Multicultural Arts Victoria strongly supports the important contribution that the Indian community make to Victoria’s cultural landscape.
 
In response to recent media exposure of issues facing the Indian community in Melbourne, Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) would like to confirm its continuing support for the Indian community in Melbourne. Multicultural Arts Victoria in partnership with ABC Music Deli is presenting a FREE concert 24 June at 7pm at the Iwaki Auditorium, featuring Indian musician Dya Singh.
 
Indian artists in Victoria contribute significantly to our diverse and dynamic artistic community and through their art promote a culture of respect and cross-cultural understanding. The legendry Sikh artist Dya Singh, Indian musician and MAV artist comments:
 
 “I believe that Arts and culture are a window into the soul of a people. Indian arts, especially music and dance are so rich and profound that anyone involved in them, even as a spectator, is spellbound. Greater exposure of such rich heritages in the mainstream would go a long way in spreading greater harmony within the diversity of Australian life. Besides cricket, Indian food and Bollywood, I hope our authorities consider it important to provide more Indian art and culture through concerts and other public events within the mainstream to heal the gaping wounds which have appeared between 'Indian' and 'Australian' people over recent ugly events of the apparent racist bashings of 'Indians' and their retaliations through ugly demonstrations and destruction of public property, not only here, but also in India.”
 
Dya Singh is an icon of the Australian music scene and has quietly gained a phenomenal 'standing' worldwide as a 'world music' artist in the last 15 or so years. Dya Singh is one of the many Indian artists that MAV supports and promotes through our mission to foster cultural diversity and respect through the promotion, enhancement and celebration of multicultural arts in Australia. His 'world music' and 'Sikh spiritual' music group has travelled to USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Kenya, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand and throughout Australia since its formation in 1994. He is now based in Melbourne
 
Dya Singh has extraordinary musical talent and knowledge and he has enormous skills that he has contributed to the musical sector in Australia both musically and culturally. He is a highly valued artistic individual benefiting not only the Sikh community, but the wider Australian community with his knowledge and capabilities in music. He believes music is a way to bring communities together and create understanding
 
 In Australian music festivals like the National Folk Festival and the Woodford Music Festival Dya Singh is respected for its amazing quality fusion music and message of peace, racial and religious harmony, social justice and equality, and care for the environment. This is in line with the man, Dya Singh's belief that music is the perfect vehicle to carry sublime messages championing universal truths which are held dear by humanity but not practised by all especially the rich and the powerful.

 
The group is also highly acclaimed in the prominent folk and world music festivals in North America too. He has also performed at prestigious international venues like the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, Winnipeg Folk Music Festival, California World Music Festival, Vancouver Arts Festival, WOMAD, Harrison Springs Folk Festival in BC Canada, Detroit World Music Festival, Chicago World Music Festival, and music festivals in Toronto, Canada where they are especially popular, and the Royal Albert Hall in London.
 
Dya Singh  moved to Melbourne four years ago and has already made an impact in Melbourne - doing five concerts at the Commonwealth Games a few years ago; numerous concerts at Federation  Square and various local music festivals and venues in Melbourne and Victoria namely at Fitzroy, Collingwood, Monash and Melbourne Universities, Daylesford, Port Fairy, Apollo Bay and Torquay. Dya Singh has also formed a local artistes based group around himself to take greater opportunities of music possibilities in Victoria especially Melbourne. 
 
Dya Singh the musician and singer has varied talents in music which can be harnessed for the use of future generations of Australian artistes as his music is 'tradition' based but non-denominational, and inspiring not only to the learner but more so the listener.
 
The group will be performing at Under an Eastern Moon - Multicultural Arts Victoria and ABC's Music Deli collaboration on 24 June at 7pm at the Iwaki Auditorium, Southbank Boulevard. Hosted by ABC Music Deli’s Paul Petran, a concert of exquisite music for voices and strings from Turkey, Afghanistan, Japan and India, made in Australia. Variety and the excitement of live music is what Music Deli is all about and the concert will be recorded for future broadcast. Come along and experience the inspiring talents of these wonderful musicians.  
 
This event is presented and produced by Multicultural Arts Victoria and Music Deli with the generous support of the City of Melbourne as part of The Emerge Festival. From Africa to the Far East, from the traditional to the contemporary, from the emerging to the established, music, dance, visual arts, exotic foods, ancient crafts and ceremonies - Emerge Festival is a dynamic celebration of Victoria’s many rich and undiscovered refugee and emerging cultures. Emerge Festival commemorates the United Nations World Refugee Day and celebrates Refugee Week in Australia with a series of amazing performances and unique cultural experiences around Melbourne from 16 June to 26 July 2009.
 
For further media information:
Jayne Lovelock 9417 6777 or 0430 199 552 or office@multiculturalarts.com.au