Music, Meaning and Memory – an evening of South Asian music and dance

UCL Division of Psychiatry presents

Music, Meaning and Memory – an evening of South Asian music and dance

I have seen how memory loss can start to erode away at a person’s identity and impact relationships with those around them. Even when spoken language has been lost, the language of music can still allow communication and connection. This inspired me to work with Soumik Datta Arts and Akademi to see if we can express these experiences through music and dance - Dr Naaheed Mukadam.

An evening in two halves reveals how memory connects us with time and identity. 

In the first half, Aga Khan Music Award Winner, Soumik Datta shares new work in progress inspired by Dr Mukadam’s research. Titled Mone Rekho which means remember in Bengali, Soumik’s sarod captures the sound of dementia through raga collages that pulse with electronica, tabla and speech. Mone Rekho is produced by Soumik Datta Arts.

Akademi is the beating heart of South Asian dance in the UK. Founded in 1979 and funded by Arts Council England, it is a dynamic and future facing organisation, with a vision that these dance forms can thrive at the centre of British culture. Akademi Dance Artist Jesal Patel delivered a series of participatory workshops, exploring South Asian dance, music and movement, for the residents of two London care homes. Jesal’s response to the impact of these workshops on participants will be performed in the second half as an exploratory dance piece in development. 

All ticket proceeds and donations will be donated to our partners, the Alzheimer’s Society (registered charity number 296645)

Duration 2 hours inc. 20min interval