Description
Sunday, September 18, 2022 4:00 PM EDT
Phil Scarff – saxophone
Pranav Ghatraju – tabla
Venue: Peggy R. McConnell Arts Center of Worthington
777 Evening Street
Worthington, OH 43085
Directions
Free for 2022 Annual Members
Soaring Flights of Melody
Deeply meditative ragas. Intricate, invigorating rhythms. Soulful improvisation. Delicate, nuanced phrasing. Soaring flights of melody. Boston Saxophonist Phil Scarff and tabla master Pranav Ghatraju capture the listeners’ imaginations in this concert of North Indian classical music. From pure classical tradition to folk and devotional melodies, Scarff and Ghatraju transport the audience to a state of delight.
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Now an established North Indian classical saxophonist, Phil Scarff has toured India annually for over a decade. While remaining true to the Hindustani tradition, Scarff introduces innovations informed by a career as a contemporary jazz and world-music improviser and his numerous collaborations with Indian, West African, and jazz masters. His performances on some of India’s most coveted concert stages have consistently garnered acclaim.
“Phil Scarff… pioneering the performance of North Indian classical music on soprano saxophone…. captures the haunting mystery and majesty of the evocative Indian music steeped in centuries of tradition.” – Worcester Telegram
“Phil Scarff… weaving magic through his saxophone with Raga Puriya… soul-stirring… sonorous… Raga Bihag was refreshing and delightful. He played… with great finesse and mesmerized the audience.” – Deccan Herald, Bengaluru
“Intoxicating music… Phil Scarff’s rendition of [twilight] Raga Puriya Dhanashri… created the image of a multi-colored sunset lighting up the sky.” – Sakal, Pune
http://www.philscarff.com/
PHIL SCARFF
Phil Scarff is pioneering the performance of Hindustani North Indian classical music on soprano saxophone, exquisitely capturing the music’s subtlety and depth.
His performance at the famed Tansen Samaroh, Gwalior, India, with Saskia Rao de Haas was “The highlight of the festival.” [Dainik Bhaskar]. Indian classical appearances include India’s Nehru Center, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. and Dadar-Matunga Cultural Centre (Mumbai); Saptak School of Music (Ahmedabad); Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture (Kolkata); ICCR Theater and India Habitat Centre (Delhi); JKK (Jaipur); and Pt Chatur Lal Festival (virtual).
Phil has performed with icons of Indian classical music including Ronu Majumdar, Shashank, Kadri Gopalnath, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman, Trichy Sankaran, and Chitravina Ravikiran. Phil is also a master jazz saxophonist; he leads the acclaimed world-jazz ensembles Natraj and the Lewis Porter-Phil Scarff Group. He performs and records with creative jazz groups including Aardvark Jazz Orchestra, Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra, OddSong, and Filmprov. Phil is featured on over 40 CDs/DVDs. Phil received extensive training in Hindustani music in Pune, India, from vocalist Pt. Shreeram Devasthali, leading sundri artist Pt. Suryakant Khaladkar, and shehnai master Pt. Shyamrao Lonkar, and in Boston, USA, from sitar master Peter Row, and vocalists Kalpana Mazumdar and Warren Senders.
“Phil Scarff… weaving magic through his saxophone with Raga Puriya… soul-stirring… sonorous… Raga Bihag was refreshing and delightful. He played… with great finesse and mesmerized the audience.” – Deccan Herald, Bengaluru
“Intoxicating music… Phil Scarff’s rendition of [twilight] Raga Puriya Dhanashri… created the image of a multi-colored sunset lighting up the sky.” – Sakal, Pune
http://www.philscarff.com/
PRANAV GHATRAJU
Pranav Ghatraju began his training in Tabla at the Learnquest Academy of Music under Dr. Nishikant Sonwalker when he was 5 years old. Currently, he is under the tutelage of Ustad Shabbir Nisar son of Tabla Nawaaz Ustad Shaik Dawood Khan of Hyderabad, India. Pranav has been actively accompanying artists and giving solo performances across both the USA and India since a young age. His talents have been well appreciated by many of today’s greatest maestros. Pranav was awarded a scholarship by the New England Conservatory in 2007 to attend the World Rhythm boot camp. In 2010, Pranav was the youngest recipient of the 20 Under 20 award by the INDIA New England magazine for academic, extra-curricular, and community-related activities. Pranav won the mega finals for the under-15 category at Crescendo 2011, a North Indian classical music competition conducted by Swarganga in Atlanta, GA. Pranav holds a BS in Chemical Engineering and is employed as a Chemical Engineer in Boston, MA.
Sunday, September 18, 2022 4:00 PM EDT
