Composer
Program Notes I am constantly drawn to the ‘dohe’ (couplets) of Kabir. His statements are pithy but their meanings are vast. They have been set and sung for hundreds of years in the Hindustani classical tradition, and they seem to meet each generation of performers and listeners in a unique way. This tiny couplet is … Read more
Note: This is the Hindustani/period instrument version of this piece — for the version with soprano, please see Subah Shaam Program Notes I’ve always been fascinated by iconoclastic women — those who somehow saw beyond the societal conventions of their time, and chose to invest in their own, more expansive vision. Mirabai is one such … Read more
Program Notes (see the full version of Sunaao for program notes) Text (by Reena Bhansali) III. Behta Jaa Na-daal khud pe tu zyaada zorBhool jaao duniya ka yeh saara shorNadi ke saath behta jaaHavaa ke saath uṛta jaa Don’t be too hard on yourselfForget the noise of the worldGo on flowing with the riverGo on … Read more
NOTE: This is the page for the SSAA (treble choir) version of This Love Between Us. For the SATB (original) version please go to This Love Between Us. Program Notes This Love Between Us is a piece about unity. Its seven movements juxtapose the words of seven major religious traditions of India (Buddhism, Sikhism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, … Read more
Program Notes I am constantly drawn to the ‘dohe’ (couplets) of Kabir. His statements are pithy but their meanings are vast. They have been set and sung for hundreds of years in the Hindustani classical tradition, and they seem to meet each generation of performers and listeners in a unique way. This tiny couplet is … Read more
Program Notes This song for soprano, tenor and piano and violin was originally the fifth movement of my oratorio, eponymously titled This Love Between Us. The text comes from a variety of translations of ancient saint-poet Kabir’s writings, and from the Isa Upanishad. The original version starts and ends with the same duets between solo … Read more
Please note: the recording above is the original, for two Hindustani singers and string quartet. When a recording becomes available of this version, it will be posted here. Program Notes This bhajan arrangement (based on a tune by Ninu Majumdar, with words from the ancient Indian saint-poet Barabas) has a message that is so relevant … Read more
Please note: the recording above is the original, for two Hindustani singers and string quartet. When a recording becomes available of this version, it will be posted here. Program Notes This bhajan arrangement (based on a tune by Ninu Majumdar, with words from the ancient Indian saint-poet Barabas) has a message that is so relevant … Read more
Please note: the recording above is the original, for two Hindustani singers and string quartet. When a recording becomes available of this version, it will be posted here. Program Notes This bhajan arrangement (based on a tune by Ninu Majumdar, with words from the ancient Indian saint-poet Barabas) has a message that is so relevant … Read more
Program Notes Sunaao is a set of three pieces designed to introduce young choirs to the Hindi/Urdu language. Aao beckons us to share our musical traditions with one another, exploring changing open vowels. Khattar Pattar uses a distinctive style of Hindi/Urdu onomatopoeia to describe how we sometimes let our thoughts run out of control. Behta … Read more
Note: This is the first three movements of this set (Act 1), which were commissioned by TENET Vocal Artists. Movements 4 and 5 (along with interludes) have been commissioned by Backshore Artists’ Project and Music from Angel Fire, and will be premiered in August 2025. Program Notes I’ve always been fascinated by iconoclastic women — … Read more
Program Notes In Hindustani music, Malhaar(p/d) refers to a family of raags that beckon rain. As the legend goes, the greatest musicians could cause a downpour from even the most severely parched skies by the power of their song. This is the inspiration for Malhaar: A Requiem for Water. As drought worsened in Southern California, … Read more