A popular Bengali music festival is coming to Oxford for the first time in its 11-year journey.
The Saudha Bangla Music festival, claimed to be the largest of its kind outside of the Indian subcontinent, will be hosted at the Asian Cultural Centre in Manzil Way this Saturday from 5pm to 7.30pm.
Guests can expect a range of genres of Bengali music from ancient Charajapada, Vaishnav, Ramprasadi and Toppa, to Ponchokobi and modern experimental music with English translation and relevant commentaries.
The festival has been running since 2013 in London and other major cities.
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The director of Saudha, poet Ahmed Kaysher, said: “The cultural scene in Oxford is a great thing to explore, and contribute to, and also be part of.
“As Saudha’s performances are very much philosophically inclined, I always feel excited to reach academics, scholars and musicologists in addition to art-loving audiences from diverse cultural traditions.
“This is why the session in Oxford is so important and exciting. I am sure we will have a wonderful first time in the city.”
Mr Kaysher performed at the Sheldonian theatre two years ago in a Baul and Troubador project – a form of Bangaldeshi folk music – and noted how well the audiences received the show.
The upcoming festival in Oxford will feature a new take on Rabindranath Tagore, the first non-European Nobel Laureate in Literature, and his contemporaries.
Which will be performed by cultural society Udayan, interpreter Amith Dey, and Yamin Chowdhury Shagor on the tabla drum.
Tickets can be purchased here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/saudha-bangla-music-festival-asian-cultural-centre-oxford-tickets-632163035657?aff=oddtdtcreator
Saudha will be making its second appearance at the Royal Albert Hall in January next year, after selling out for its previous production Frida Kahlo through Indian Classical Music.
Mr Kaysher added: “Through all our festivals and art productions we aim to weave all different cultural traditions together.
“I am sure Oxford will become more and more a part of our prime art activities from this year onwards after a very successful Saudha International Literature Festival which took place at Oxford Poetry Library last September.
“I know we will have a wonderful beginning to our music festival in Oxford too, and I hope the journey will continue for many years.”
Saudha Society of Poetry and Indian Music is a platform for South Asian as well as other global classical arts.
Saudha is celebrated for its experimental productions merging poetry, music and painting into a “hypnotic” performance.
The organisation has performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Southbank Centre, the House of Commons, Welsh parliament and other venues.
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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.
Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1
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