DePaul African Ensemble, under the direction of faculty member Avo Randruut, will be joined by special guests, who specialize in South Asian percussion instruments, Sai Raghavan (mridangam) and  Praveen Narayan (tabla), and melody instruments, Sara Ranganathan (veena) and Lyon Leifer (bansuri),  to explore the possibilities for intercultural musical exchange between West African and South Asian musical traditions while honoring each one’s roots and distinct identity.  
 
Why five beats to peace? The number five in the Indian philosophical interpretation represents the five elements: fire, air, water, earth, and ether: in other words, the microcosm (human being). The fifth ethereal element in us has the potential to resonate with the subtle vibration of the primordial sound ‘om’ that permeates this cosmos: Translating this musically when the beats and tonic pitch beautifully align, there is a natural sense of inner balance and equilibrium, a transcendental point of connection across cultures.

This concert will be available as a livestream here. View the complete concert program here.