Oz splendour comes to India

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Deep Blue

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Beginning in October 2012, the Australian government will join hands with 24 government, business, institutional and production partners to present over 100 events in 18 locations across India as part of the Oz Fest — the biggest Australian cultural festival ever staged in India.

The organisers say that the main motive behind holding this fest is to showcase Australia’s talent and develop a strong bond with India, narrowing the cultural bridge between the two countries.
“India is now one of the most important partners for Australia. Through the Fest, we have three objectives. Firstly, we want to reinforce this Australia-India partnership; secondly, we hope Indians will come to understand more about Australia through music, art, food, films, literature, dance, sport etc, and third, we want this programme to be a bridge between India-Australia collaboration in music and other fields,” says Dr Lachlan Strahan, deputy high commissioner, Australian high commission.
The opening night, which will be held at Purana Qila, New Delhi, on October 16, will celebrate two contemporary cultures grounded in ancient tradition. Leading artists from both countries will take on the stage to connect the two unique, contemporary cultures grounded in ancient tradition.
Australia’s didgeridoo virtuoso Mark Atkins will sound the beginning of Oz Fest on the country’s ancient Aboriginal drone instrument. The producers of Sydney’s Vivid Light Festival, AGB Events, will bring Purana Qila’s Sher Mandal Observatory to life with 3D light projections, creating a backdrop for performances by Aboriginal Australian singer Gurrumul Yunupingu and twice-Grammy-nominated Indian sitarist Anoushka Shankar.
The organisers say that they had chosen Gurrumul Yunupingu and Anoushka Shankar for the opening concert so that the sound of the music of both sides recharges and touches the soul of every one and the light show lifts up the old heritage structure of Purana Qila.
“On the opening night, we have scheduled the programme into two halves. The first part will be music where Gurrumul Yunupingu and Mark Atkins will sing from the Australian side and sitarist Anoushka Shankar will play her classical tunes from the Indian side. The second part — which is the highlight of the concert — is the light show by AGB Events. I am sure this show will show the heritage of the both sides,” says Dr Strahan.
The Oz Fest, which starts on October 16 and concludes on February 5, will also have Australian bands Karnivool, Big Scary, Jinja Safari, The Aston Shuffle and Sheppard rocking at The Aussie BBQ in Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru in November; Two Oceans Music Collaboration in Chennai, Hyderabad and Coimbatore in November; DeepBlue Music Performance in Mumbai in December.
In a first ever meeting between an Aboriginal artiste and folk musicians from Rajasthan, Mark Atkins will perform at Jodhpur RIFF (Rajasthan International Folk Festival) with some incredible pieces on the didgeridoo, interspersed by his original songs, sung with the guitar and harmonica.
Other highlights include the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow featuring five comedians in November, raw comedy competition to find the best new Indian talent in Pune, Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru in November, glow contemporary dance performance in Mumbai in January.
Along with old artists the organisers have incorporated young contemporary musicians from Australia too so that the people of India can have a broad range of choices in musical performances and can experience wholesome music. “We have included about five young Australian contemporary musicians, Afro-techno and a broad range of musical style. This will give the audience a new taste and help them know more about our contemporary style,” adds Dr Strahan.
The festival, which is taking place in 18 cities across India, will also identify few Indian talents and will help them take part in the concert.
“We would like all the people of India to come enjoy, laugh, dance, think about the two cultures and do everything they want to do to enjoy the event and make the two countries come together,” say the organisers.