Dr Dara O’Brien is a composer, performer (sitar, guitar), music educator and music therapist. He completed his doctoral studies at UCC School of Music and Theatre where he teaches Indian classical music, sitar and improvisation. Dara has extensive experience composing music for contemporary dance and film/video art. He co-directs the Indian Classical Music Society of Ireland. His performances Indian classical music, ‘fusion’ and experimental projects and psychedelic rock 'n roll (National Concert Hall, Festival of World Cultures, Electric Picnic, Bray Jazz Festival, The View, RTE 1 television, music for dance). Dara has worked with Common Ground and as a MUS-E artist, exploring alternative arts education for the disadvantaged and currently works in the field of autism as a music therapist.
“…extraordinary musician and composer…the genius of amazing Irish instrumentalist Dara O’Brien.” Patrick Brennan, Irish Examiner
Hi Dara. We listened to your music in class this morning and we found it very relaxing and enjoyable. From all the boys and girls in 1st class in SMOTI.
Lovely piece and great back story. Thank you Dara from a Romani Irishman in Spain. PS Thinking ahead to what piece of music to play at our Ruby Anniversary (and reading by chance this morning that the Tibetan word RAGA means Ruby)...plus being a lover of classical Indian ragas...I went looking to see if there was one called the Ruby Raga. And here I am with you. Isn't the internet absolutely incredible sometimes. Thank you. Please pass this message on to Dara.
Hi Bruno. That is an amazing chain of events. I wrote Ruby Raga for my daughter when she was a few months old. It’s rhythm is based on the metrics of Ruby’s birthday 24316. Congratulations on your ruby anniversary! Dara
@@daraobrienmusic Thanks so much for your kind reply. Yes, I got your explanation at the beginning of the music festival video you play on. I found that vid just by googling Ruby Raga. Genius numerical schema, by the way. Q. Was the concept used at all traditionally? Either for numbers or assigning numbers to letters? And what of the elusive Zero? The silence from which everything including music arises?
The maths of Indian classical music is wonderful and one aspect of it can be viewed as an ‘additive’ principal, for example 7 beats is divided 3 + 2 + 2, but assigning numbers symbolically or relating to letters is not traditionally done. To me infinity is the closest number to zero, beyond the bounds of principals perhaps. Philosophically Indian musicians may be striving for glimpses into that elusive infinite nothingness, searching for the perfect sa. Or perhaps landing the perfect beat 1.
@@daraobrienmusic This is my life lol. I am a Buddhist philosopher, just gypsying about and pingponging between my native Europe and spiritual home in Asia. I will enjoy exploring what you share with the world and continue contemplating the inhale exhale cosmic ping-pong between 0 and 8, emptiness and infinity, zero and hero. Warm greetings from our Valencian retreat on a beach outside a town on the Mediterranean. Consider yourselves invited when you feel the call.
సితార) కి ఆడది మొగుడు 🙏 అప్పుడు మాత్రమే (సితారు) సరిగ్గా పని చేస్తుంది. అవి ఏంటో తెలుసుకో ? తెలియక పోతే అడిగి మరీ తెలుసుకో? అదేరా వాయించటం కాదు? ప్రపంచానికి చెస్ బోర్డ్ పరిచయం చేసింది. మేమేరా 😁😁😁
@@daraobrienmusic I had a year off ;) But now I am getting back to it. It is tough to regain the "physics" and mental base. Almost forgot the the compositions and taans. legs hurt from squeeing the lotus ;) At the moment I am working on a sound kit for music production in general- it will be uploaded along my beat productions. A true sitar sound, recorded and sampled in high quality- based on raag Behag, Naand and Bhairavi, Piloo... . Let us see you digs it ;) Love Aleks
Dear Dara, if I may comment, is it necessary to add reverb and echo to the amplification of what should already be a resonant instrument, where the taraf and jor tar should provide this colour ? A matter of personal taste, perhaps? I was also entertained by the "Tanpuri jhala", I suspect the player was another instrumentalist , wishing to join in, rather than remaining in the background ? With best regards.
R Sitarsi Hi, the sound wasn’t great. It was a in very lively, echoey old church building. I agree with you, I think there was a touch of reverb but that was all, probably unnecessary.
@@daraobrienmusic hi, Dara, thank you for taking time to reply, and I do get what you say regarding echoing church halls. I have played sitar in church halls where I have outnumbered the audience, so this brings back some memories! Looking forward to seeing more of your pieces, with best regards. RS
Yes, the tanpura player played oud in the second half, he’s a fine musician. That was his first time on tanpura - I was very impressed when he arrived in a suit!! He had an usual style! Thanks for your comments - have hardly attempted raga publicly in years, mostly rock guitar and fusion sitar. So much easier! Maybe time to ask for Sarasvati’s sublime blessings again.
@@daraobrienmusic Hello Dara, jaya Ganapati Deva, jaya Maha Saraswati Ma ! I think Anoushka Shankar said "fusion" was "taking the sitar out of it's comfort zone." So, not an easy thing to achieve? Re the Tanpuri jhala, I did exactly the same thing when asked to play with Clem Alford and Keshav Sathe, and got the very appropriate dhere dhere slow down closed fist signal for merrily joining in. Red face............... . Best regards!
You were such an enthusiastic student! Come back! Seriously, if you do come back to Cork, please let me know, I'd love to do a gig with you. Hope all is well.
@@daraobrienmusic Well, I am back in Germany. Cut down the sitar a bit, picked up the guitar and the ukulele- most of the time I produce Hip hop music with others... But I do miss Kolkata- and Ireland! How are you?
UNDERDAWG STUDIO good man, living in Cork City centre - a quiet small city with a big heart. Two kids keep me going. It’s hard to sustain the sitar alright, the discipline is on and off for me. I’ve been playing rock n roll again and it’s the best fun! I still have our album, good memories. Stay well my friend and I’ll check out your new music
Hi Gyan. The sitar is a lovely mystery. I was in Kolkata and a cousin of Hiren Roy knew of ‘this old sitar in an attic above All India Radio’ apparently it was there for 10 years unplayed. It’s very nice, not top notch, and about 50 years old. I sometimes wonder who has played in before in AIR. It came to me through the grace of my good friend, and teacher, Sarod player, Sougata Roy Chowdhury
