Unite for India - Sunsets at La Boite

'Unite for India' is a free to attend live music fundraiser event Friday 28th May for the COVID-19 crisis in India, presented by student-run record label Vermilion Records in partnership with UNICEF, La Boite Theatre Company and A Garland of Languages ft. Dr. Charulatha Mani. Donations are welcome by cash and card at the event or via our dedicated fundraiser page: https://india.unicef.org.au/uniteforindia

This special night of live folk, classical Indian and World music/dance performances will showcase local talent: Dr. Charulatha Mani, Tenzin Choegyal, Shen Flindell, Rozana Azad, Ravi Singh, Harman Singh, Bindu Rajendren, Menaka Thomas, Anthony Garcia, Dheeraj Shreshta, and Franz James.

Dr. Charulatha Mani is a multi-award winning South Indian Classical vocal artist from Chennai, India. An inspiring artist-academic, she performs, teaches, records, and composes across prestigious international platforms. Charu was awarded her PhD in 2019 from the Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University for her research into voice, word, and gesture in Karnatik music and Early Opera.

Tenzin Choegyal is one of the world's finest musicians in the Tibetan tradition, performing at festivals across Australia and curated numerous events and concerts including Brisbane’s annual Festival of Tibet. He has collaborated with Philip Glass, Soundwalk Collective with Patti Smith featuring Anoushka Shankar & Charlotte Gainsbourg. 2021 saw Grammy-nominated Songs from the Bardo released through Smithsonian Folkways with Laurie Anderson.

Shen Flindell is among Australia's leading tabla players, and is the accompanist of choice for Indian classical artists visiting Brisbane and performs in several fusion groups including Tibet2Timbuk2 and Spirit of Bhakti. He is best known for his beautiful sound and supportive accompaniment and has released 6 CDs ranging from Indian classical bansuri to Tibetan world fusion.

Bindu Rajendren is a practitioner of Mohiniattam, who has performed at national and international festivals and concerts. She has collaborated with dancers, theatre artists, spoken word and visual artists and musicians. Bindu has presented research papers at various national and international academic dance conferences.

Menaka Thomas is a singer originally trained in the South Indian (Carnatic) style of Indian classical music. Menaka’s current music is a fusion of Indian and contemporary influences, an intersection of East and West. Her original music reflects her personal narratives of struggle and the search for hope.

Rozana Azad is the angelic voiced Executive Director of Garland of Languages Music Ensemble. Born into a musically acclaimed family, Rozana started nurturing her passion for music from childhood, with lessons from her musicologist father Azad Rahaman and her mother Selina Azad, an acclaimed singer in Bangladesh. Performing in TV, Radio and various cultural events in Bangladesh and overseas, Rozana loves showcasing Bangla songs.

Harman Singh was born and raised in the small town of Khilchian, near Amritsar in Punjab, and moved to Australia very recently. His deep connection to music happened when he started learning Hindustani and Semi-Classical music as a teenager under Ustad Harcharan Singh. He continues to delight audiences here in Brisbane while also taking advanced classes from ghazal maestro Ustad Surinder Khan of Chandigarh. Harman’s music is a celebration of Punjab and its rich culture.

Ravikesh Singh moved from Fiji to Australia as a boy of 3, and today is a respected name in Tabla in Brisbane and nationally. He has performed at major venues and festivals, collaborated with artists from various cultures and countries, and created several successful projects. Ravikesh is Head of music at the Rhythm of India School of Music based in Oxley, Brisbane. In 2018 Ravikesh established Swaravi Events which organises Classical concerts in Brisbane by artists from South Asia, locally, nationally and internationally.