Riverside Ragas: Soumik Datta – Melodies In Slow Motion
Nature. Music. Cinema for the ears.
This show is an immersive “ear cinema” experience layering biological soundscapes, field recordings, and new Indian classical music.
Winner of the Aga Khan Music Award, Soumik Datta merges his 19-stringed sarod with the hidden rhythms of the earth, decoding the secret languages of the natural world. From the choir of cicadas to underground mycelial networks, this show translates microscopic biological movements into a cinematic, slow-motion journey, underscored by a band of virtuosos on violin, mridangam, and tabla beats.
This urgent, colourful performance bridges the divide between human art and biological intelligence. Drawing on his role as an Earth Day Network Ambassador, Soumik’s work serves as a powerful reflection of our place within the living world, driven by deep climate action.
Melodies in Slow Motion is commissioned by the British Council and co-produced by Soumik Datta Arts and G5A Warehouse Mumbai, with support from Pratham Creativity Club and Earth Day Network.
Presented by GemArts and The Glasshouse
Need to know
Venue: Sage Two Theatre Layout
Price: Adult £22.50 // 16 & under £11.30. Family tickets (4 people; combination of adults and children) £45. A limited number of Bar 10 tickets are available for this show, offering ticket buyers aged 18-30 a £10 ticket and bottle of Coors or a soft drink.
Stage Times: Announced closer to show time.
Age: Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult.
Watch
Play video
Performance Credits
Soumik Datta, sarod and composition (UK/India)
Soumik Datta’s an internationally acclaimed, multi-award-winning sarod virtuoso, composer, broadcaster and cultural director redefining the reach of Indian music through immersive technology and global collaboration. He’s student of the legendary maestro Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta. Datta is also the Artistic Director of Soumik Datta Arts (SDA), a National Portfolio Organisation supported by Arts Council England. SDA operates as a high-impact cultural production house, blending creative innovation with systemic social advocacy.
Soumik’s creative portfolio spans major commissions from the BBC Singers, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Albert Hall, BBC Proms, and Southbank Centre. Hhe has a landmark production trilogy. Mone Rekho, an exploration of music and memory. Travellers, a sonic study of migration. And Melodies in Slow Motion, a British Council commission responding to the global environmental crisis.
Sayee Rakshith, violin (Chennai, India)
Sayee Rakshith S is a violinist, composer, music producer, and arranger from Chennai, India. Trained under Sangeetha Kalanidhi Padmashree Kumari A. Kanyakumari, he’s performed extensively in India and abroad, accompanying leading Carnatic musicians and collaborating across diverse musical genres. As a member of the band Staccato, he’s contributed to innovative concert productions and interdisciplinary artistic projects. Sayee’s also worked on over 30 feature films with acclaimed composers including M.M. Keeravani and G.V. Prakash. A recipient of several prestigious honours, including the Shri Shanmukhananda Bharat Ratna Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi Fellowship and awards from the Music Academy, Madras, his work bridges classical tradition with contemporary musical expression.
Debjit Patitundi, tabla (West Bengal, India)
Debjit started his musical journey as a child prodigy, tutored by his father Shri Amal Patitundi then Pandit Sankha Chatterjee, legendary tabla maestro Pandit Subhankar Banerjee and now Tabla Maestro Pandit Yogesh Samsi.
Debjit regularly performs in India and abroad, appearing at major festivals like London Jazz Festival, Darbar Festival, World Music Festival in Madrid and India By The Bay Festival in Hongkong etc.
Debjit’s won many awards including a President Gold Medal from the Government of India.
Sumesh Narayanan, mridangam and percussion (Chennai, India)
Sumesh Narayanan’s one of the best Carnatic percussionists of the current generation. He’s trained with Mridangam Maestro Sangita Kalanidhi Dr Thiruvaarur Bakthavathsalam for two decades and continues to learn from him. Sumesh is a rare musician who aspires to master the rich traditions of the mridangam oeuvre in the Carnatic style while retaining an open and larger world view. This allows him to make vital contributions to many innovative and cross disciplinary projects.
Shaunak Gosavi (Videography and Photography)
Shaunak Gosavi is a videographer and photographer known for his distinctive visual storytelling and ability. Working across live performances, cultural events, Indian classical arts, and contemporary digital content, he brings a thoughtful and cinematic approach to every project.
Over the years, he’s collaborated with acclaimed artists and organisations including the British Council, Earth Day Network, Teamwork Arts, G5A, Soumik Datta Arts, and Pratham Creativity Club.
