Internationally acclaimed First Nations Australian composer and didgeridoo virtuoso William Barton has joined Indian sitar maestro Pandit Shubhendra Rao for Sacred Pathways: Where Ragas Meet Songlines, a four-city concert tour celebrating the cultural connections between Australia and India through music.
I think both of us agree on that,” says Shubhendra. Speaking to Chennai Times, the musicians say the sitar and didgeridoo are deeply rooted in the cultures of India and Australia, respectively. “Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, had this thought: to express the two cultures and highlight their commonalities, these two instruments would perhaps be the best.
The concert will be an exploration rather than a rigidly structured performance, says Shubhendra. “We will build a musical framework and then help each other travel through the concert. William’s music goes much deeper, with its cultural and historical references and philosophy. That’s the sacred space we want to share with the audience,” he shares.