Sandeep Das & the HUM Ensemble
HUM Ensemble Bio
Founded by Tabla Maestro Sandeep Das in 2010 , the HUM Ensemble is a dynamic world music collective dedicated to promoting global understanding and transcending borders through the power of music. The HUM Ensemble’s debut concert took place in New Delhi and by popular demand it continued performing throughout India in major cities such as Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai. The ensemble has since expanded to a global scale, performing at venues like the Europalia Festival in Brussels, Cal Performances in Berkeley, California, and other venues throughout the US, in addition to regular invitations for residencies and masterclasses by major universities. Artists of the HUM Ensemble have performed at music festivals worldwide including the World Music Festival (Prague), WOMAD (Madrid, Incheon, Australia, and New Zealand), and the Mystic Music Festival (Turkey), among many others.
The HUM Ensemble is the performance branch of Harmony and Universality through Music (HUM), an Indian nonprofit organization founded by Sandeep Das in 2009. In addition to its performance activities, the organization also funds a scholarship for the artistic studies of visually-impaired children in India. More information about the organization's social cause is available here.
The first HUM Scholars being awarded their scholarships in 2010.
Current Touring Projects
Delhi to Damascus
Indian & Middle-Eastern Music Collaboration
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, a Sanskrit shloka, means “the world is one family.” For centuries, the human spirit has been transcending literal and figurative borders to survive and thrive. Inspired by the confluence of cultures this brings, Delhi to Damascus features clectic and soulful repertoire, a mix of new compositions and rearrangements, drawing on traditional Indian ragas, melodic Arabic maqams, philosophical Sufi poems, pulsating folk grooves, and lyrical thumri.
Taal, Raag, Mudra
Traditional Indian Classical Dance (with Live Music)
The subtle dialogue and rhythmic interplay between musician and dancer is an art form that has been cultivated and refined in India for thousands of years. Showcasing the elegant Odissi or fiery Kathak dance styles coupled with the pulsating rhythms of the Tabla, these performances have dazzled audiences across the globe with an enchanting visual display of mastery and melody.
Soul Yatra
Tabla, Erhu, & Cello Trio
Dynamic and novel, Soul Yatra is a unique collaboration that spans the three lush cultural traditions of India (Tabla), China (Erhu), and Europe/America (Cello). The upbeat repertoire of the trio dances jovially through traditional tunes, reimaginations of folk songs, and a colorful collection of original compositions and arrangements inspired by their journeys across the globe.
East Meets West
Tabla / Cello Duo
Sandeep Das & Mike Block are a groundbreaking, cross-genre duo that originally met as members of Yo-Yo Ma’s Grammy Award-winning Silk Road Ensemble. By drawing from their respective traditions and folk songs such as "Raghupati Raghava Raja Ram" and "Where the Soul Never Dies", the pair has crafted a one of a kind program that frequently tours and gives residencies at universities and schools throughout the world.
Tabla Solo
Traditional Indian Tabla Solo
A traditional Tabla solo is accompanied by a melodic instrument and constitutes an awe-inspiring glimpse into the vast heritage of the Indian rhythmic traditions by masterfully winding through spontaneous improvisations, dancing though complex Taal, and unveiling a breathtaking collection of ancient compositions that have been passed down from teacher to student for thousands of years.
Tabla Concerto
Performance w/ Orchestra
The Wijeratne Concerto for Tabla and Orchestra is a daring and innovative composition that bridges the worlds of Western and Indian Classical music, drawing equally on influences from both traditions. Roughly 30 minutes in length, the concerto begins with an fast-paced movement, progressing to a setting of a lyrical Indian folk song and concluding with an exciting final movement inspired by virtuosic Tabla compositions.
Soundscapes of India
Indian Classical & Indian Folk Music
The timeless chronicles of North Indian Classical music have touched the hearts of countless audience members in countries across the globe with an enchanting repertoire cultivated and passed down through the millennia. Through a complex web of Raga and rhythm, Soundscapes of India exemplifies that rich heritage and features a selection of some of the most well-known Ragas and folk songs of the Indian Classical repertoire.
Culturally IN-Appropriate
World Music Collaborative
A cultural extravaganza of Tabla, Oud, Piano, Qanun, Sitar, Violin, Bass, and Percussion, this stellar ensemble performs a colorful repertoire of World Music. The program consists of folk, traditional, and classical music from almost all of the countries represented by the ensemble (India, Sri Lanka, Canada, Italy, Syria, and Turkey).