A Musical Tour of India
Curated for the Irmo International Festival
Sitar
Anoushka Shankar discusses the sitar and how her music crosses cultures.
Bansuri
Rakesh Chaurasia talks about the “ragas” or musical scales that make up the foundation of Indian classical music.
Tanpura
Pelva Naik introduces the Tanpura, its construction and its sound.
Mridangam
Enjoy this solo from Patri Satish Kumar, with the complex rhythms of this southern Indian Carnatic percussion instrument.
Veena
Indu Balachandran explains what makes the veena unique, and discusses southern Indian Carnatic music.
Tabla
Zakir Hussein introduces the tabla and discusses his cross-cultural mentorship of Marcus Gilmore.
From Tradition to Contemporary Practice
Sudha McFadden is an artist and facilitator whose work explores how structured creative practices like drawing, sound, and stillness can support focus, resilience, and well-being.
Her work and the Indian traditions presented here share a common foundation in rhythm, pattern, and sustained attention, and are brought into contemporary settings through workshops, talks, and community programs across South Carolina.
