Healing with Sound: Sufi Mysticism and Music

by Falsa
Healing with Sound: Sufi Mysticism and Music
Thu, 20 Aug 2020 (EDT)
08:00PM - 09:00PM
Event past
Artist Umer Piracha Organizer Falsa Part sound-healing, part meditation, and part interactive cultural/historical conversation. Be elevated with virtuosity and transcendence. Guests should find a comfortable spot and take a few min before the beginning of the experience to quiet the mind, leave their worries at the (virtual) door, and mindfully breathe (feel free to gather up on cushions, grab blankets and make tea). We'll begin by welcoming all, and taking a deep breathe together. ---- Sound-healing: I'll perform a vocal improvisation of a 14th century mystical poem to the sound of a healing drone (Tanpura) and a ukulele; to create a minimalist yet profound psychological space for the experience. ---- Culture Education/Reflection: I'll translate the verses, and use screen-sharing to contextualize the piece in history/culture, and discuss how the piece has been interpreted by a variety of civilizations and artists. This will involve active, meditative listening, leading to profound feelings as a deep and soulful vocabulary become emotionally familiar and the centuries come alive for the guests. ---- Conversation: Finally, I'll invite the guests to ask questions and openly share any themes and experiences they are reminded of from their own lives, and facilitate a discussion about how certain universal themes remain relevant to our contemporary times. For each experience, I'll choose no more than two pieces, each one loosely following the above format, while retaining an element of spontaneity as I remain sensitive to the energies of the guests. About the Performer: NY-based Sufi Vocalist Umer Piracha is a classically trained singer, teacher and translator of ancient Sufi (mystical/spiritual) poetry and music, that originated in the royal courts of 14th century India (and present day Pakistan). His recent accomplishments include performing at Carnegie Hall in New York with the Raga-Jazz act "Charu Suri & Friends", and being featured on NY Public Radio's "New Sounds", as part of his Sufi Fusion ensemble "Falsa": https://www.newsounds.org/story/4355-qawwali-influence/ The experience will be hosted online using Zoom and will require internet access.