An L.A. Composer’s Multicultural Music; The Professor Confronting Division With Bridging and Belonging

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Sitars and Symphonies: LA Composer Reena Esmail Fuses Indian Ragas with Western Rhythms

We continue our series on California composers with Reena Esmail. Her childhood in Los Angeles had two soundtracks: the Western classical music her parents loved, and the old, scratchy Bollywood tapes her paternal grandparents would play over and over. Those multicultural influences shaped what would become the driving question of her work: how do you invite people from different cultures onto the same stage to build a relationship and create music together? Composing is how Esmail has made her mark — by putting Western classical musicians in conversation with Indian artists, building bridges between violinists and sitar players, tabla drummers and western singers. She’s an artist in residence with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, has composed with unhoused singers from Skid Row, and her music has been performed by major orchestras and choirs all over the world.

How a UC Berkeley Professor Confronts Division With a Vision for Belonging

Professor john a. powell spent much of his early life feeling like he didn’t belong. At just 11 years old, he became estranged from his deeply religious family. After questioning church doctrine and not getting the answers he was looking for, powell — who spells his name in lowercase — left the church, and his father did not speak to him for five years. But that pivotal moment was the beginning of the path that led him to his life’s work. powell is the director of the Othering and Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley, where he’s also a professor of law, African American studies and ethnic studies. He’s the author of two recent books, “Belonging Without Othering,” and “The Power of Bridging.” powell spoke with host Sasha Khokha as part of our series on Californians and resilience.