Singaporean flautist Niranjan Pandian (right) was among “10 extraordinary musicians” from South-east Asia who performed at a regional concert in Vietnam last Sunday.
And he will be performing at the China-Asean Music Festival in Nanning, China, tomorrow.
“Representing Singapore in the prestigious concert and festival is a moment of immense pride for me as I can spread the sound of the bansuri across the region while showcasing the instrument’s flexibility,” said the 30-year-old.
“Collaborating and showcasing Singapore’s diverse and rich culture have become a way of life for me. It is wonderful that even though I am from a minority group, I get to do this at a regional level.”
At the Vietnam concert held at the Vietnam National Academy of Music in Hanoi, Niranjan performed a composition by Dr Joe Peters, an independent music scholar based in Singapore, in the Hindustani raga desh.
Niranjan has been under the tutelage of Dr Peters and Carnatic violinist and Singapore Indian Orchestra and Choir founder Lalitha Vaidyanathan since 2015.
“I played the bansuri and venu to showcase Singapore’s multi-ethnic soundscape by changing performance methodologies,” said Niranjan, who has performed with the orchestra and choir.
Singapore’s Ambassador to Vietnam Jaya Ratnam, who attended the concert in Hanoi, described it as a wonderful mix of sounds.
Niranjan, who started playing the flute at age 10, has performed at major concerts in South-East Asia and China over the past eight years, including the Shanghai International Spring Music Festival (2017), Bangkok Art Biennale (2018), 35th Asean Summit Digital Concert (2019) and Asean 50th Anniversary Concert in Jakarta (2021). He has also had a hand in composing and directing, in addition to playing the flute.
Niranjan is now a leading figure for the arts, music and culture in South-east Asia as he has popularised the sounds of Indian bamboo flutes in novel ways, displaying his versatility and ability to collaborate across genres and disciplines.
He accompanies Indian classical music and dance performers in Malaysia and India, and has collaborated with local musicians at events such as the Thailand Official Countdown 2016, Bakshi Arts International Festival 2019 in Uzbekistan and Great Mandolin Show 2023 in Chennai, India.
As a composer, Niranjan has clinched numerous awards for his songs, including the Tamil numbers Enadhu Tamizhe, Thadai Edhuvai and Suttum Vizhi. He has put up concerts in collaborations with organisations such as the National Arts Council and Tamil Language Learning and Promotion Committee.
The recipient of the prestigious NAC Arts Scholarship directs four ensembles under the group Brahmastra.
At the music festival in China tomorrow, Niranjan will showcase his proficiency in a few styles of music, including Western. He will then return to Singapore and perform at his own concert, Ainthinai, at the Goodman Arts Centre on Nov 4 and 5.
