Celestial Voices {Swargiya Awaz}

A British Bengali Vocalist and Composer, BISHI's writing style was built around experimentation and improvisation of her own 4 octave vocal range, inspired by plaintive chant, pastoral folk, Meredith Monk, Bulgarian music, and Indian Classical music. 

Celestial Voices {Swargiya Awaz}, is an evening comprising BISHI's solo material for voice and electric sitar from her most recent album Let My Country Awake, focused on dual identities, anti-racism, and a call to find empathy in a divided world. This includes choral pieces arranged especially for the UK's first professional trans+ choir, Trans Voices, who will join BISHI on stage. The evening culminates in the world premiere of Of Herculine, a new choral piece inspired by the life of Herculine Barbin, whose birth date globally marks Intersex Day of Remembrance, highlighting the violence inherent in the binary sex and gender system. 

This piece was composed by BISHI exclusively for Trans Voices' uniquely non-traditional singers. Expect a joyful but reverent celebration of the exquisitely diverse qualities of human voice, challenging all limitations. 

Opening and closing this event are DJ sets from experimental music artist I Am Fya, a Manchester-born experimental music artist, radio presenter and DJ, now based in Brighton. She is a founding member of DJ collective Sista Selecta and a member of the afro-futurist collective, Brownton Abbey.