Other Voices Supriya Nagarajan, Duncan Chapman and Prathivadi Anand
Event details
Other Voices is an interdisciplinary music project by Manasamitra for human voice and electronics that explores the interconnectedness between humanity and the natural world. Rooted in South Indian musical traditions and informed by philosophical and ecological thought, the work seeks to give voice to the voiceless - the flora and fauna of our planet - through an immersive soundscape that merges organic vocal expression with electronic transformation.
The project draws inspiration from Martha C Nussbaum’s Justice for Animals, which argues for an ethical recognition of non-human life as sentient and deserving of justice. This philosophical grounding informs the project’s central artistic question: how can sound become a medium for empathy and interspecies communication in an age of ecological crisis?
Enjoy beautiful lyrics and music, written, composed and performed by vocalist Supriya Nagarajan, accompanied by musician and sound artist Duncan Chapman.
Supriya and Duncan will also be joined in discussion by Prathivadi Anand of the University of Bradford whose work is at the interface of urban economy, environment and sustainability.
Image credit: Srinivasan Nagarajan
About the speakers
Supriya Nagarajan has a unique voice in the British music scene and creates concept-driven immersive music productions that push boundaries and encourage thought. As the founder of Manasamitra, Supriya has created internationally presented immersive works including Lullaby -Sonic Cradle, Sound of Tea and Meltwater, and has performed across the UK and globally, including Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall, Southbank Centre and Casa da Música. Past presentations at York Festival of Ideas, such as Supriya and Duncan Chapman’s Sita: The Multifaceted Heroine of Ramayana, have shown her ability to blend lyrical performance with narrative and engagement, making complex traditions accessible and thought-provoking.
Duncan Chapman is a Lincolnshire-based composer, musician and sound artist working across installation, performance and collaborative projects. His practice explores immersive and spatial sound, with a focus on listening, place and connection. His work spans online and live performance, residencies, and international collaboration, including a residency at EMS in Stockholm, the curation of a concert for the Aural Diversity project and performances (with Supriya Nagarajan) in India (Jaipur Literature Festival), Australia, Scandinavia and across the UK, including at the WOMAD festival. Current and recent projects include performances with Comb Filter and Humbox, an album of marimba and live electronic works (Three) with Simon Limbrick, and a duo album (Quiet Knot) with shakuhachi player Mike McInerney. His solo work appears on the Silent, Takuroku, re:Natura and Linear Obsessional labels. Other releases include Dusk Notes and Lullaby Live (with Supriya Nagarajan), as well as two tracks on the album All Her Geese Are Swans (Wenalt Star). Current projects include collaborations with Flash Co (Whitby), workshop projects with Music in the Round and Conductive Music and the development of a new piece with a SEND school in collaboration with Mahogany Opera.
Prathivadi Anand is Professor of Public Policy and Sustainability at the University of Bradford. He is a specialist in environmental economics and public policy with a focus on the interface of urban economy, environment and sustainability. He is currently researching on social innovations of the global South and the power of formal and informal institutions in shaping the agency and freedoms of individuals in social contexts. His books include New Frontiers of the Capability Approach (Cambridge University Press, 2018) and Social Choice, Agency, Inclusiveness and Capabilities (2024, Cambridge University Press). He has been the principal editor of Handbook of BRICS and Emerging Economies published by Oxford University Press (2021).
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