmate Daryn Wober. Daryn arranged for the retreat to be held at a beautiful centre in Norwich, the West Lexham Retreat Centre, and we traveled there for 4 days during the hot and sunny summer days to immerse ourselves in the practice of yoga, in all of its essence! The gorgeous setting was definitely conducive to a calm and peace that is hard to attain in the city, plus the nourishing food and choice to be in silence and without phones or other external resources outside of scheduled discussion.

We started each day with an early morning practice and continued into sessions of chanting and philosophy. The afternoon was spacious, a chance to be in nature. We gathered again for evening practice plus chanting/kirtan by me with voice and harmonium. I enjoyed deepening my practice through the act of teaching and sharing my humble knowledge on chant, sound, and mantra. I look forward to leading the retreat again in 2023.


Nine Songs

A new experience to be in a 5 weeks straight RnD- the luxury to have the time to develop a new production based on an ancient Chinese Text called Nine Songs. Rui Fu, singer and researcher, brought the concept, and Farooq Chaudury, renowned producer of the Akram Khan Company, is the artistic director. But also realising that it never is enough time when there is time! With the seeds they brought, we developed the show and music in collaboration and also with the input of composer Jocelyn Pook. It was a challenging experience- we did not know each other, had never worked together before, and also had language barriers. Given my own long-standing experience in collaborating with musicians across cultures, I felt like I was able to help to get the process rolling and flowing in the beginning.

The first show was premiered in Saudi Arabia, Alula and was quite the experience. It not only broke many of our preconceived notions and assumptions about Saudi, but even more was just an incredible landscape to be working in. The show itself was in the desert, and the Royal Commission of Alula, sponsoring the show, brought a large tech team and incredible resources to make the show happen in the middle of nowhere- generators, a stage, and manpower. We worked quite hard to get the show into a state of performance for an elite and local audience, sometimes staying out on the stage til 12/1 AM even when the temperature had dropped. The huge precipices and red mountains surrounding were very epic and sparked a real sense of the vastness of nature and the humility we as humans can have. See poems that i wrote during our time below.

In January 2023, went to Newcastle to work at Dance City Theatre to tweak and re-adapt the show for indoor theatre with sound and lighting. It was wonderful to have the space between the Saudi shows and the new year to digest the material and get a distance from the work to see what needed to be reworked and fine-tuned. The process flowed much better in this second stage and we had a beautiful performance at the end of the 10 days. It is still a work in progress, but with this fantastic team of musicians and artists, it definitely has potential. It will be touring to some far-reaching locations in the autumn of 2023.


Dec adventure + Studying in Kolkata with Prattyush-da

My development activity supported by Help Musicians UK- studying Hindustani music with Prattyush Banerjee, sarod maestro, in Kolkata, India- was everything I could have hoped for and more. I stayed in a recommended place and location near my teacher's home, and traveled to his home every other day for class. 

The rigour of my craft and daily practice routine is something that has been hard to maintain amongst the varied responsibilities that professional musical life demands. With the many hats that a professional artist must wear, i.e. performing, composing, workshops, administrative, tour managing, it can be hard to get into a flow when one finally has time to practice and create. My sole focus for my study period in Kolkata was to practice violin and work on the new tools that I would acquire from my mentor. In addition, I did not have to worry about cooking, cleaning or have a social schedule or tourist agenda, which provided the space to get into a flow over the course of the four weeks. 

Kolkata Sunset from the Rabindro Saravar Lake

Prattyush-da (a respectful term for brother) was extremely systematic and organised in his teaching, which is often hard to find in teachers of Indian music because of the nature of the musical system. Because I have already attained a level of musicianship and am an advanced player with a lot of exposure to the Indian music system, we were able to progress quite rapidly. He did a phenomenal job of clearly transmitting the nuts and bolts and creative tools of the style whilst leaving the onus on me to establish the way to work with them and apply them to my practice as well as composition. This challenged me and gave me the space to be creative even within the course of development and know what the longer term practice would demand, beyond my India stay and training. 

Before classes, I would sometimes arrive early and listen to Prattyush-da practice. It was great to observe his own practice routine and see some of the content he was teaching me put in action. Also, I realised that I have not listened to his instrument that much in the past, so i was really fascinated by what it offered and the resonances and timbre. This being said, it was a new experience to work with an Indian musician from the angle and perspective of another instrument, and that certainly gave me more ideas and opened up the possibilities of how to work with the violin. I also kept my violin and tuning as I play in contemporary settings, which is different from the way the violin is played traditionally in India. This also meant that whatever we were working on would have application to what I could do when I returned to my professional musical life in London. Prattyush-da was versatile and open-minded, and with his own background as a classical artist with studio and arrangement experience, he could work with me from the understanding of where I am professionally and how I may take this material forward. After classes, I often stayed there to discuss musical ideas and learned a lot about the social functions of the music and history. In addition to the music, he has a strong command of theory and history. 

I also attended a handful of concerts and festivals that were happening whilst I was there and got to see some amazing musicians of all different instruments perform. 

Additionally, with a clear daily routine of yoga first thing and practice all day with breaks for meals + a daily walk to explore the city/ go to a beautiful park in the area, I felt a real sense of peace, calm and finally space and time to reconnect to artistic and personal visions that I feel had gotten pushed to the bottom with all of the other life responsibilities. It was a wonderful feeling to find inspiration and also find good health and balance. It also gave me an opportunity to see the factors that I might need to establish in my day-to-day life in London where possible, ie. routine and repetition, nature, in order to maintain that spaciousness artistically. 

I’m grateful for the many amazing opportunities for musical and personal growth that 2022 offered me as well as the continued blossoming of my professional life. I also look ahead to a hopefully quieter and stiller 2023, and now the vibrance of London in Spring and Summer. Wishing you all a happy spring wherever you may be:)

Looking back~ The Journey of 2021

As we move swiftly into 2022 (and i’m finally getting the much needed rest and regrouping in isolation!), it felt really important to take stock of all the growth and learning from the year that just passed by. 2021! what a crazy year. Though it was challenging to say the least, I have total appreciation for so many glorious moments of music-making, achievements solo and duo, performances, collaborations, and the simple moments of love and connection. It feels like many years in one~ i remember at the start, I honestly had no idea what i was doing and if I would be able to continue life as a musician.

During that period of confusion and feeling utterly lost, the feeling of which admittedly has not completely vanished, I simultaneously had a notion of being found. In dec 2020 and sparked by my grandmother’s illness, I went home for a visit and ended up staying through the winter lockdown, what unexpectedly became three months at home with my parents. In that time, this deep feeling that I hadn’t experienced in quite some time took over- still ineffable in words but like a musical pureness, an innocence and enthusiasm and earnestness that i recall having when I was young~ just learning, practicing, playing for no other reason but for the music and for its magic. Though music comes alive in the company of others, in the exchange from performer to listener, I really didn’t need anything more than just me and my instrument at this time. I was reunited with my piano. There was nothing as satisfying as sitting down and playing for hours.

Though being home made me a dependent and stripped me of that ego that once strived to prove my independence and prove my ability to make it on my own and earn my credibility as a self-sufficient artist, I felt completely supported, nurtured, and respected. My parents and those of our extended community network who had watched me grow appreciated every note i played, every word i spoke. Without the London community that I had worked so hard to build and that had vanished between my fingers, the community that was mine without any effort came to light. i had a platform to share my music and share yoga. And i had eager listeners and learners on the other side. And most of all, I had someone to tell me that it would all be okay.

Completion of KYM Teacher Training - certificate and online graduation

During this time, i also got to focus on another important strand of my practice and passion of mine. I had begun a teacher training at Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in March 2019 and got to travel to Chennai to study in person two times for 5 weeks at a time. The third time of course took a different mode and shape due to the circumstance, and what would have been a 5 week immersive became a 9 month study. Although it was very different from what we had expected—being in India, learning from our teachers up front and personal, side by side with classmates from all over the world—, the teachers really stepped up, adapted, and gave their 150% to our training. Being in the states, i was on Zoom at 5 AM multiple mornings a week practicing asana, learning theory, delving into new topics- course planning, Yoga Sutras, Sacred Texts, Psychology, Teaching Methodology. An ocean of knowledge shared over Zoom! And like everything else, perhaps a blessing in disguise. In this mode, we were able to spread our training over a number of times, giving sufficient time to practice, absorb, and study the material. Plus, it gave me some direction during a difficult period. I am honoured to have completed the training, though I know now that i have just scratched the surface. These are life-long tools that I will continue to explore and digest and hopefully impart to other individuals to affect their journeys.

I was also extremely fortunate to study violin with Dr. Sriram Parasuram, an incredible singer, violinist expert of both Carnatic and Hindustani music. I had heard of him and even heard him sing with his wife, Anuradha Sriram in concert long ago in India, but when i travelled to Chennai in March 2019 I went to hear Sriram Anna perform in a local sabha around the corner from my aunt’s house, and something really spoke to me about his musicianship. And it felt timely too, because after many years of not having lessons, i was ready to go deeper into my playing and in particular, to develop my Indian Classical playing and ear. On top of his Indian Classical expertise, he also has great experience in Western Music and even studied Western Classical violin and did a PhD in World Music in the USA, so I knew it couldn’t be a better match! I went to take one lesson with him, where we explored the raga Piloo. And i was immediately captivated, both by his beautiful sound and also by the vast knowledge he had. I knew I had found a mentor at last and a guru.

Coming from a Western background, it was also really helpful and insightful for me to have someone who could break things down and analyse/point out the nuances whilst keeping integrity to the intuitive nature of the music. A happy balance. I’m so glad that i had the opportunity to meet him in person and take 1-1 lessons + join workshops. However, it was a blessing to be able to continue online. So we met from time to time on Skype. I recorded lessons and practiced on my own in the interim, sometimes a month, two, or three could go by before we met again but there was so much richness in each lesson to keep me going, both in violin and voice.

So, just like that, day by day I carried on studying yoga, practicing music, and hoping. Soon travel became possible. At last, London started to open up again. So I came back and poof! It soon was like a new world and new year. Just like that, the momentum picked up. Tours, concerts, shows postponed from the last year were back in the diary plus everything new. Plus, the duo album was ready to be released into the world. I got swept into a rhythm that I hadn’t even known pre-pandemic. And it felt invigorating, high adrenaline, unfamiliar, exhilarating and overwhelming. it was so exciting to make music with other musicians in person, to have some new experiences like working in theatre, to resume tours and travel, to feel that ever so important exchange between performer and listener.

Below are some of my artistic highlights of 2021:


OAE and SAA UK Collaboration- Commission for Rain Finale

I was really pleased to be receive a commission to write for a project involving three Baroque musicians from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and three musicians (including a dancer) from SAA UK. This was well up my alley, given my interest and strength in combining Western and Indian musical elements. The piece was intended for a film for Early Years and the theme was the seasons. My finale explored the theme of water and rain, and I used Raga Miyanki Malhar as the starting point, given its connection to the monsoon season.

The group finally recorded it this December!

Recording at Sands Films Music Room

I have wanted to spend more time on solo composition this year, and it naturally happened during the pandemic when I was on my own. I reworked ideas that were already in the making and also wrote some new pieces. The first was a set of piano pieces (with violin too) that sprung from a collaboration with my dear friend and dancer/choreographer Nandita Shankardass. This inspired me to continue to write more, and I recorded the piano and violin at Guildhall School of Music & Drama in April. The second set of pieces, I was thrilled to rework for a live ensemble, and recorded these in June at a gorgeous venue, Sands Films Music Room- pics below. It was humbling and incredibly special to see and hear my music come to life with amazing players and enthusiastic, supportive friends. I felt like this gave me the confidence that I could see through my compositions from start to finish- from the creation, scoring, recording, and release. You can find the two EPs on my listen page. and hopefully there will be more soon:)

Twelfth Night @ Shakespeare’s Globe with a stellar band and team of actors

I haven’t been a part of longer shows ever really, so when I got asked to join the musical team of the show Twelfth Night @ Shakespeare’s Globe, I was definitely eager for the new experience. The musician who had connected me to the theatre was Fred Thomas, producer of my last two ensemble albums and my solo EP’s as well as an incredibly gifted player/writer, so there was only one answer- yes! The band was made up of 5 msuicians, Joley Cragg on percussion, Nick Pynn, all string instruments folk and country, Fred Thomas and Zac Gvi, both multi-instrumental virtuosos, and me on violin and voice. Though we were secondary to the acting and to the play, we did have a crucial part in the emotional narrative. I enjoyed the early immersive days, watching how the director worked with the actors and seeing the actors really take on their character and evolve the part through time and undivided dedication. More than my musical contribution, it was a learning curve for me to watch these actors night after night, performing the same show yet keeping it alive with their spontaneity and creativity. And i was extremely grateful to have a regular place to come to, to see friendly faces and to share in the buzz of performing. The Globe is an amazing place, not only from the way they look after everyone involved, but also simply the incredible atmosphere of shows. Open air, in the round, direct interaction between stage and audience. The musicians were up in the balcony above the stage and since i was right at the front, i could practically watch the show each night. It took me weeks to really understand the plot and what they were saying (and I’m not sure if I got everything even after 4 months) but I loved watching, especially watching the audience and seeing the changing faces each night and little children too. After this stint, I definitely have infinite respect for actors, musicians, technicians involved in long productions. This was a reasonable period of time, and I can only imagine what it might be like to be in a year or two year long show on the West End. At the same time, it was nice to experience the financial security and the regularity of having a job for the first time ever.

My only critique might be my man suit!! 😆 Here i thought i would be in a Shakespearean dress of some kind, and then arrived to find out I would have to wear this jazz band velvet turquoise jacket each night! But even that had its plus points. I could just show up to the dressing room for our half hour call and change swiftly, minimal makeup, my things stored in my locker. It was so so smooth:)

I am ever grateful for my time spent at the Globe, hopefully more to come, and the new friendships and relationships I made.

Oh, and I nearly forgot, but one very important occasion was the visit from Syrian refugee puppet, Little Amal. What an incredible journey she has had, walking across countries and cities to bring awareness and support to the refugee situation. This is a real demonstration of how art can impact our thinking and create change.

We arrived early to welcome her to the Globe and then danced and sang with her on the Thames, the river crowded with enthusiastic people chanting ‘Refugees are Welcome'. We were all so emotional, she was so life-like with so much expression, and that was quite a bonding experience for the entire company.

Shiraz -2021- with Anoushka Shankar and co

The tour of Shiraz had actually been postponed from 2020 to 2021, and then with the pandemic to 2022, so this amazing show had been two years in the making. It was so special to be reunited with such a stellar team of musicians and such a powerful piece. Shiraz is a 1920s silent film restored by the British Film Institute, and Anoushka Shankar (with support from the brilliant Danny Keane and Julian Hepple) scored the film for 8 musicians and live instruments: sitar, flute, mridangam, tabla, violin, clarinet, cello, piano, electronics. Wow, what a piece. It really brings the Western and Eastern elements seamlessly together. The music is pretty non-stop so there isn’t really a moment to switch off, and the technical set up is outstanding. We each have our own inner ears and monitoring, plus a screen to sync up the playing with the film and all of us. Julian’s bespoke design holds together the way the musicians of different musical traditions work and suits both aural and visual platforms.

We traveled to Vienna, Budapest, Luxembourg, Dresden, and Hamburg this time around. All the concert halls were topnotch. I loved having my own dressing room at Wiener Philharmonie in Vienna, so much history- programmes on the walls from some of my favorite 2oth century pianists/musicians including Rachmaninoff and Pablo Casals plus a grand piano all to myself!

We had a day off in Dresden, which meant we could take bicycles around the gorgeous town and have some quality time to rest outside of working and preparing.

The final highlight was Anoushka Shankar’s Reflektor festival in Hamburg, which was such an honour and joy to be a part of. It felt like a friends’ reunion, friends from different parts of the globe coming to perform and meeting there. There was such a high and positive energy, as we attended show after show and the South Asians took over the hotel and venue! Not to say, Elbphilharmonie was a spectacular setting to stay- i was definitely tempted to stay longer and take a holiday there. But mostly, was grateful to be in the line of work that i am, where hard work also equates connection and expression.

Nitin Sawhney’s Journeys @ Royal Albert Hall to celebrate 150 years

As a part of Royal Albert Hall’s 150th anniversary, Nitin Sawhney brought his new album, Immigrants plus a new commission with choir called Journey to the concert stage. I was happy to be a part of the rocking band and also to be interviewed by the BBC ahead of the gig about my experience as a female South Asian Hindu woman and immigrant. Nitin always brings important and political themes to his work, and this concert continued to instill the need to overcome borders, see beyond colour, move towards unity, and not be afraid to voice.

Duo - BBC Woman’s Hour, Sands Films ‘Beyond Breath’ Album Launch, Grand Junction Album Celebration

Probably the most important and ongoing journey of this year (and the last decade!) has been my creative partnership with Tara Franks- both in our duo and trio. We slaved away and persisted through the lockdown to complete our album and keep our momentum even when we had no sign of where we were heading. And luckily, since London opened up, all of our hard work seems to be coming to fruition. We released our latest album, Beyond Breath, which is a testament to our evolution as individuals and as a duo. This work has been particularly important to me because it felt like i was able to bring myself whole and authentic to it. To bring the devotional songs that had been with me since childhood and to explore them in the musical and spiritual stage of my life now, and also with one of my dearest friends, allowing them to transform and become another binding force between us. The album has had such unexpected reception- and reached new listeners through radio platforms, livestreams, and gigs in new places in the UK like Leicester, Luton. We were also able to hold two intimate and magical album celebrations at Sands Films Music Room and Grand Junction, both of which felt extra magical with the additional music input from our dear friends and brilliant artists, Fred Thomas, Saied Silbak, and Alice Zawadzki, and the many friends who came out to support us - including my parents all the way from the USA! We do aim high, but the real marking of our success comes from seeing our music touch another human being, and I can say that we certainly feel blessed to have had numerous special exchanges with friends, families, and listeners through our music.

We have many exciting new projects coming up in 2022- including the start of a women’s string collective, ACE funding to notate our pieces, tours in the summer, and a residency at the renowned Snape Maltings to create a new improvised piece of work. I really look forward to making music with my closest friend and others that cross our paths. It certainly feels at this time that 2 is better than 1:)

Ironically, in a time where London stopped and really all the world stopped and I questioned why I was here without music, it somehow started to become my home even more. I value the relationships that I have long made more than ever before, and coming out of a time of stillness, I feel ever more connected to and grateful for my role as an artist. Signing off here, and wishing you all a safe, inspired, and peaceful start to 2022.

Preetha 💕

Balladeste in action- Summer 2021

What a way to kick off our return with a livestream for Darbar Festival in partnership with Leicester University! Tara and I hadn’t seen each other in person for six months- meeting strictly on zoom- and then were reunited under the spotlight and 4 cameras in the Curve Theatre- Leicester!

Ever since, we have been easing our way into full-fledged activity, with live performances, radio appearances, and music videos. Our album ‘Beyond Breath’ is set to release in September 24th, and as I’m sure many of you know, making an album and self-releasing takes a LOT of work. It isn’t just about the music anymore, After months of slaving away with uncertainty, it has been exciting to be building live connections again, with each other, audiences, and digitally.

Some recent highlights:

We were interviewed and performed live at prime time on BBCRadio3’s In Tune, hosted by Katie Derham. It was an exciting and admittedly nerve-wracking to play in the cold and dry studio without a live audience (apart from the warm and friendly BBC team) knowing that so many were listening.

We played an intimate gig for Nest Collective’s Campfire Club in the peaceful and natural surroundings of Glengall Wharf Garden in Camberwell a few weeks back, alongside a wonderful singer-songwriter Jenny Sturgeon. We are heading to Dartington Festival this coming weekend to perform again, this time in the candle-lit main hall. This one should be a real treat.

Our first single is out and the next nearly ready to be put out to the world. We can’t wait to share the whole album with you all soon! Do check us out on our new insta page @balladeste and facebook for the latest updates.

Live Recording at Sands Music Room

Live Recording at Sands Music Room

What a special day in june! I’ve been writing my own pieces for a while but what i realised was they really need to be brought to life by musicians recording in a space together. This started to seem impossible in the last year, so when the opportunity presented itself, I had to jump. With producer Fred Thomas on board, i lined up the gorgeous venue and brilliant team- a mix of old and new friends.

Songs of the Heart

The lockdown wasn’t going to stop us from performing this piece live, the creation which we started in February of 2019! However, new babies would 😆 Both choreographer/dancers Katie Ryan and Elena Castalano found out they were pregnant so our vision for a live performance shifted to a film.

Songs of the Heart has been a beautiful journey of discovering and uniting East and West through music and dance, story and song.

Katie and Elena both had a clear vision for the narrative, which guided the elements of both music and dance. We brought Baroque sensibilities, ie. Purcell alongside raga alapanas, to fulfil Katie’s vision of juxtaposing the story of Dido and Aeneas with Krishna and Radha from the Geetha Govinda. Elena depicted the Greek mythological story of Ariadne, and the music was less rooted in existing pieces and more an exploration of how to create the mystery of forest adventures, inner longing and spiritual awakening, reflecting her movements in the moment.

The small musical team brought versatility individually whilst together creating a unique and interesting texture and timbre: Kaviraj Singh - santoor and vocals, Fiona Hymns - soprano, Gurdain Rayatt - tabla, and (of course) me - violin and musical direction.

Art evolves in the context of a spectator. Although we didn’t have the chance to perform or tour the piece, we do hope that the process of sharing this video will serve as a stepping stone in the creative process. Do watch here and feel free to comment!

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