Science faculty member launches new live musical showcase at Paul Robeson Cultural and Performing Arts Center

An associate professor in the John W. Garland College of Engineering, Science, Technology, and Agriculture (JWGCESTA) has invited an esteemed and diverse slate of musicians and dancers to perform on campus for a ticketed event at Paul Robeson Culture and Performing Arts Center at Central State University, 1400 Brush Row Road, Wilberforce, on Aug. 27. 

Research Associate Professor of Food Nutrition and Health Pratibha Gupta, Ph.D, said a “truly exceptional musical extravaganza” will spotlight the talents of an ever-growing roster of intercultural singers, instrumentalists, and dancers. The concert will begin at 3 p.m. and will conclude at 6:30 p.m. 

Gupta, who is personally producing all facets of the afternoon’s proceedings, has brought together the Cincinnati-based NrityArpana School of Performing Arts (NSPA) and her own Dayton-based management/entertainment company, A3P Connections (A3P), for what she hopes will allow patrons to be “transported to the mesmerizing music world.”  

Performances will feature: 

• Traditional Shenai player Janab Hassan Haider Khan, a grandson of Shenai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan.

• Sitar virtuoso Vidushi Mita Nag. 

• Grammy-nominated percussionist Pandit Subhen Chatterjee. 

• Guest speakers, Central State President Alex Johnson, Ph.D., and Wright State University President Sue Edwards, Ph.D. 

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Boxed snacks will be available for purchase during intermission. 

Nrityarpana, a nonprofit Indian arts organization, is a 501(c3) that has received partial funding support for its outreach activities from the Ohio Arts Council, a state funding agency. Partner ArtsWave is a local foundation dedicated to bringing diversity to the Dayton-Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky region. 

Tickets for “Saaz Aur Awaaz 2023” are $15 for general admission and $10 for students and older adults ages 65 and older and may be purchased on the event website through Aug. 21.  

Gupta met her partner, fellow scientist and NrityArpana Executive Director/Artistic Director/choreographer Anupa Mirle, on “Saaz Aur Awaaz 2023,” 14 years ago, when Gupta’s daughter wanted to attend dance school. A robust friendship was forged, and now Gupta, who is also a notable singer-songwriter, and Mirle aspire to bring the music of their own passions and culture to the students of Central State, the community of Wilberforce, and its surrounding area.

“I’m very much dedicated to culture,” Gupta said. “Culture brings community together. And we must understand that wherever we’ve come from, we must inherit that culture. Because, if we don’t, it will be lost. ‘Bringing culture and people together’ is my motto.” 

Being scientists and researchers, Gupta and Mirle believe that while they pursue speculative work for a better tomorrow, they must also remember to look backward to their shared Indian heritage, which they believe, with this upcoming musical experience, will entice students and community members alike to similarly look back to where they have come from and their own heritage. 

“Paul Robeson is one of my favorite venues I’ve ever been to,” Gupta said. “What better place to bring together these world-class performers than at such a space, which will also show the larger region what Central State itself can offer in terms of live performances and events? We are therefore showcasing both the talents of the performers and the facilities of Central State.” 

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Gupta’s and Mirle’s goal for the showcase is to bring together more than Indian musicians, singers, and dancers, and are as such welcoming a variety of other cultural performers — some coming from as far as Toledo and even New York — to join in on a lineup that grows even now.  

“I have already lost some very talented students to New York and California,” Mirle said. “It is our goal to retain performers and showcase them here in Ohio, in our region where we live, and to give them a platform where they can perform in an elite venue such as Paul Robeson. Such cross-cultural activities also attract more high-level students, which we’re also hoping will happen with an event like this, too.” 

Those who want to participate in the showcase may contact Gupta and Mirle through the event website.  

Gupta’s and Mirle’s intention is for “Saaz Aur Awaaz 2023” — “Saaz” meaning “instrument” and “Aur Awaaz” meaning “voice” — to be the first of many such events that will bring together music and dance from all over the world and from various eras of the past to Central State for years to come. They are already working on “Saaz Aur Awaaz 2024,” with slots open for those who want to be a part of that showcase next year.