The arts have long served as a vehicle for self-expression, a way to explore things both seen and unseen, but to what extent are artists able to convincingly and comprehensively portray what is really going on in the human brain?

The interplay between art and science has been of great interest to Anthony Brandt, co-founder and artistic director of Musiqa, ever since he befriended neuroscientist David Eagleman more than a decade ago. The pair eventually co-wrote “The Runaway Species,” which delves deep into the scientific study of creativity.

Since 2017, the book has been published in 13 countries, but it by no means marked the end of Brandt’s curiosity for research. In fact, it forms the basis of the next program in Musiqa’s 20th anniversary season lineup, an evening where neuroscience will join the conversation.

On January 21-22, the composer-led new music collective, in partnership with NobleMotion Dance, will perform “LiveWire” at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston, where audience members will first be greeted by the “Loop” of three minutes by Carlos Simon. for String Trio” in the lobby surrounded by the fantastic brain portraits of visual artist Emily Fens.

The program will also include the Houston premiere of Pierre Jalbert’s “Piano Quintet” in addition to two dance works – NobleMotion’s premiere of “The Spider’s Den”, a heartfelt duet on Lei Liang’s “Gobi Gloria” and “Rhythm Study “, a dynamic piece featuring guest artists from Sam Houston State University.

Yet it is the titular work of the evening, created in collaboration with Dr. Jose L. Contreras-Vidal, that will truly exemplify the reputation that Musiqa and NobleMotion have built within the local arts community and beyond to shatter artistic boundaries. Entering the theatre, one may have the impression of having entered a laboratory more than a performance hall. From the audience’s perspective, a team of scientists will be working at a table in the upper right corner of the stage, while four musicians are preparing their instruments on the opposite side, and the dancers, two of whom will be staring at EEG skull caps (EEG) at their heads, take their starting positions.

“Dance is a window that allows us to study the brain,” says Contreras-Vidal, professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the BRAIN Center at the University of Houston. “Ultimately, we’re looking at how we can use the arts to reach parts of the brain that may need a little help in some people. Think depression, TBI, stroke, Parkinson’s disease; they not only affect your motor skills but also cognitive and emotional aspects.

In a multifaceted effort to demonstrate the neural basis of creative movement and ultimately the medical benefit of the arts, Contreras-Vidal and his team used the EEG capsules to record the brain activity of the same two dancers, as they were learning and refining new choreographies. in the studio for several months. The scientists will repeat the process during each performance, and the real-time data will be projected onto a monitor behind one of the dancers seated nearby.

The 30-minute piece centers on a new string quartet, in which Brandt meticulously illustrates a different process of the human brain in each of the five movements. NobleMotion co-artistic directors Andy and Dionne Noble then fill in another piece of the puzzle with their choreographic representation of the music, which is further enhanced by an abstract version of the brainwave patterns that appear in the design of the lighting.

“It’s one of the most cerebral works we’ve done,” says Andy Noble. “You have scientists studying dancers, and at the same time music and dance is about science, so it’s self-referential and it’s all contained. I think that’s what’s really special about the project.

This weekend’s performances will give Houston audiences a taste of the interdisciplinary experience before it tours the Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts in Virginia as part of an international conference on the brain and the dance at the beginning of April. By the final show, Contreras-Vidal hopes to accumulate at least 10 readings that will be included in the upcoming analysis.

“One of my beliefs is that the arts have been incredibly insightful into human psychology,” says Brandt, “and that artists and scientists working together are the most productive way to arrive quickly and accurately at real revelations and insights”.

Lawrence Elizabeth Knox is a Houston-based writer.

THOUSANDS of mourners attended an emotional vigil for Ashling Murphy who was killed by an unknown person while jogging.

They descended on Town Park on the outskirts of Tullamore, Ireland, on Friday evening, pledging to send “solidarity and support” to the Murphy family.

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Irish police are still searching for the killer of the 23-year-old, who was found dead on Wednesday after running on the banks of the Grand Canal in the town of Co Offaly.

During the hour-long vigil, people wept, grabbed candles and softly clapped as prayers were said and music was played.

As the light dimmed, traditional Irish music – played by Ashling’s friends and former teachers – formed the centerpiece of the service.

Attracta Brady, who was the young woman’s first violin teacher, performed alongside others as they performed two songs Ashling is said to have done with her trad band.

She described her protege as a “fabulous musician”.

“She was the most beautiful girl inside and out,” Ms Brady said.

“She was a parent’s dream. She was everything you would want in a girl. She had integrity, she was honest, she was trustworthy.

“She was quirky and a bit cheeky at times with the prettiest smile and she got away with it because she had this beautiful sparkly smile.

“She was never in a bad mood, she was always smiling and she loved her violin.

“Her parents only told me yesterday that she should never be told to train. She was bright and energetic and everyone loved her.”

Prayers were said for Ashling’s family, friends and students as well as for all women who have experienced violence.

MINUTE OF SILENCE

A local priest, Father Joe Gallagher, addressed the vigil before calling for a minute’s silence.

He told the rally: “We remember his heartbroken family, his colleagues in work, in music, in sports, in friendship and in his young first class students who loved their teacher.

“This is a time of mourning beyond words. We need to be together. We need to support each other in this dark time.

“We are united, united with groups across our country, and even beyond, united with women who fear and know the trauma of violence. United in grief, anger, shock.

“On this dark evening, we want to hold a light in our hands, to stand in solidarity with each other to share our tears and our deep sorrow. It’s time to pray, to reflect, to listen, to be together.”

The women present at the vigil shared their anger and disappointment.

Roslyn Kavanagh, a resident of Tullamore, said: “I think that shouldn’t happen in society at all. And as a woman I felt, in places, insecure and vulnerable and as a woman, I shouldn’t feel like this.”

Roslyn’s friend, Chloe Galvin, said: “I too am a young woman in my twenties. I have walked this canal line many times by myself, with friends and family. It is something you never think about in the light of day: is someone going to attack me?

“We are taught as young women, in the evenings, you stay with your friends. You never leave them, you text them to make sure they come home safe. Now we’re going to expect us to do this in broad daylight.

“Now we have a work plan that we’re all going to walk to our cars and make sure everyone’s okay, and have a group chat (asking), ‘Are you home okay? ?’

“It shouldn’t be like this. The reason I’m here is because it’s time for women to take a stand and say, ‘No more, it’s over.’

“We should be treated the same as men.”

Ashling’s grieving parents, Kathleen and Ray, along with her sister Amy and brother Cathal, linked arms as they attended a separate candlelight vigil later that evening near where the teacher was killed.

In a tribute to his youngest daughter, Ray played his favorite song, When You Were Sweet Sixteen, on the banjo.

The talented musician, who worked at Durrow National School, was training along a well-known route when she was targeted.

Police believe she died in an unprovoked and random attack.

Last night cops released a man they had questioned about his death and said he was no longer considered a suspect.

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KEESEVILLE — A program to empower young students is having an impact at Keeseville Elementary School.

The Circle program, hosted by Sweethearts & Heroes, builds empathy among students by listening and communicating with their peers in a circle.

“We are thrilled to partner with Sweethearts & Heroes this year. They have been so supportive throughout our time working with them,” said Keeseville Elementary Principal Mike Francia.

“Last year when we were fully remote, they adapted the program to connect our students while they weren’t in person at school. The social and emotional well-being of our students is one of our top priorities here at Keeseville Elementary. »

MANAGING STRUGGLES

The Sweethearts & Heroes Circle program helps activate many social-emotional skills in students, said Tom Murphy, director and co-founder of Sweethearts & Heroes.

The program was presented at the school on Wednesday and will be presented again on January 19.

“Circle is about creating a support network for students at all levels, so that when they are struggling with social and emotional barriers, they have the resources to deal with those challenges. If you regularly engage in Circle, an entire culture can change. We’ve seen this happen thousands of times,” Murphy said.

“You have to commit to teaching this social-emotional growth. Empathy is like a muscle in the brain, if you exercise it it grows, otherwise it atrophies and falls.

PANDEMIC CHANGES

The development of these social skills in children has been disrupted by the pandemic, when learning moved online, Murphy said.

“A teacher told me that we might not understand all of the developmental implications of the pandemic until our kindergartners graduate,” Murphy said.

“Many children reported a real sense of loneliness and isolation. All of us as human beings need a real sense of purpose and meaning, whether it’s sports, music or a job, and too many students have seen that undone. There’s some big stuff that we won’t know the impact of for years.

LEARN ABOUT EACH OTHER

Pat Fish, chief presenter of Sweethearts & Heroes in Keeseville, said the Circle program has increased the bond between students and teachers.

“You see teachers learning things about their students that maybe they didn’t necessarily know before, and the students are also learning about their teachers,” Fish said.

“The best way to teach children is to show them, and teachers also practiced vulnerability in these circles. When you have a teacher talking about past life experiences and things they may have done differently, that’s a great lesson for these kids to learn.

EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Developing those skills has been the Sweethearts & Heroes program’s top priority since the pandemic began, Fish said.

“The biggest thing when schools came back is what did students lose the most when they were home and away from each other?” says fish.

“If you talk to any teacher in the country, they will tell you that the most important thing to work on is the emotional and social health of the student. These kids have been through a ton, now we need to help them bounce back and overcome some of these difficulties. We believe we are in an excellent position to help them.

Email Carly Newton:

[email protected]

Twitter: Carly S Newton

NOEL Gallagher believes that the legendary rockers Oasis only existed because they came from the Irish lineage.

He said it struck home for him and his brother Liam when they played in Dublin and their Mayo-born mum Peggie was with them with fans calling out her name.

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Noel, 54, explained, “I remember those shows at The Point being, like, extremely emotional with the crowd and stuff.

“I remember it was breathtaking, the energy and the vibe in the room, it was amazing. We could feel it, and it was almost like we weren’t worthy of it.

“There is rage in Oasis music and let me explain that to you.

“WE ARE IRISH”

“If I tell people that there is rage in music, people might think about screaming and screaming, but you can be raging with joy.

“When the Irish are sad they are the saddest people in the world, when they are happy they are the happiest people in the world.

“When they drink they are the drunkest people in the world, there is one rule for the Irish and different rules for everyone.

“We are Irish, me and Liam. There is no English blood in us, and anyone who knows that will know that there is alcohol and then there is Irish alcohol. Irish consumption can be endless.

“Oasis could never have existed, to be so big, to be so important, to be so imperfect, to be so loved and hated, if we weren’t all predominantly Irish.”

In the new Authorized Biography Supersonic, Liam recalled the “good times” they had as children during summer vacation in Ireland.

But when the brothers hit the big time with Oasis, he admitted he was put in his shoes by Peggie.

“MAKE HER PROUD”

Liam, 49, said: “Mum isn’t impressed with all this rock and roll stuff.

“She’s proud and stuff, but I guess there are times when she’s completely and completely gone, ‘You fucking fist heads,’ cringed and rightly so.”

“There are things that come out of our mouths that were just plain ridiculous.

“I wanted to make her proud. I talk to myself mom three or four times a day. So I would always reassure her.

Noel described Peggie as “fearless” and Liam credits her for giving her her swagger – but confessed he got nervous when she was at their concerts.

MOM’S CONCERN

He said, “Mom was an angel, she still is. But I didn’t like mom coming to concerts.

“I was always on edge; I could never relax with me mom at concerts.

Peggie said she worried about her boys like any mom, but wouldn’t let them get too big for their boots.

She added: “I worried, I did nothing but worry about them. When they were away, I worried about them. I spend my whole life worrying about them.

“Never in a million years did I think they were going to be as big as they are.”

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Ben Roethlisberger’s playing days are almost certainly coming to an end after this season. The Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback is set to play what could be his last home game at Heinz Field on Monday night against the Cleveland Browns. In light of Roethlisberger’s potential retirement, many Steelers legends have reached out to No.7 with warm words and tributes. Legendary Steelers linebacker James Harrison was among the first to reach out to Roethlisberger, congratulating him on an incredible career in Black & Yellow.

He’s my quarterback. 💯 It has been a privilege to be your teammate and a great honor to call you my brother. #BigBen #family pic.twitter.com/Qenw2XQxuw

– James Harrison (@ jharrison9292) January 3, 2022

Harrison shared a video montage featuring multiple images of the two kissing, with emotional music playing in the background. Anyone who expects to see anything other than these two hugs will be sorely disappointed. Still, Harrison’s tribute was hugely touching and showed the connection between the two that extends beyond the football field.

Roethlisberger would go on to become one of the greatest quarterbacks in franchise history, having won two Super Bowls with the team, as well as having participated in six Pro Bowls throughout his career. Roethlisberger is by far the all-time leader in passing for the Steelers, having amassed more than 63,000 yards in the air during his career. He also holds the franchise record for touchdown passes thrown at 416, and is the team’s longest-serving starting quarterback in 247 games.

Harrison wasn’t the only former teammate to reach out to show his love for Big Ben, as former Steelers RB Jerome Bettis also paid tribute to the quarterback ahead of his possible final home game. Roethlisberger has called Heinz Field home for his entire NFL career, and Pittsburgh fans should give him a huge standing ovation for the service he has provided.

CAIRO – Egypt and several other Arab countries are questioning whether singing and performing are haram after Jordanian artist Adham Nabulsi announced his withdrawal from singing because “it is not in accordance with God’s commandments.”

In a video he posted to Facebook on December 20, Nabulsi said: “The main focus is to worship God and obey his commandments, and throughout my current career I don’t see that. happen. He called his retirement announcement “good news”.

Nabulsi first rose to prominence in 2013 as a candidate for the Arab edition of the X-Factor and has gained notoriety considerably over the years.

According to media reports, Dar al-Ifta in Egypt stressed that “Listening to music, attending concerts, learning music and playing instruments are allowed, unless they incite passion, the temptation, flirtation and promiscuity associated with alcohol, provocative dancing and immoral acts, or preventing people from performing their duties, in which case they are prohibited.

Dar al-Ifta noted that it is permissible to start singing as a source of income unless it incites haram, as mentioned above.

But the clergy, artists, and writers disagree on the extent to which singing and performing are prohibited. Sheikh Saeed Noman, a former member of the Fatwa Committee at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif, told Al-Monitor: “Singing and music are allowed, but they are prohibited if they offend religion or incite haram, like promiscuity, alcohol, provocation. dancing and so on.

Noman pointed out that the Prophet Muhammad allowed poetry and that he had a fellow poet, Hassan ibn Thabit, explaining that poetry and literature are emotional language to soften emotion, politeness and uplift the spirit.

Meanwhile, Al-Azhar University professor Mabrouk Attia posted a video on his YouTube channel on December 21, explaining that singing is not prohibited unless it stirs up sedition, calls for distraction or incites to haram.

“The proof is that the Prophet Muhammad, on his travels, used to require chants to facilitate the journey of armies… and the good word is sung and chanted and people memorize it,” noted Attia.

Egyptian author Khaled Montasser told Al-Monitor: “Preachers and religious consider art in all its forms as an adversary that rivals them for the conscience and spirit of the recipient, for art and religion play on the harmony of emotion and spirit.

Montasser added: “The clerics are afraid of losing their power over the popular conscience to the benefit of art, which has more tools of joy and influence than the clergy. The clerics regard the artists as their enemies because of this.

Meanwhile, Lebanese singer Maya Diab attacked Nabulsi, dismissing all claims that singing is haram. “Art is not haram. You are part of it, it is “, she tweeted.

Nabulsi responded in an interview on Dec. 24, saying he never claimed that art is haram because he is neither a mufti nor a sheikh to decide this issue.

“I was only talking about myself and my personal experience. I can only judge my own life and the things that I have been through. I never mentioned anyone else, ”he explained.

Nabulsi thanked those who supported his decision, expressing his desire to resume reciting the Quran.

Days after Nabulsi retired from singing, an audio recording of him reciting verses from the Quran went viral.

He has since deleted 10 songs from his social media and YouTube accounts.

Many other artists besides Nabulsi retired for religious reasons, including Egyptian actresses Hanan Tork and Hala Shiha, and many more.

• Music star Harrysong first became a father and carried his newly returned baby daughter Daviva
• The singer’s wife gave birth in Malta and she returned home with the baby, causing great joy to the Better Pikin crooner
• Harrysong announced he would have a visitation day for baby Daviva on January 7th and he carried his child with great happiness

Nigerian music star Harrysong is proud to welcome her baby girl Daviva who has just returned to Nigeria with her mother from Malta.

The singer’s wife has given birth to the baby in Malta and he has the great opportunity to carry his little baby for the first time.

The Better Pikin crooner shared the heartwarming moment on his Instagram page and announced that he will have a visit day for baby Daviva. He wrote on his page:

Read also

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“I’ve been waiting for this moment… to give you a hug, welcome home Daviva we love you || PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT January 7th is DAVIVA’s visit day…. Come chop, drink and party. “

Check out the post below:

Reactions from his fans

Nigerians reacted to Harrysong carrying his baby and showered the father and daughter with adorable words.

Legit.ng chose some of the reviews, read below:

Oga Network:

“Joy joy joy.”

Henryedetsunday:

“Address of the congratulations icon.”

Laiyefanelsonebi:

“Our baby is at home.”

Affranayla32:

“Congratulations brother daviva, you are welcome.”

Awompheus:

“Av has tears of joy in my eyes.”

Kulbreeze__:

“Happy for you boss that God bless the newborn baby.”

Evaristus_dmw:

“We are coming congratulations.”

Chukwu_amakap:

“You are going to learn to wear the pikin oooo.”

Rabeel_a.t:

“Congratulations sir @iamharrysong, bless me as you have been blessed sir.”

Read also

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Harrysong welcomes his first child

Legit.ng previously reported that singer Harrysong shared good news with his fans and followers on social media.

The Better Pikin crooner revealed he became a father while sharing a video calling session with his wife, showing how happy he looked.

Harrysong then revealed his daughter’s name, adding that she had been taken away from the country.

Source: Legit.ng

29 December 2021, 17:49

The Mercury Prize-winning artist has said she would love to work with the Sheffield band and create an “emotional” song with the Radiohead frontman.

Arlo Parks wants to record a “big and moving” song with Thom yorke and think it would be “interesting” to work with Arctic monkeys.

The 21-year-old singer has a long list of artists she would love to collaborate with, including the Radiohead singer and rockers from Sheffield, because she loves to see musicians of different genres come together.

“I would like to do something with Billie Eilish and Franck Ocean, Where Thom yorke from Radiohead, she told the Wired column of the Daily Star newspaper.

“I would love to do something big and emotional with Thom, like the songs from Radiohead Naked Where Card castle.

“Arctic Monkeys would be an interesting combo too. I love it when people of different genders meet.”

READ MORE: Arlo Parks wins 2021 Hyundai Mercury Award

the caroline the singer completed most of the work on her debut album collapsed in the rays of the sun – who won the prestigious Hyundai Mercury 2021 award – in his childhood bedroom.

She revealed: “It was really weird writing locked in the room I was 17 years old in, wanting people to listen to my music first.

“But it got me back to making music for fun, not focusing on sharing.”

Arlo was so used to the warm vibe while writing her debut that instead of heading into the studio, the singer and her writing partner Luca Buccellati chose to rent apartments in London on Airbnb rather than going to the studio.

“I’ve always been a little intimidated by the studio setup,” the Cola the singer explained. “By going to such personal places in my songs, I want to be somewhere comfortable.”

READ MORE: Arctic Monkeys to headline Reading and Leeds festivals in 2022

The Gogglebox cast started crying as they watched Rose Ayling-Ellis dance with Giovanni Pernice on Strictly Come Dancing.

Gogglebox returned with a Christmas special on Christmas Day (December 25) – and when the cast watched their silent dance – plenty of stars began to gush.

In November, Rose and Giovanni paid tribute to the deaf community by dancing to Clean Bandit’s Symphony – and they paused the music for 10 seconds and danced in silence.

EastEnders star Rose became the first deaf contestant to appear on the show and was crowned the winner in the grand finale.

Jenny started to cry as she sat on the sofa watching the routine with her best friend Lee.

She wiped the tears from her eyes as she said, “Oh, Christ.”

The Worthingtons were also looking for the tissue boxes – and Alison said, “Oh, this is moving. This is ridiculous.”

Sophie Sandiford said: “This is my favorite Strictly dance that I have ever watched.”

Her brother Pete, who recently became a dad, agreed, “I think this is the best ever.”

Stephen Webb admitted he was “smothered”.

“Sometimes it’s more than scores and notes and dances, sometimes it’s just a moment, and we just got that. Thank you very much,” Judge Motsi Mabuse said in the evening.

Giovanni told Heat: “This dance meant so much to us and we are so proud that we were able to show a glimpse into Rose’s world and represent the deaf community in this way.”

Rose and Giovanni won the show in December – and they chose to dance their silent symphonic routine for their Couple’s Choice.

After winning the show, Rose wrote a powerful Instagram post where she paid tribute to her dance partner.

She wrote: “I dedicate this post to the most wonderful human ever, Giovanni.

“The person who was there with me everyday for four months, who really knows what this trip has been for me, the reason why I have gained confidence in myself. He came into my world and got the best out of it. about me. I can’t thank enough for all the hard work and effort to make me the dancer that I am today. “

For more on the latest showbiz news from The Daily Star, be sure to sign up for one of our newsletters here.

An album of bird songs from Australia’s most endangered species climbed two spots to third in the Australian Aria rankings.

Songs of Disappearance beats Christmas albums by Paul Kelly, Michael Buble and Mariah Carey after two weeks on the charts.

The collection of 54 songs was based on recordings by famed animal recorder David Stewart, who has spent decades traveling across Australia for his work.

The album reached No. 5 on the ARIA Top 50 Albums chart in the first week of its release, beating ABBA’s latest album, Voyage.

It was produced by cellist Anthony Albrecht, who is also a doctoral student at Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory.

“The Australian public needs to be made aware of the dire plight of our unique wildlife,” Mr Albrecht said ahead of the album’s release.

“With Songs of Disappearance, we deliver the sounds of species that may soon be extinct forever.”

The 53 species included in the album are the rarest in Australia and all on the brink of extinction.

“The nocturnal parrot is a special call because it has been recorded so rarely. Few people would have heard any of these bird calls,” Mr Albrecht said.

Also featured are songs of the extremely rare Fast Parrot, Orange-bellied Parrot, and some vulnerable migratory shorebirds, such as the Far Eastern Curlew and the Bar-tailed Godwit.

Mr. Albrecht is co-creator of The Bowerbird Collective, which aims to strengthen emotional connections with nature through the arts.

Songs of Disappearance was inspired by a similar project in the UK: Let Nature Sing.

• Popular Nigerian singer Tiwa Savage performed at the Livespot Festival in Lagos on December 17
• Among the many highlights of her performance was when she paid tribute to several deceased Nigerian stars.
• Video that has since surfaced on social media captures the moment Nollywood actress Toyin Abraham was moved by the performance

Tiwa Savage wowed the guests at the Livespot Festival in Lagos which took place on Friday December 17th.

During the energetic performance, the mother-of-one took a moment to honor the deceased stars, with a beautiful song.

In the video, Tiwa is seen performing a Halleluyia song while a choir supports her in the background.

In the slideshow behind them, photos of Sylvester Oromoni, Sound Sultan, Baba Suwe, Obama DMW, Virgil Abboh, among others, are displayed on the screen.

Read also

Wizkid in Abuja: Music video captures the moment 2 excited fans grabbed singer’s leg during concert

Watch the excerpt below:

The performance was so touching that it made Toyin Abraham cry. A trending clip online shows the moment the Nollywood actress wipes away her tears as the singer celebrates her memories.

Watch the clip below:

Fans jump on stage and grab Wizkid’s leg during performance in Abuja

Grammy Award-winning singer, Ayo Balogun, better known as Wizkid, is no stranger to mad fan love and this time around is no different, as a trending clip suggests.

The international music star ravished his Abuja fans when he showed up to his show on Friday, December 17 – so much so that some fans found their way onto the stage to show him how happy they were to be. to see him.

In the video that is currently circulating the Internet, two young men are seen taking the stage and grabbing one of the singer’s legs before being kicked off stage by bouncers.

Read also

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Adorable video of the singer and his son, Jamil

Tiwa Savage is not ready to see how quickly her son, Jamil, goes beyond the childhood fantasies that some people hold dear.

In a video shared on the Jam Jam page, Tiwa revealed that he would lose another tooth and made a revelation about this tooth fairy.

Tiwa then asked Jam Jam who he thought the Tooth Fairy was, and he didn’t hesitate to point out that he knew it was her.

Source: Legitimate Journal

As he himself admits, it was the “high” of the concert that kept him more or less awake all night.

The musician is Sanjay Subrahmanyan and the “Sanjay Sabha Live” concert in Chennai on Saturday – his return to the big stage after the pandemic-induced disruption of nearly two years.

And what a sensation it was!

Standing ovation, cries and whistles. @sanjaysub rocked the scene. Very happy to have attended this concert #SanjaySabha pic.twitter.com/ZN4V2Bnukw

– Prasanna Sampathkumar (@tcsprasan) December 11, 2021

Probably something that even his most seasoned fans would not have known before. An intriguing thriller that took us on completely unknown paths, a grandiose journey into nature. There were no beaten paths and it was full of twists and turns. One of those unusual trips to “live the moment” in which you just had to immerse yourself in the moment and live a magical experience. The return to reality was when he sang a touching Ashtapadi followed by the farewell piece (mangalam) after three hours.

Any description of Sanjay’s music lately has become a cliché of superlatives; However, it’s safe to say that on Saturday it was a new Avatar who took his music – technically, aesthetically, and experimentally – to a whole new realm. There were indeed early signs that it was going to be quite a trip when he started with the Viriboni varnam in Bhairavi. Unlike the usual setting, in which the Varnam is kind of a warm-up piece that synchronizes the stage as well as the audience, it was at full blast from the start – in the air and in the pitch. As audiences would soon realize, the remarkable exuberance and power that suddenly erupted before them was not just a harbinger of things to come, but a sure promise that would be kept too much.

It was during the raga alapana Saveri and Revati that we felt that this concert had already reached a new magical field of experience. His regular audience is well acquainted with his Saveri, but this time it seemed to have acquired a new face of beauty and expansion and a new radiance. But when the line (Sa Ri Ga Sa Ri), which he lightly uses to connect with his audience, came late, they laughed together reliving memories of past concerts.

Revati (Ragam Thanam Pallavi) defied gravity. Usually in his live concerts, when Sanjay goes up the octave, he only touches the upper Pa (and occasionally Dha); but this time he went all the way to Shadjam, effortlessly and with clarity of expression. And it suddenly opened the doors to a new magical world. It was a Sanjay that we had never seen live before. While there were a few musicians who crossed three octaves, in Sanjay’s experiential depth art, it meant a new layer of mystery. And in the same alapana, he did it all over again. The unknown desert was suddenly wide open in front of a person.

Audience during Sanjay Sabha Live

Indeed, the inventor Kalpanaswaras in the second song (Raghunayaka by Tyagaraja) in Hamsadhwani itself had made the public take off soon enough. Probably even his most seasoned violinist, S Varadarajan, would not have anticipated that he would start swaras the way he did; but then they coasted together as the swaras began to organize themselves, with a subtle mathematical flavor, from scratch. The Harikambhoji (Pamalai, Papanasam Sivan), Narayani (Bettada Melondu, Akka Mahadevi) and Bhoologakumari (Ranjani, Subramania Bharati) which preceded the Revathi RTP all had high characteristics of inventiveness in terms of sangathis, variations, swaras, and emotional depth. After all, he is a master of expressions.

Overall, the most notable feature of the concert was its journey into the unknown. Unbridled exploration, where the people you take – including those who have traveled with you for years – have wide eyes in bewilderment, without violating the integrity of form is not easy; but Sanjay did it as a daring magician. As the great American pianist and teacher Leon Fleischer said, “the performer is like a mountain dweller in the Alps. He knows the way to the top of the mountain. He takes you there, but his goal is to make you enjoy the view ”.

Varadarajan, Neyveli Venkatesh (mridangam) and Anirudh Athreya (Ganjira) also made the trip enjoyable by setting the stage on fire. The way Varadarajan complimented the vocals and the way Venkatesh amplified the pace with incredible speed, energy and impact with Anirudh was simply outstanding. the Thani Avarthanam was a real stumbling block that elicited one of the longest standing ovations I’ve heard at recent concerts.

Besides his virtuosity, what really strikes about Sanjay is his musical wisdom and social intelligence. In fact, none of the skills matter without them. Fleischer summed it up quite eloquently when he spoke of the importance of playing every note in a piece of music while maintaining the big picture: the microcosmic and the macrocosmic. Sanjay has the unusual ability to simultaneously visualize this big picture and the finer details. He also knows that exhilarating musical experiences are co-created with audiences.

Sanjay Subrahmanyan during a concert. (Facebook / sanjaysubmusic)

What was on display was also the Sanjay Subrahmanyan brand, thanks to Bhargavi Mani and his team at Bhargavi Mani & Consultants, who was the architect of “Sanjay Sabha”, the digital channel and now, “Sanjay Sabha Live”.

And let me quote Leon Fleischer once again to sum up the concert: “Every piece of music is an adventure in anti-gravity because we conquer gravity when we make music. The moment the music stops, gravity takes over.

The old saying goes write what you know, and when Cole Swindell wrote “Never Say Never” with Jessi Alexander and Chase McGill, he added lyrics so immersive and dark it seems like they must have come from personal experience.

“I probably can’t say that, but certainly [I had someone in mind when I wrote it], admits Swindell in a recent conversation with Taste of rural nights. Told from the perspective of a person who cannot break free from a relationship even though they know it won’t end well, “Never Say Never” admits that “It’s hell and it’s heaven with you / Everything is possible / The ups are unstoppable. ”

Swindell’s moving new song is a duet with country newcomer Lainey Wilson, who scored his first No.1 hit earlier this year with “Things a Man Oughta Know” – a deeply moving ballad in its own right. In fact, the importance of emotional authenticity in the performance was something the two artists agreed on when they decided to work together, explains Swindell.

“I can not sing [a song] if I did not live it or if I did not want it or if I would not have done it. That’s kind of how it goes, “the singer said.” Me and Lainey both talked, you know, no matter where you are, how old, it seems like everyone has been through this at a given moment of life. “

“That’s why I said yes when he asked me to be a part of this,” Wilson nods. “I felt like I wrote the song myself. It just made me feel something. I think we’ve all been there in one way or another.”

“That’s why we love music: it’s accessible,” adds Swindell. “I think a lot of people hear that and it reminds them of someone whether they can say it out loud or not.”

The couple met in 2017 – even before Swindell wrote ‘Never Say Never’ – when they were introduced by their mutual publishing house in the hopes they could be soul mates in the bedroom. of the writer. Not only did they share similar visions of songwriting, but they quickly found that their voices complemented each other well.

“We laughed at the thought of it. We didn’t even start writing; we just recorded a duet,” Swindell recalls.