Festival to present Indian folk melodies with contemporary twist

New Delhi : The 10th edition of Lok Sangeet Sammelan, with its theme of finding the contemporary in folk music, is all set to begin at the India Habitat Centre (IHC) here from Saturday.

The two-day music affair has been curated by noted vocalist and composer Vidya Shah and will explore the theme of "contemporary narratives in traditional folk music".

It will bring together a range of folk musicians, along with their urban counterparts, with some of them even dabbling in western rock music, the organisers said.

The festival will feature presentations of folk songs from Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur, along with contemporary adaptations of folk melodies from Assam, Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan.

In addition, a band of tribal students from Madhya Pradesh is scheduled to perform "Bhili" or "Bhilali" songs based on contemporary themes of struggle, protest and everyday life.

It will conclude on August 19, with renditions of Bihar's folk melodies.

Now running in its 10th year, the Sammelan is a festival promoting the diverse folk music of India.

Entry is free for all the concerts.