Alif Laila in the Baltimore Post-Examiner

Read about Alif Laila and recent activities in the Baltimore Post-Examiner:

http://baltimorepostexaminer.com/bangladeshi-sitarist-alif-laila-thrills-local-audiences/2012/05/29

'I Am A River' Event a Huge Success!

 

Color and melody flowed together through a multimedia presentation of Indian Classical music and dance at the inaugural event for Alif Laila's new album, "I Am A River".

Hosted by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washinton D.C., the evening's event celebrated not only Laila's new album but the 40th anniversary of Bangladesh-US diplomatic relations. Ambassador Akramul Qader opened with a speech explaining the importance of this event. The fusion of Indian and Western Classical music presented on "I Am A River" was a fitting soundtrack for such a celebration.

The first performance of the night was given by the Dakshina Dance Company. Daniel Phoenix Singh and Natalia Mesa Higuera dazzled the audience with the flowing and thunderous traditional Indian dance. This was followed by an audio-visual presentation of watercolor paintings by Alif matched with music from "I Am A River". Each song on the album represents a different mood, aspect, or stage of life... each flowing into the next as a river flows. The striking watercolors were like visual representations of the music itself. 

Touching again on an element of East-West fusion, Alif Laila performed on sitar with classical cellist Alison Bazala Kim. Accompanied by Monir Hossain on tabla, the trio presented something truly original. The bowed cello seemed to be a perfect partner for the dynamic sitar. Each a separate voice singing the same song. The two stringed instruments built up to a riveting composition kept alive and running by precise, energetic rhythms. The final performance - a traditional sitar/tabla duet - was equally as mind-blowing. Alif spun a web of melodies kept firm with the fluid beats of Monir's tabla. The joy and beauty found in their music washed over the audience as evident at the reception after the show. Alif's art and the music of "I Am A River" have shown that whether you are from the east or west, we are all part of the flowing river of life.

Review by Jeff Byers

Alif Laila with Soumen Sarkar on SURTARANG - 101.8 WCR FM Wolverhampton City Radio UK - Dec. 14th, 2011

Sitar by Alif Laila with Soumen Sarkar on Tabla for SURTARANG' on 101.8 WCR FM Wolverhampton City Radio UK on Dec 14th 2011

Concert Announcement: IIC - New Delhi

IIC (India International Center)

10th of Dec'11 at 6:30pm. 

40 Max Mueller Marg, New Delhi

Concerts in Kolkata and Dhaka

Upcoming Concert at the Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata, India - 30th November 2011, 6:30pm.


Tabla accompaniment by Pandit Samar Shaha.


Below is a review from the Dhaka, Bangladesh performance:

Read the review here:

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=21190d

Upcoming Concert In Dhaka, Bangladesh!

Tour Update

November 5th - Concert at the Bangladesh Center, London

 

November 7th - Interview Program on Desh Television, London 

Alif On International Music Tour!

Alif will be going on the road in the coming months - this will include concerts, TV interviews,
and collaborative performances

More details to come!

November 2nd to December 13th 2011

London, England

Dhaka, Bangladesh

Kolkata, India

Kochi (Kerala), India

Dehli, India

Radio Broadcast on Wolverhampton Fm Radio

Alif's music will be broadcast, along with other great artists, on Wolverhampton FM Radio 

courtesy of  www.surtarang.co.uk - Oct 5th at 7pm UK time/2pm US (EST)

To listen to the internet radio station, follow the below link:

http://wcrfm.com/cmsms/index.php?page=listen-to-wcr

Then click the link "CLICK HERE TO OPEN"

(This will open a streaming audio player in a separate window)

The program will be presented by Sistachar & Maitreyee Sarcar, 

the hosts who have created this wonderful program of Indian Classical music 

for listeners worldwide. 

The show will be re-broadcast on Sunday, Oct 9th at 10pm UK time/5pm US (EST).

Art of Peace Concert October 2nd!

Art of Peace

A performance featuring sitar and poetry hosted by Dakshina,

Celebrating Gandhiji's birthday and contributions to peace.

Alif Laila  ~ Sitar

Shripad Jail ~  Tabla

Gowri Koneswaran ~ Poetry

The concert will open with a short audio-visual presentation of water color paintings and classical sitar music by Alif Laila.

October 2nd, 2011

3:30 p.m.

Westminster Presbyterian Church

400 I Street SW, Washington, D.C.

The  event is free 

RSVP to rsvp@dakshina.com

Fall Concert Announcements!

Oct. 2nd : Concert in Washington D.C.

 

November: India /Bangladesh Tour

 

More details soon.

An Afternoon of Music and Poetry!

"My feeling about raag-based Tagore Songs:
The flow of artistry in the raag-based Tagore songs seem as flawless as the beauty in nature.The theme and lyrics of the songs portray the essence and the emotion of the raags with completeness in the rhythm and in melody. The bonding of the structure of the raag and the verses are seamless. The naturalness and the spontaneity of the compositions are such that every time I listen, sing and play them, I cherish it with all my heart."
- Alif Laila

Please join for an afternoon of Music and Poetry hosted by Dakshina!

Upcoming Concert!

Alif Laila on sitar and Amit Kavthekar on Tabla will perform at Hood College in Frederick, MD on April 5, 2011.

Brodbeck Music Hall

Hood College, Frederick MD

7:30 p.m.

Free

From the college site:

A concert of classical Indian music will be presented April 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Brodbeck Music Hall at Hood College.Alif Laila will perform on the sitar, a stringed instrument with a long hollow neck and a gourd-resonating chamber used throughout the Indian subcontinent. She will be accompanied by Amit Kavthekar on the tabla, a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional Indian music.
Laila has performed in concerts in prestigious venues throughout the United States and worldwide. She taught sitar at the University of Maryland and is a faculty member of the Washington Conservatory of Music. Laila has released six CDs and two DVDs on classical sitar, and has recorded with world-renowned tabla maestros.
Kavthekar has accompanied many renowned artists and performed numerous solo tabla performances. He has toured Japan and Australia and is a recipient of several prestigious awards and scholarships.
The concert is free and no tickets are required.
For more information, contact Noel Lester, D.M.A., professor of music and concert pianist, at (301) 696-3429 or by e-mail at nlester@hood.edu.


Directions: http://www.hood.edu/about-hood/visit-campus/index.html

For more info on the artists please go to:
http://aliflilasitarmusic.blogspot.com
www.aliflailasitar.com
www.myspace.com/tablaamit

Upcoming Performance!

Review from Recent Concert in Washington

Warmth from the East on a Cold Winter Day

Alif Laila and Monir Hossain at the Washington Conservatory of Music, Glen Echo Park, MD.

by Jeff Byers, Thursday February 3^rd, 2011

The soothing sounds of Indian ragas filled the air last Sunday when sitar player Alif Laila, joined by Monir Hossain on tabla, graced the stage at the newly opened Glen Echo Park venue of the Washington Conservatory of Music.  After days of gray skies, snow, and frigid temperatures, the bright and colorful melodies beaming from Alif’s sitar seemed to work in unison with the sun as it broke out from behind the clouds and filled the day with light and warmth.

The acoustics and aesthetics of the room, combined with the joyous energy felt by the audience, came together with Alif’s music for a very special presentation. Alif began with Raag Kafi, whose romantic spark immediately captured the audience. By the end of this first piece everyone was drawn into Alif’s world, forgetting the world going by outside. Now in this place of serenity, Alif presented Raag Desh. Building slowly but earnestly, Desh developed into an intense display of emotion – Alif and Monir seemed to be reading each other’s minds as they wove raag and taal together in a beautiful mix. After an earth-shattering climax, the audience’s applause would not let Alif leave the stage. With extra time granted, she displayed a heart-felt and devotional Raag Bhairav. I myself was too mesmerized to recall what ensued until the end of the piece.

The packed venue wanted more from Alif but that would have to wait until next time. Many stayed to talk with Alif after the performance wanting to know more about the instruments and form of Indian music – knowledge that Alif loves to share – and will so more with the Washington Conservatory of Music as she begins to teach at the Glen Echo location. This is a great opportunity for all in the Washington, D.C. area to be enlightened by Indian music through the work of Alif Laila.

For more information on sitar lessons by Alif Laila contact her directly at music@aliflailasitar.com or through the Washinton Conservatory of Music by visiting www.washingtonconservatory.org or calling 301.320.2770.

Recent Concerts

Halloway Hall, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD - 30 September 2010

Alif Laila on sitar and Amit Kavthekar on tabla at Halloway Hall, Salisbury University, 9.30.10.

The day began with delays and stumbles on Sept 30th. I was nervous about getting there on time.The weather forecast had already set the mood of intensity ..rain, thunder and gusty winds' were the sounds and rhythm that I had to work with and against while driving down to Salisbury University. The waves in the bay were wild and high. The blinding pouring rain was beating against my energy to go and play a concert that evening. I didn't think I could make it. I didn't think my student Jeff and his friend Ryan could make it as well. I was ready for a total disaster!
Amazingly everything came together that evening against all the odds and we had a great concert with a warm reception from the hosts and receptive audience. All of us kept our positive energy high all through the day that helped create a magical evening of 'music in the storm'! 

                                                                                                            - Alif

Video and Audio recordings of the performance coming soon!

Westminster Church, Washington, D.C. - 2 October 2010

Concert Tomorrow in Salisbury, MD!

A reminder to all about Alif's concert tomorrow, 30th of September - 7:00pm at Holloway Hall (main auditorium), Salisbury University - 1101 Camden Ave, Salisbury, MD 21801

Press Release from Salisbury University (click to enlarge, link to PR below):

http://www.salisbury.edu/newsevents/fullstoryview.asp?id=4317

Hope to see you there!

2010 Concerts

30th of September : 7:00pm at Holloway Hall, Salisbury University, Salisbury MD. 
Contact this site for more information.

Recently had a charming concert in London, hosted by the prestigious 'Chayanat' (London chapter) on the 28th of August.

Will have video clips of the concert and interview from 'I Channel Europe' coming soon!

Upcoming Concert:

New Review from 'Metro Plus Kochi', Kerala, India

Review of Alif's New Album!

 

 (Click Text to Englarge)