UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s own Happy Valley Indian Music Festival showcases up-and-coming talent alongside veteran musicians in central Pennsylvania’s biggest Indian music festival.
This year’s event, which will run Friday, March 25 through Sunday, March 27, will give the audience an opportunity to hear a variety of musical forms and instruments preformed by classical Indian musicians.
Friday night will feature two styles of music: dhrupad and Carnatic music. The first is one of the oldest forms of Hindustani classical music and the second is the traditional form of South Indian classical music. Traditional drums are used as accompaniment, the pakhawaj and mridangam respectively. The latter performance features an ancient stringed instrument called the Saraswati veena.
Saturday night is devoted to khayal and thumri, two of the most popular forms of Hindustani classical music. Both feature improvisation and interplay between melody and rhythm. Thumri highlights the lyrics of the compositions, which tend to be romantic.
Sunday night will feature the sarod (an Indian lute) and sitar (a plucked instrument), two of Hindustani music's most popular stringed instruments. They will be accompanied by percussion on the tabla.
Performances will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, March 25, and Saturday, March 26, and at 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 27. All events will be held at the Flex Theater, located in Room 132 in the HUB-Robeson Center. Tickets are $4.99 for general admission and $4 for Penn State students.
For more details, contact 425-736-4652 or visit http://societyforindianmusicandarts.org/concert-series/.