SacredSounds

A special concert of vocals,

music, spoken word, visuals
and animation
Alchemy and SAA-uk present

SIKH MUSIC TRADITIONS AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR

Men of the 15th Sikhs performing Kirtan (devotional songs) in a French barn
Le Sart, 24th July 1915
B/W photo H.D. Girdwood
British Library, London, UK/Bridgeman Images
BL 3474357

in association with The Network of

Sikh Organisations.
Sacred Sounds tells some of the
largely forgotten stories of
British Indias role in the First
World War. Over one million
Indian combatants and non-
combatants participated in this
devastating event. Of these just
under 100,000 were Sikhs an
astonishingly high number
considering they represented a
tiny percentage of Indias
population. Inspired by an
evocative photograph of Sikh
soldiers performing Gurbani
Kirtan or Shabads (Sikh sacred
hymns) in a French barn, this
live concert showcases the
music that these soldiers took
with them to camp and
battlefield.
The concert explores some of
the many narratives of this
period the timeless and
transcendent beauty of the
Shabads themselves; the power
of the letters exchanged
between Sikh soldiers and their
families and the vivid individual
stories they tell; the forthright
and often anguished voices of
the women of the Punjab
through fragments of folk
ballads - including a mothers
lament for a departing son; the
brusque recruitment songs that
the British commissioned as
well as new spoken word
elements. Sacred Sounds is
further brought to life by award-
winning writer, artist and film-
maker Imtiaz Dharkers powerful
poetry and drawings, enhanced
by Jack Lockharts animation. A
cinematic backdrop of images
promises to make this a thought
provoking and memorable
experience. Sacred Sounds will
be launched at the Royal
Armouries in Leeds before
embarking on its national tour.
Concert Performances
Kirpal Singh Panesar (strings and vocals); Keertan Kaur Rehal
(vocals and harmonium); Vijay Venkat (strings); Christella Litras
(vocals and spoken word); Joe Williams (spoken word);
Ravneet Sehra (vocals and spoken word); Prabhjot Singh Gill
(percussion); Robert Green (spoken word); Poetry and images
by Imtiaz Dharker, animated by Jack Lockhart.
Concert duration including interval approximately 120 minutes;
this might vary slightly in different venues
Saturday, 3rd June 2017
1st performance: 12.00 1.15 p.m.
2nd performance: 2.30 3.45 p.m.
Cast, Waterdale, Doncaster, DN1 3BU
To book a ticket please ring 01302 303959
or visit https://castindoncaster.com/whats-on/music/sacred-
sounds
Sunday, 2nd July 2017
2.30 4.30 p.m.
Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Grant Street, Bradford, BD3 9HD
All welcome. To confirm a place or for further information
please ring SAA-uk on 0113 2445523.
Monday, 17th July 2017
7.00 9.00 p.m.
Sage Gateshead in partnership with GemArts, NE8 2JR
To book a ticket please ring 0191 4434661
or email ticket.office@sagegateshead.com
The suite of Sacred Sounds events in the North East, the
concert, Gurdwara salon and national seminar are part of the
Masala Festival curated by GemArts; for more information
please ring GemArts on 0191 4404124
sagegateshead.com
Saturday, 22nd July 2017
7.30 9.30 p.m.
Birmingham Town Hall
Victoria Square, Birmingham B3 3DQ
To book a ticket please ring 0121 7803333
or email boxoffice@thsh.co.uk
Thursday, 12th October 2017
7.30 9.30 p.m.
Ilkley Playhouse, Weston Road, Ilkley, LS29 8DW
To book a ticket please ring 01943 816714
or visit www.ilkleyliteraturefestival.org.uk
from Tuesday 29th August 2017 onwards
Wednesday, 15th November 2017
2.00 4.00 p.m.
Royal Armouries, Armouries Drive, Leeds, LS10 1LT
Free but booking essential.
Please visit http://sacredsoundsuk.eventbrite.co.uk to book
a place
Please note this is a Relaxed Performance,
suitable for all audiences, including dementia sufferers
Salon Performances
The salons showcase some of the Shabads, vocals
and spoken word performances from the main
concert, followed by discussions with artists about their This second national seminar explores the viability of
creative journeys. Salon duration: 60 minutes
Friday, 30th June 2017
7.00 8.00 p.m.
Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ),
Darbar Room, 2nd Floor, Lady Pit Lane,
Leeds, LS11 6DP
All welcome. To confirm a place or for further
information please ring SAA-uk on 0113 2445523.
Sunday, 16th July 2017
12.30 1.30 p.m.
Gurdwara Singh Sabha, 12 Mansfield Street,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5RN
All welcome. To confirm a place or for further
information please ring SAA-uk on 0113 2445523.
Friday, 21st July 2017
6.30 7.30 p.m.
Nishkam Civic Association, 6 Soho Road,
Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 9BH
All welcome. To confirm a place or for further
information please ring SAA-uk on 0113 2445523.
Seminars and Conferences
The partners will be hosting an international
conference and two national seminars, exploring
different facets of Sacred Sounds and the process of
breathing life into abstract ideas. We will excavate a
wealth of back stories including the balancing of
cultural sensitivity with artistic freedom, the securing of she produced for Sacred Sounds. Vocals and spoken
credible research material, multi-disciplinary curation, word by Christella Litras and Robert Green.
production, collaboration, intensive audience
engagement and legacy. These events are designed for Sacred Sounds.
to engage both people working within the cultural,
education and faith sectors as well as general
members of the public.
Monday, 17th July 2017
10.30 a.m. 12.30 p.m.
Gurdwara Singh Sabha, 12 Mansfield Street,
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 5RN
This first national seminar explores content creation
for a project involving multiple and sometimes
conflicting viewpoints about cultural, religious and
historical contexts. It will also explore how such a
project might lend itself to longitudinal academic
evaluation and the strategies needed for the
retention of new audiences.
All welcome. To confirm a place or for further
information please ring SAA-uk on 0113 2445523.
Free but booking essential. Please visit
https://sacredsoundsuk-seminarone.eventbrite.co.uk
Wednesday, 20th September 2017
11.30 a.m. 2.30 p.m.
Nishkam Civic Association, 6 Soho Road,
Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 9BH
cultural and community centres as well as places of
worship playing the role of Presenting Houses for
appropriate, high quality arts events.
Free but booking essential. Please visit
https://sacredsoundsuk-seminartwo.eventbrite.co.uk
Wednesday, 11th October 2017
10 a.m. 5 p.m.
Royal Armouries, Armouries Drive, Leeds,
LS10 1LT
This international conference explores the fascinating
stories behind the making and showcasing of Sacred
Sounds involving artists, historians, academics, arts
administrators and above all communities of people,
particularly the Sikh community.
Free but booking essential. Please visit
https://sacredsoundsuk-intconf.eventbrite.co.uk
Other Events
There will be a number of other events including artists
in conversation, artist-led workshops and general
workshops. Not all of these are listed below because
they are still being finalised, so please visit
www.alchemyanew.co.uk for updated information.
Thursday, 13th July 2017
4.00 5.30 p.m.
School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural
Studies (FAHACS), University Road, Leeds,
LS2 9JT
A Sense of Line: When Word Becomes Image.
Readings by poet and artist Imtiaz Dharker of the works
Opportunity to view drawings by Imtiaz also produced
Free but booking essential. Please visit
https://sacredsoundsuk-sol.eventbrite.co.uk to book
a place.
Saturday 19 Aug
12.00 p.m.
Concert Broadcast, Big Screen, Millennium Square,
Leeds
All welcome
Tuesday, 12th December 2017
11.30 a.m. 3.30 p.m.
Royal Armouries, Armouries Drive, Leeds,
LS10 1LT
What Next? Venue, community and audience partners
as well as artists come together to explore issues of
sustainability and legacy as well as the forging of new
partnerships for the development of other projects.
Free but booking essential. Please visit
https://sacredsoundsuk-legacyplenary.eventbrite.co.uk
SacredSounds
SIKH MUSIC TRADITIONS AND THE FIRST WORLD WAR
We would like to thank the following We gratefully acknowledge the generous support
individuals for their generosity in supporting
of Arts Council National Strategic Touring
Sacred Sounds:
Programme.
Balbir Singh Panesar, Bradford
Bhajan Singh Panesar, Bradford
Chana Glass Ltd, Bradford
Gian Singh Panesar, Bradford
Gurucharan Singh Sura, Surasam
Consultants
Harsimran Kaur Sohanpaul, Leeds
Jaswinder Singh, Bradford Bazaar
Kulwinder Kaur and Mohinder Singh Chana
Malkit Singh Panesar, Bradford
Siddhu and Co: Chartered Certified
Accountants
Sukhdev Singh & Baldev Kaur Notay
Taranjit Singh Jandoo, Safe Spark Electrical

Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Newcastle

Nishkam Civic Association, Birmingham

Soldier of the 15th Sikhs,

Imperial War Museum;
First World War
Photo
Q 54947