MUMBAI: India has been known to be the epitome of culture and creativity and this time too it has lived up to its soubriquet. India music exponents Sarod player Anupam Joshi and Tabla player Anup Joshi will be representing India and Indian classical music at the world music and dance festival (WMDF), 2013 that is to be held in Japan from 5 August to 11 August, 2013.

Hakodate in Japan hosts one of Japan’s largest and most international music festivals. Over the last five years, they have attracted almost 1000 artists from over 30 countries, and over 100,000 audiences. The aim of the WMDF is bring together large numbers of overseas performers to the country with the idea of exploring the corridor of different cultures and getting different cultures under one roof.

Anupam and Anup who have named their group as ‘Son de Sarode’ (Sound of Sarode) will share the stage with some of the most sorted after artistes of the world.  They aim to showcase the pure form of Hindustani classical music to the world.  Speaking about the festival Anupam Joshi said, “Visual artists, bands, folklore and world music and dance groups from all over the world will gather in Hakodate and exchange world culture with each other and with festival-goers over the course of a week. Anup and I are honoured to represent the rich heritage of Hindustani classical music and Indian culture before world artistes and listeners.”

Anupam Joshi is a disciple of Pt Rajeev Taranath and Pt Tejendra Narayan Mujumdar of Maihar Gharana and Anup Joshi is training under the living legend Ustad Zakir Hussain. Both Joshi and Joshi are performing together for almost half a decade in and around the country. Son de Sarode will perform on all the 7 days of the festival and their performance will be a melange of Hindustani ragas on the strings of Sarode along with the percussion through the Tabla, said Anup Joshi.  Our performance will be a blend of ritualistic, folk and cultural expression of the sub-continent he further added

The Festival is centred on multiple outdoor concert stages in Hakodate’s Motomachi park with spectacular views in front of Hakodate mountains.  Anupam being a native level Japanese language expert on special request will also give interactive performances and lecture demonstrations to the otherwise socially secluded masses like old-age homes and orphanages.

Other than the festival the group will also be performing at the Indian embassy, Tokyo on 16 August 2013 to celebrate the 67th Independence Day of India. Indo-Japan iconic relations through Neta ji’s effort for India’s freedom with the help of the Japanese army makes it extremely special for us to be performing at this special occasion of Independence Day in none other than Japan, said Anupam. He further added that the performance will be an offering of both celebration and homage to our martyrs.

The group will also be performing at Tokyo Maharashtra Mandal and Colours of India Centre. Colours of India is an organization dedicated to send the message of Indian Diasporas to the friends of Japan by presenting wide areas of Indian culture, heritage, education & training, business opportunity.

Son de Sarode will hold the Indian flag and Indian culture high amidst colourful ensemble of different nations of the world. At one extreme, it is classical music whilst at the other extreme it is a mixture of musical genres of different regions that reflect the diversity of India and this is exactly what both Anupam Joshi and Anup Joshi will make the music lovers in japan experience.