The University of Texas at Dallas Art & Performance Season will open with a concert by classical artists Satish Vyas and Mukundraj Deo on Saturday, Aug. 25, at 8 p.m. in the University Theatre. The event is co-sponsored by the Indian Classical Music Circle (ICMC).
Vyas, a famous santoor (hammered dulcimer) player, has performed throughout the world. A concert review in the Indian Express noted his “hands strayed into perfection” during a performance. He has helped popularize the santoor in remote places by performing in small villages and towns in addition to major cities. In 1997, Vyas was the only non-Western instrumentalist invited by the European Mozart Foundation to perform at the Mostra Mozart Festival in Venice. He also displayed his versatility by performing as a guest musician with the jazz/world music fusion group, Silk, at a concert in London. In 2003, the government of India gave Vyas the Padma Shri Award to recognize his contributions in the field of instrumental music.
Deo, a respected tabla artist, has performed internationally as a soloist and as an accompanist to many well-known instrumentalists, vocalist and Kathak dancers. He has accompanied artists such as Nataraj Gopikrishna, Begum Parveen Sultana, Arti Alkalikar-Tikekar, Prabha Atre, Ustad Rais Khan, Prabhakar Karekar, Birjoo Maharaj and Kartik Kumar. Deo studied with Brijraj Mishra of Banaras Gharana and Mridangraj of Ajrada Gharana. In 1990, the government of India awarded him a National Scholarship and, nine years later, awarded him a National Fellowship.
More information about the concert is available at http://ah.utdallas.edu/season0708/icmc.htm or http://www.icmcdfw.org.
Tickets for the show are $20 for general admission and free at the door to UT Dallas students, staff and faculty with a valid comet card. ICMC members and guests may also receive free tickets. Students from other universities are $10. For advance ticket purchases using Visa, MasterCard or Discover, please call 214-336-3459.
For information about the many musical, arts, theatre, dance and other performances and exhibitions held throughout the year at UT Dallas, please call 972-UTD-ARTS (972-883-2787) or e-mail utdarts@utdallas.edu. Persons with disabilities needing special accommodations may call 972-883-2982, Texas Relay Operator: 1-800-RELAYVV.
About the School of Arts & Humanities
The School of Arts & Humanities at UT Dallas offers a dynamic and integrated approach to education that fosters the critical, creative and communicative skills necessary for success in the culturally diverse, technologically rich and change-intensive environment of the 21st Century. For additional information about the School of Arts & Humanities, please visit the website at http://ah.utdallas.edu.
About UT Dallas
The University of Texas at Dallas, located at the convergence of Richardson, Plano and Dallas in the heart of the complex of major multinational technology corporations known as the Telecom Corridor, enrolls more than 14,500 students. The school’s freshman class traditionally stands at the forefront of Texas state universities in terms of average SAT scores. The university offers a broad assortment of bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs. For additional information about UT Dallas, please visit the university’s website at www.utdallas.edu.
Contact: Kristi Barrus, UT Dallas, (972) 883-2972, kristi.barrus@utdallas.edu