Sanskriti Shrestha: Levitate ULTIMA

Nepalese and Norwegian musical traditions find new forms when Sanskriti Shrestha and her ensemble perform their new Ultima commission at MUNCH

Age limit 18 years
Doors open: 14:00
Start: 15:00

In her Ultima commission Levitate, Sanskriti Shrestha attempts to connect two different sides of her life: Nepal, her country of origin, with its own urban and secular vibrations contrasting with strong spiritual, mystical and musical traditions; and Norway, where she now works as a percussionist and composer. Shrestha is a musical adventurer on the Norwegian music scene. Her unique setup expands the melodic possibilities of the tabla, which she combines with various other percussion instruments and her own vocals. 

Shrestha has put together a large ensemble including Nepalese performers Dev Lama, Shyam Nepali and Dheeraj Shrestha on traditional instruments such as the bansuri, sarangi and madal, improvisers from the Norwegian jazz scene Anja Lauvdal, Bendik Baksaas, Andreas Wildhagen, and folk singer Synnøve Brøndbo Plassen. Wind instruments, voice, strings, electronics and percussion combine with atmospheric recordings from the cities, countryside and sound archives of Nepal. 

In collaboration with MUNCH. With the support of Kuturrådet and the Creative Europe programme of the European Union as part of Sounds Now.

Sanskriti Shrestha: tablas, voice & composition 
Synnøve Brøndbo Plassen: vocals 
Dev Lama: bansuri  
Shyam Nepali: sarangi / voice 
Anja Lauvdal: piano / synth / harmonium 
Bendik Baksaas: electronics 
Andreas Wildhagen: percussion / drums  
Dheeraj Shrestha: tablas, madal, Nepalese percussion 

Photo: Signe Fuglesteg Luksengard