Sangata

Writing together a Franco-Indian adventure

Some write travel diaries. As far as Thierry Pécou is concerned, his wanderings turn into musical scores.

Le Figaro, 2018

Sangata means sheer connivance. This word of Sanskrit origin reflects what took place on stage in 2019. Three distinguished young Indian artists, Rishab Prasanna, Bansuri flute, Ragini Shankar, Indian violin, Amaan Ali, tabla, and Thierry Pécou, accompanied by two of his Ensemble Variances musicians, Anne Cartel, flute, and Carjez Gerretsen, clarinet, embarked on an intercultural musical dialogue of great depth and sheer joy marked by fusion and dialogue between Hindustani classical music and Thierry Pécou’s writing.
Not only is the enthusiastic audience captivated and moved by the soft and enticing moods, the exhilarating moments created by the rhythm of the tabla, a blend of impromptu sequences and portions as established in Thierry Pécou’s music score, but the enthused artists themselves feel there is still much more to come.

Sangata#2 or the step forward

Sangata#2 or the step forward that leads to a truly joint creation by Thierry Pécou and Rishab Prasanna. The young Bansuri flutist, who comes from a Hindu family from Benares boasting of six generations of musicians, and was recently hailed in the press as ‘A radiant flute all the way from India’ (La Croix, July 2019), will be combining his creativity with Thierry Pécou’s creativity, to give rise to a music that will be undoubtedly stunning, undoubtedly humanistic, but which, above all, will be pervaded by the friendship that binds the French and Indian musicians. This program will be a concert-length unique creation, a moment where the present shall become a present of sharing.

Some pictures

Performance at L'Estive, scène nationale de Foix et de l'Ariège (© L'Estive / Pamela Perschke)
Performance at L'Estive, scène nationale de Foix et de l'Ariège (© L'Estive / Pamela Perschke)
Performance at L'Estive, scène nationale de Foix et de l'Ariège (© L'Estive / Pamela Perschke)
Performance at L'Estive, scène nationale de Foix et de l'Ariège (© L'Estive / Pamela Perschke)
Performance at L'Estive, scène nationale de Foix et de l'Ariège (© L'Estive / Pamela Perschke)
Performance at L'Estive, scène nationale de Foix et de l'Ariège (© L'Estive / Pamela Perschke)
Performance at L'Estive, scène nationale de Foix et de l'Ariège (© L'Estive / Pamela Perschke)

The cast

Guest artists

Ragini Shankar violin
Rishab Prasanna bansuri flute
Amaan Ali Khan tabla
or
Joyeeta Sanyal Margarit sitar
Rishab Prasanna bansuri flute
Nabankur Bhattacharya tabla

Ensemble Variances

Anne Cartel flute
Carjez Gerretsen clarinet
Thierry Pécou keyboards

Videos

Interview

Thierry Pécou was interviewed by Gabrielle Oliveira Guyon broadcast on France Musique on 22 March 2024.

Album Sangata

Reviews

Inventive and surprisingly familiar music, Sangata offers both hedonistic and profound pleasure. It deserves the standing ovation it received from the public.

Le Monde, 2018

Each of his ragas weaves the same magic and draws the audience into an exhilarating swirl.

La Croix, 2019

Pécou’s music, seductive and inventive, and exudes a feeling of altruism, is ideal for an intercultural encounter.

Sud Ouest, 2019

Staring off as an opportunity, the fusion of cultures ended up becoming a remarkable performance.

Rouen Mag, 2019

Informations

Co-production Alliance Française de Delhi / Ensemble Variances / Kalasetu.

Photo by Jeswin Thomas / Freepik