Join us in for a unique cross-cultural concert celebrating the release of Chris Votek’s debut album Memories of a Shadow ! This moment marks Votek’s bold recording debut as both a traditionalist performing Hindustani raga on cello, and an innovative composer exploring the intersection between Western and Indian Classical traditions.

Hosted by radio personality John Schnieder and presented by MicroFest, Singing Strings of the East and West will feature world renowned violinist Kala Ramnath, tabla maestro Dr. Neelamjit Dhillon, and a string quintet including members of the Grammy-nominated new music collective Wild Up.

First, Kala Ramnath, master of the singing violin will lead Votek’s cello and Dhillon’s tabla through a traditional raga presentation in Gayaki-Ang (vocal) style. Next, violinists Andrew Tholl and Adrianne Pope, violist Ben Bartelt, and cellists Derek Stein and Chris Votek will perform Memories of a Shadow, Votek’s three movement string quintet superbly blending raga melody with early European polyphony.

To conclude, the chamber musicians of the West will joyfully unite forces with the Indian violin and tabla of the East! Adding violist Tom Lea, the entire cast will perform Sands of Time, an arrangement of Rajasthani Folk music arranged by Votek and Dhillon originally created for Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ramnath, and the San Francisco Symphony.