Growing up in India, Manoj Singh listened to Western music like ABBA, Sting and The Beatles.
Now, he wants to reverse the cultural exchange and bring Indian music to Montgomery County.
The inaugural D.C. South Asian Music Festival launches this weekend with three nights this Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Silver Spring, Maryland. It’s presented by the nonprofit D.C. South Asian Arts Council Inc.
“The mission is to introduce non-South Asians to South Asian music and excite the next generation of South Asians to learn and keep up the tradition and culture,” Singh told WTOP. “Hopefully people will come and learn about South Asian music. … Montgomery County is the highest [population of] minorities in this area. From the DMV area, it’s around 600,000 South Asians and within Montgomery County it’s easily around 150,000 to 200,000.”
The music festival kicks off Friday with Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khaan, who is a “very well-known, very respected, all of the awards you can think of,” Singh said. “He’s in the Top 10 in India and he performs all over the U.S. In fact, there’s even an Amjad Ali Khaan Day in Massachusetts.” He will be joined by his son, Ayaan and Amaan Ali Bangaash, along with renowned tabla players Ishaan Ghosh and Anubrata Chatterjee.
Saturday brings Harsh Khinchi and Sid Lahiri, as well as Laith Alattar of Iraq, Khaled al Maouloui of Syria and Alif Laila of Bangladesh, who will lead an ensemble of 14 sitarists.You’ll also see Vishwas Shirgaonkar, who runs a music school in Virginia; Vatsala Mehra, who is a Kennedy Center regular as a “queen of ghazal” music; and high school prodigy Kanjanvo Sabud.
Singh said audiences “will be amazed” by Sabud’s sitar-playing: “Sometimes it’s just in the genes.”
Sunday culminates with Shilpa Sharma, Sangeeta Mathur Simlote, Parasuram Iyer, Alok Srivastava, Sunila Bali and Wayne Periera. “Sunday we go a little more toward Bollywood. … They call it ‘A Musical Journey Through Bollywood,’ meaning ’50s, ’60s, ’70s, ’80s. … There’s a fusion blend of East and West with guitar. … We close with Grammy-winning artist Falu Shah. She has performed with Yo-Yo Ma at Carnegie Hall and Wolf Trap.”
The festival will be held in the stunning auditorium at Wheaton High School in Silver Spring, Maryland.
“It’s beautiful,” Singh said. “The first perception of people is, ‘A high school? I don’t know,’ but you’ll be surprised. It’s as good as Strathmore, Kennedy Center or anybody else. The new, renovated schools of Montgomery County are amazing. … There is free parking, easy access on Randolph Road. Between performances, there’s a bazaar: food vendors, clothing vendors, jewelry vendors, so you can go out, eat, do some shopping and come back.”
Listen to our full conversation here.
Editor’s Note: This story has been edited to reflect the appropriate name and country of origin for festival performer Laith Alattar.
