About this Event
This concert brings to Berlin a rare and unexpected musical dialogue: Ensemble Samudra, an intercultural group that combines artistically demanding Baroque repertoire with the rhythmic subtleties of classical Indian music. At the heart of their work is a sound concept that blends historically informed performance practice, original arrangements, and newly composed works, playfully transcending cultural boundaries.
Formed in Berlin in 2024, Ensemble Samudra explores the relationships between historical playing techniques in Western and Asian-Indian musical traditions, performing as a trio of baroque violin, baroque cello, and tabla, or as a quartet with lute. The name Samudra, Sanskrit for "ocean," symbolises the vast and deep musical journeys of discovery offered by the ensemble's unique lineup. The fusion gains an unexpected lightness and vibrancy through the interplay between Western early-music specialists and an expert tabla player, performed entirely acoustically with no additional technical equipment required.
This evening's programme, India Baroque, continues the ensemble's intercultural collaboration with works by Marin Marais, Johann Paul von Westhoff, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Arcangelo Corelli, supplemented by new compositions that range from Baroque tradition to contemporary musical language, presented in an engaging and accessible way for the audience.
Since its founding, Ensemble Samudra has performed across Berlin, including at the Indian Embassy, and has received funding from the Berlin-Treptow-Köpenick district office's decentralised cultural work programme and the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion.
Kerstin Linder-Dewan (Baroque Violin) has performed extensively in India, including as a soloist on Doordarshan television, at the invitation of Lufthansa, and at the Max Mueller Bhavan (Goethe-Institut), as well as on international stages including the Royal Albert Hall, the Frick Collection in New York, and the Conde Duque in Madrid. Following her master's degree at the Guildhall School of Music in London, she performed with ensembles including The English Concert under Trevor Pinnock, The English Baroque Soloists under J.E. Gardiner, Florilegium, and the Lautten Compagney Berlin. She is currently concertmaster and soloist of Fiori Musicali in England and Concerto Brandenburg in Berlin, and performs regularly at the Berlin Philharmonie.
Ravi Srinivasan (Tabla, Voice) is a tabla player and singer who performs worldwide as a soloist and has collaborated with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Icelandic National Opera, the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mumbai, and the German National Theatre Mannheim, among others. He is also known for his distinctive whistling technique, for which he won a Special Award at the 2025 World Whistling Championships in Japan. Ravi has composed music for numerous films, theatre productions, and dance works; his ensemble Indigo Masala won the Creole World Music Award in 2006, and the film Dreams Are Like Wild Tigers, on which he performed and sang, won the German Film Music Award.
Julia Kursawe (Baroque Cello) is the artistic director of the ImPuls der Suite series for historical instruments and contemporary dance. She expands her repertoire to unusual historical instruments such as the cello piccolo, performs internationally at venues including the Konzerthaus and Philharmonie Berlin, and works with ensembles such as L'Arco Hannover, the Göttingen Baroque Orchestra, Concerto Brandenburg, and the Lautten Compagney Berlin. She founded the ensembles baroque-e-motion and Tres Morillas and collaborates closely with choreographer and dancer Yui Kawaguchi.
Join us on 11 November for an evening where Baroque tradition meets the rhythms of classical India, an ocean of musical heritage where two worlds meet in unexpected harmony.
🕒 Time: 18:00 hrs, doors open at 17:30 hrs. Please arrive early to secure your seats.
🏛️ Venue: Embassy of India, Tiergartenstraße 17, 10785 Berlin
Entry regulations:
- Entry to events at the Embassy of India, Berlin is only by registration. We reserve the right to refuse admission to any person at our discretion.
- Valid ID cards/passports having German stay permits. EU citizens may carry copies of their local registration certificate.
- Please do ensure that all details entered in the registration form are made correctly.
- Please ensure that each participant has registered separately with individual name! Multiple registrations with the same name will not be accepted.
- Entry for children above 6 years is permitted.
- No bags are permitted inside the premises due to security reasons.
- By attending the event, you grant us the right to take photographs and videos for purposes of marketing, publicity, internal documentation and social media.
Note: Children under 6 years are not permitted.
Einlassbestimmungen:
- Der Zutritt zu Veranstaltungen in der Indischen Botschaft in Berlin ist nur nach Anmeldung möglich. Wir behalten uns das Recht vor, Personen nach eigenem Ermessen den Zutritt zu verweigern.
- Gültiger Personalausweis/Reisepass mit Aufenthaltstitel für Deutschland. EU-Bürger können eine Kopie ihrer Meldebescheinigung mitbringen.
- Bitte stellen Sie sicher, dass alle im Anmeldeformular eingegebenen Angaben korrekt sind.
- Bitte stellen Sie sicher, dass sich jede/r Teilnehmer/in einzeln mit individuellem Namen registriert! Mehrfachanmeldungen mit demselben Namen werden nicht akzeptiert.
- Kinder ab 6 Jahren haben Zutritt.
- Aus Sicherheitsgründen ist das Mitführen von Taschen auf dem Gelände nicht gestattet.
- Mit der Teilnahme an der Veranstaltung erteilen Sie uns das Recht, Foto- und Videoaufnahmen für Marketing- und Werbezwecke, interne Dokumentation und soziale Medien zu machen.
Hinweis: Kinder unter 6 Jahren haben keinen Zutritt.
Event venue & nearby stays
Embassy of India, Tiergartenstraße 17, Berlin, Germany
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