Olympia, WA - September 08, 2009 - The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission Folk Arts in the Parks Program invites the public to attend a free Indian classical music performance 2 p.m. Sept. 20 at Peace Arch State Park in Blaine. In the event of bad weather, the concert will be held in the American Kitchen.
The performance will feature world-renowned sitar master Pandit Debi Prasad Chatterjee of Kolkata, India accompanied by master tablas-player Vishal D. Nagar of Delhi, India. Chatterjee was a disciple of the great maestros Usted Ali Akbar Khan and the late Pandit Nikhil Banerjee for 20 years. A recipient of the President’s Award from President Dr. S. Radhakrishnan of India, Pandit Chatterjee has performed in 15 countries. He is a professor at Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata and was the head of their Department of Instrumental Music and Percussion for five years. He has also taught at universities around the world and most recently at the Intercultural School of Music in Venice, Italy.
Mr. Nagar was raised in a famous musical family in Delhi and is renowned for the melodic sounds he produces in his percussion on the tablas. He has taught and demonstrated in schools around the world and his music can be heard in Harrison Ford’s award-winning documentary film, “Dalai Lama Renaissance.”
This performance is the fifth of the Peace Arch Asian Concert Series that celebrates Asian cultures in the Pacific Northwest. Previous concerts featured dance and music performers from the Korean, Japanese, Filipino and Chinese cultures.
Peace Arch State Park is located adjacent to the Peace Arch Port of Entry at Blaine, Washington and Douglas, British Columbia, where B.C. Highway 99 and U.S. Interstate Highway 5 connect. This international park is about 30 miles (40 km.) south of Vancouver, BC, and about 112 miles north of Seattle. Although the park is on the American side, Canadian residents may attend the free concert without going through U.S. Customs and Immigration formalities by parking at the Peace Arch Provincial Park parking lot by the Beach Road intersection at the southern end of BC Highway 99, walking into the park, and following the signs. The park is accessed from the American side off I-5 Exit 276. To download a park location map visit www.peacearchpark.org/concerts.htm. Because the park is on the border, it is recommended that visitors carry proof of U.S. or Canadian residency or a passport.
This concert series is part of the fifth season of a broader series of events celebrating Washington's diverse cultures. The Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program is a partnership between the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Washington State Arts Commission and Northwest Heritage Resources. Funding support is provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, Northwest Heritage Resources, the Washington State Arts Commission and the Washington State Parks Foundation. For a full schedule of the Folk and Traditional Arts in the Parks Program’s events, please visit www.parks.wa.gov/events.
These events are accessible to persons with disabilities. If special accommodations are required in order to attend the event, please call (360) 902-8526 or (360) 332-8221 or the Washington Telecommunications Relay Service (800) 833-6388. Requests must be made in advance.
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission thanks the public for supporting state parks. Donations made to State Parks through the vehicle license tab renewal program starting with September 2009 renewals will keep state parks open in the 2009-2011 budget cycle, provided adequate revenues are collected. The Commission manages a diverse system of more than 100 state parks and recreation programs, including long-distance trails, boating safety and winter recreation. The 96-year-old park system will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2013.
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Media Contact:
Jens Lund: (360) 902-8526
Christina Alexander: (360) 332-7009
Jason Snow, Ranger, Peace Arch State Park: (360) 332-8221
Wash. Telecommunications Relay Service: (800) 833-6388
STATE OF WASHINGTON
WASHINGTON STATE PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION
1111 Israel Road SW.
P.O. Box 42650
Olympia, Wash. 98504-2650
(360) 902-8500