Events
Sandeep Das and the HUM Ensemble | Delhi to Damascus
Description
Sandeep Das, one of the world’s leading tabla virtuosos, returns to Carolina Performing Arts with the renowned HUM Ensemble for Delhi to Damascus, a new concert celebrating the shared history between India and the Middle East and inspired by the Sanskrit phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning “the world is one family.”
A Guggenheim Fellow and Grammy Award recipient, Sandeep Das is one of India’s top tabla maestros and composers, building a prolific international reputation that spans over three decades. He has performed countless times alongside other musical giants, including Amjad Ali Khan, Yo–Yo Ma, and Silkroad Ensemble. In 2010, Das founded the HUM Ensemble, which is dedicated to promoting global understanding and transcending borders through the power of music.
ABOUT DELHI TO DAMASCUS
A collaboration between Indian Classical/Semi-Classical and Middle Eastern Music, Delhi to Damascus is the first initiative under the canopy of Sandeep Das’ larger project, “Transcending Borders One Note at a Time,” which aims to harness the transformative power of music and inspire positive social change.
Delhi to Damascus will feature the tabla, sitar, kanun, sarangi, and vocals—some of the most iconic instruments of these countries. The eclectic and soulful repertoire—a mix of new compositions and rearrangements—draws on traditional Indian ragas, melodic Arabic maqams, philosophical Sufi poems, pulsating folk grooves, and lyrical thumri. An earnest quest to start a dialogue, spark compassion, and stimulate the imagination to see beyond geographical borders, Delhi to Damascus is a musical invitation to a spiritual odyssey, inspired by the spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the beautiful ideal of inclusion, empathy, global community, and humanitarianism.
Runtime: approximately 75 minutes, including intermission. Masks required at all times while inside CPA venues during the 21/22 season. For additional health and safety information and more, visit our FAQ page.
ABOUT THE HUM ENSEMBLE
Founded by Sandeep Das in 2010, the HUM Ensemble is dedicated to promoting global understanding and transcending borders through the power of music. The HUM Ensemble’s debut concert took place in New Delhi and by popular demand it continued performing throughout India in major cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. The ensemble has since expanded to a global scale, performing at venues like the Europalia Festival in Brussels, Cal Performances in Berkeley, California, and other venues throughout the US, in addition to regular invitations for residencies and masterclasses at major universities.
Artists of the HUM Ensemble have performed at music festivals worldwide including the World Music Festival (Prague), WOMAD (Madrid, Incheon, Australia, and New Zealand), and the Mystic Music Festival (Turkey), among many others. The ensemble’s debut album, which features the Delhi to Damascus repertoire, was recently released in May 2020.
HUM is additionally a nonprofit organization in India, and currently sponsors the musical education of six visually-impaired children through the HUM-Lanxess National Scholarship.