Manduka International Site

November 9th, 2011

Karmanica Events

Talent is inspiring. It's natural that we are drawn to talented people. We all possess an intuitive skill to recognize the excellence found in other people's passions - their music, their movement, their acting, or even abilities not typically considered artistic, such as the ability to speak through one's actions - Mother Teresa being the perfect example. At Manduka, there is a community of passionate people working together, committed to excellence, and being in their presence is inspiring (and contagious!). This Thursday & Friday evenings, Manduka is a proud sponsor for karmaNICA's two fundraising concert & yoga events - the first in Miami (U-night!) on 11.10.11, and the second in Santa Monica we R all 1! on 11.11.11, which will feature three amazing "talents" for the evening's music - Steve Gold and Masood Ali Khan @ weRall1, and Xavier Gonzalez @ U-night. I reached out to each of them this week and posed them this question - "You are obviously inspired by the music that comes out of you. How does your inspiration effect those that hear your music?" Here are their replies:

Steve - "My music is often experienced as a revelation to many listeners. My initial inspiration is to build community through group singing. While performing live I have witnessed community opening their hearts while joined together in song. Their tears of joy and release feeds my inspiration and we all feel more connected as a result."

Masood - "I feel fortunate and grateful to have been introduced to the hang (pronounced "hung"), a unique percussive instrument that carries etheric qualities when played by itself, or accompanied by voice or other instrumentation. As my understanding and relationship to it has become more intimate, the sounds and music it produces through me has profoundly influenced me, as a musician and person. I have seen the same influence it has had on my audiences, where it produces a beautiful bonding of hearts and a true experience of community through sound."

Xavier - "Over the last few years, I have observed in response to our music how people are affected differently. There are those who focus and zone in on our unique technique and instrumentation, where they become introspective and it creates a meditative experience for them, and then there are others who get into the feeling of the music - the rhythm and fiery beat of our music, and it arouses something in them to get up and expressively move their bodies. It has been a beautiful experience to see this influence on audiences."

To get tickets for the events - for MIAMI, click here; for SANTA MONICA, click here.

To learn more about karmaNICA and view their latest video of their initiative in Nicaragua, click here.