Sitar Concert: Music of the Heart

Auckland music lovers are in for a treat in July with a free concert by an acclaimed European sitar player. Visiting Austrian musician Kanala Auer will be offering several free concerts of meditative music throughout New Zealand. The accomplished musician will be performing songs chosen from the vast legacy of compositions by the late Indian maestro and composer Sri Chinmoy, and performing mainly on the sitar.

The late spiritual master Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007) devoted his life to spreading the message and the experience of harmony throughout the world.

Sri Chinmoy believes that music is a most powerful and at the same time a universally appealing medium for transmitting the experience of inner harmony.

Sri Chinmoy's musical output is phenomenal. In his lifetime he has completed over 15,000 songs. He was named in India's Umca Book of Records as the world's most prolific composer of all time in 2004!

Sri Chinmoy’s staggering achievements have greatly inspired many acclaimed modern composers and musicians.

Nearly 30 years ago, Leonard Bernstein exclaimed, “Sri Chinmoy is a miraculous model of the abundance in the creative life, and I can only hope that I may someday participants in that cosmic fountain of stillness and profound energy which he inhabits.”

The great conductor and violinist Yehudi Menuhin wrote to Sri Chinmoy, “Your life has been a continuous flow of living inspiration and dedication to the triumph of the humane.”

India’s greatest sitarist, Ravi Shankar, stated, “What Sri Chinmoy does is God-given. He has such a tremendous and fantastic creative urge!”

Maestro flautist Paul Horn said, “Sri Chinmoy’s music is a vehicle for the highest spiritual energy. It is very healing, an experience very deep within my heart and far beyond words.”

Kanala’s first concert will be offered in Auckland, Nelson, Christchurch and Hamilton.

Kanala is a leading performer with a much travelled Austrian group, Arthada & Friends, who arrange and perform the mantric songs of spiritual teacher Sri Chinmoy on western and eastern instruments - sitar, harmonium, sarangi, tanpura, Indian flute, ehru, Jew's harp, concert-guitar and drums. They have performed all over the world and released many CDs of their peaceful music – this is Kanala’s first New Zealand visit which is being hosted by the local Sri Chinmoy centre.

Concert-goers can simply turn up on the night to the venue, or reserve a ticket for the free event by phoning a reservations number: for Auckland and Hamilton, (09) 3093437; for Nelson (03) 929 5827 and Christchurch (03) 377 1327.

Readers can listen to and learn more by also visiting: http://www.radiosrichinmoy.org/436/cosmic-dream-arthada-friends/ and: http://www.gandharvaloka.co.nz/blog/tag/kanala-auer/.