TV Sankaranarayanan and Sohini Ray to highlight fourth annual Happy Valley Festival

23-03-2018

It has been reported that the fourth edition of the Happy Valley Indian Performing Arts Festival of Central Pennsylvania will commence on the evenings of April 6, 7 and 8 2018 highlighted by the performances of renowned Carnatic vocalist Vidwan TV Sankaranarayanan and classical Manipuri dancer Sohini Ray. The event featuring top artists from across India will be the fruit of a joint venture by Society for Indian Music and Arts and Nritya. The locations will be around University Park and State College.

Vidwan Sankaranarayanan is famous for his music stemming from the style of Madura Mani Iyer, his late uncle as well as master. Awarded the covetous Sangeetha Kalanidhi award of the Madras Music Academy, Sankaranarayanan is specially noted for his scaling the upper notes in a pleasingly effortless manner. The Happy Valley festival will stage Vidwan Sankaranarayan's vocal on the evening of April 6, the inaugural day of the event.

Sohini Ray, the celebrated classical Manipuri dancer, researcher and anthropologist presently based in Los Angeles, United States of America is a Lestor Horton award winner, besides being Manipuri Nartanalaya's Naratan Acharya accolade winner. Sohini's key Harao-kummei presentations, Krishna-Ningshingba and Gita-Govinda have attracted great appreciation worldwide.She will adorn the evening of April 8 at the Flex Theatre.

Other artists making the event rich by their performances would be Anupama Bhagwat (Sitar Recital) on April 6 at 7.00 pm at HUB, Yakshagana Kala Vrind (Introductory performance - Understanding Yakshagana and excerpts from the Ramayana) on April 7 5 pm and 6 pm respectively at Park Forest Middle School Auditorium, Lalitha Sindhuri (Kuchipudi Dance) on April 8 at 5 pm at Flex Theatre.

Both Nitya and the Society for Indian Music and Arts are student organisations based at Penn State. Tickets are presently available and aspiring admirers of the art forms are advised to reserve their seats in advance with a view to avoid disappointment.