Kala Ramnath, born and raised in the southern Indian city of Chennai, represents the seventh generation of her family to play the violin. While Chennai is the heart of the Carnatic classical world, Ramnath was drawn to the North Indian Hindustani tradition, spending more than a decade studying intensively with revered Mewati vocalist Pandit Jasraj.
Her extraordinary technique and lush, singing tone have attracted fans from across the music world. American classical violinist Hilary Hahn commissioned Ramnath to contribute a piece to the Grammy Award-winning 2013 album “In 27 Pieces: The Hilary Hahn Encores.” As a classical soloist she has performed throughout the world in most major concert halls and has collaborated with the London Philharmonic, Kronos Quartet, Aarhus Jazz Orchestra, Randers Chamber Orchestra, Alonzo King “Lines” Ballet, Zakir Hussain, Giovanni Hidalgo, Edgar Meyer, and banjo star Bela Fleck. As well as film composers James Newton Howard and George Acogny.
In 2017 Ramnath received the Sangeet Academy Award, the highest honor a musician can attain in India. To quote composer Terry Riley, Kala Ramnath “ is like an angel in human form. Just to watch her play is an extraordinary thing…she’s one of the greatest musicians on the planet”.
Gwyneth Wentink
Gwyneth Wentink began her harp studies at the age of five, performed for Dutch Queen Beatrix at the tender age of ten and won the coveted Israel International Harp Contest at seventeen, one of many awards including the International Nippon Harp Competition, the Gulbenkian Prize and the Torneo Internacional in Rome. As a harpist both classical and experimental, Gwyneth Wentink has performed in Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center; Royal Albert Hall and Royal Opera in London; the Konzerthaus in Berlin and Concertgebauw in Amsterdam. Praised for her versatility, Wentink introduced the harp into classical Indian music, and performs regularly with greats like Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Kala Ramnath and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. Terry Riley, Theo Loevendie, Marius Flothuis and George Brooks have all composed works for her unique abilities.
Wentink is currently principal harpist of the Orchestra Revolutionaire et Romantique and the English Baroque Soloists under Sir John Eliot Gardiner. Their 2017 world tour was declared by both the New York Times and the London Times as the best classical concerts of 2017.
"Gwyneth Wentink Is A Splendid Harpist With A Virtuoso's Flair And Technique…She Commands A Truly Amazing Range Of Dynamics Colors And Nuances.” – New York Concert Review
George Brooks is a prolific and diverse saxophonist and composer, acclaimed for successfully bridging the worlds of jazz and Indian classical music. He is the founder of several important Indian fusion groups including Summit with Zakir Hussain and Steve Smith, Bombay Jazz with Larry Coryell and Ronu Majumdar and the Kirwani Quartet with Dutch harpist Gwyneth Wentink and Indian flute maestro Hariprasad Chaurasia.
Brooks deep understanding of raga has lead to collaborations with many of Indias most respected artists. He has performed at major festivals throughout India and was a featured soloist on John McLaughlins 2008, Grammy nominated Floating Point CD. His facility with genre bending music has led to distinctive collaborations with Terry Riley, Yo-Yo Ma, The Mark Morris Dance Company and Merchant/Ivory Productions. Admired as an innovator, Brooks remains grounded in American vernacular music and has worked with blues greats Etta James, Albert Collins and Roy Rogers, R&B legends the Temptations, Mary Wilson and the Shirelles, jazz innovators Henry Kaiser, Wadada Leo Smith, Anthony Braxton and Jaki Byard and contemporary singer song writers Jackie Greene, Barbara Higbie, and Leni Stern.
Brooks has performed on many of the worlds great stages including the Barbican and Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Esplanade in Singapore and the Hong Kong Cultural Center. He has appeared at major international festivals throughout North America, Europe, India and Japan.
