World Premiere of Destroying Demons: Songs for cello and Carnatic violin, a musical collaboration between Edinburgh and Bangalore debuts at the 2021 Edinburgh Fringe
In this world premiere, the shimmering beauty of South Indian melodies blends with electronic sound effects and virtuosic improvisation.
Justyna Jablonska is Scotland’s leading cellist in the contemporary classical and experimental scene. Jyotsna Srikanth is the world’s most acclaimed violinist in the South Indian (Carnatic) tradition.
Inspired by the Indian Navarathri festival, these two artists enter into a contrapuntal musical dialogue that celebrates the creative power of the goddess Durga, a defeater of demons.
In South India the Navarathri festival marks the victory of the Goddess Durga over the demon king. It is one of the most important festivals in South Asia with joyous dance and musical performance extending over nine days. It is also one of the largest celebrations of a female divinity in the world today. Destroying Demons consists of a cycle of nine songs, each referring to one of the nine days of the festival. As we move through the cycle of songs the tonal colour will shift from the aching melancholy of lost love to the joy of victory over “demons” everywhere, be they spiritual, worldly or personal.
Women musicians once had a central role in the South Indian music, but they were later banned from public performances in the colonial era and today face many barriers. This show celebrates Indian female musicians.
Destroying Demons breaks new musical ground. This is one of the first ensembles to bring the cello to Carnatic music. Carnatic music is a vocal tradition and here the cello – said in the West to be the instrument that most resembles the human voice – stands in for the singer. Jablonska draws on her background in contemporary classical music and electronic effects to create richly layered arrangements. The great emotional intimacy of Carnatic music, which often features heroines suffering from unrequited love, will appeal to diverse audiences at the Fringe and beyond. Percussion is often present in Carnatic performance but here the cello will loop rhythmical motifs to create a sense of pulse and a time cycle.
DESTROYING DEMONS: SONGS FOR CELLO AND CARNATIC VIOLIN
by Justyna Jablonska and Jyotsna Srikanth
6 – 31 August
Online, on-demand at TheSpaceUK online and Fringe Player online platform.