Paintings by Shanthi Chandra-Sekar

Exhibit will be on display through May 31 and may be viewed on Fridays and Saturdays from 10am to 4pm and by appointment.

Shanthi Chandra-Sekar is a self-taught artist who has been drawing and painting since early childhood. In recent years she has also added sculpting and Tanjore painting to her repertoire of skills. While many of her works are influenced by her Indian heritage, her true inspiration comes from the mystery and majesty of the world around her; her muse lives where the scientific overlaps with the spiritual.

Most well-known for the vibrancy of her works, Shanthi uses a wide variety of media, including oils, acrylics, colored pencils, pen and ink, wood, clay, soapstone, and alabaster. Shanthi’s works have been displayed in a variety of locations throughout the Washington D.C. area, and she has won numerous awards for her paintings as well as her sculptures.

More information may be found at www.shanthic.com.

Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha are one of India’s leading exponents of the Dhrupad style of music. They are among the most active young performers of Dhrupad in Indian and international circuits. Born in Ujjain in Central India, both were initiated into music by their parents.

Gundecha Brothers received conventional university education and learned the Dhrupad vocal art under the renowned Dhrupad vocalist Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar and also with Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar (the distinguished performer of Rudra Veena) in Dhrupad Kendra Bhopal.

The Gundecha Brothers have sung great Hindi poetry by Tulsidas, Kabir, Padmakar, Nirala in Dhrupad style. They have recorded about 25 cassettes and CDs by H.M.V, Music Today, Rhythm House, Senseworld Music, Sundaram Records, IPPNW Concerts Berlin, Navras

and Audio Rec London. They have also sung for many television channels in India and have been broadcasted on British, U.S., German and French, Japan and Australian Radio as well. As well as being an integral part of all of India’s prestigious music festivals, the Brothers have also performed at many important international music festivals and institutions in about 25 countries in Europe, U.S.A, Australia, Japan, Egypt, Singapore, Bangladesh, U.A.E and Hongkong.

Akhilesh Gundecha has learned Pakhawaj playing from Pandit Shrikant Mishra and Raja Chhatrapati Singh JuDeo. He is post graduate in music and graduate in Law. Has also got scholarship from Ustad Allauddin khan Sangeet Academy,Bhopal and Govt. of India. Has accompanied to many of the Dhrupad Maestros like- Ustad Z.F. Dagar, Ustad Fahimuddin Dagar, Pt. Siyaram Tiwari, Shrimati Asgari Bai, Dr. Ritwik Sanyal and Bahauddin Dagar. He has also played solo recitals in Tansen Festival-Gwalior, Haridas Sangeet Samaroh Mumbai, Dhrupad Samaroh Bhopal and many other festivals. Has toured Germany, Switzerland, Hongkong , USA and Canada. Is regularly featured on Radio and Television.

For more information about the artists and about Dhrupad music:

www.dhrupad.org

Admission will be paid at the door on the evening of the concert. General: $15 and Students: $10

Indian Classical Odissi Dance Performance by Meena Kumari Sahoo.

Free Admission.

Born in Cuttack, India, Meena Kumari Sahoo began dancing at the age of nine. A graduate from Utkal University, a Nritya Visarad from Prachine Kala Kendra, Chandigarh and Nritya Shastri (Purna) from Orissa Sangeet Natak Akademi, Bhubaneswar, she has been groomed by Padmabhibhusan late Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra & Padmashree Guru Kumkum Mohanty, the Odissi maestro of international fame. She received the EZCC Godl Medal awarded by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Government of India as ‘Young Talented Artist’ of the year 2003-4. She has been empanelled in the reference panel of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) for “Cultural Diplomacy” abroad.