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PRITI PAINTAL: brief biography

 

 ShivaNova's founder, Priti Paintal is regarded as a pioneer in the cross-cultural music field. Born into a musical family in Delhi, Priti learnt to play piano as a child. She went on to study anthropology at Delhi University, and undertook her music training alongside.  

The British Council heard her perform with the Delhi Symphony Orchestra and offered her the chance to train formally in classic music. She came to Britain and studied western music at York University and Royal College of Music, Manchester.

Priti established her reputation writing orchestral pieces for the City of London Sinfonia and the Bournemouth Sinfonietta. Her piece, Bound by Strings of Rhythms features in the repertoire of the Balanescu and Bingham Quartets. She was the first woman to be commissioned by the Royal Opera House, producing the Olivier nominated opera, Survival Song and the acclaimed, Biko.

Priti set up in ShivaNova in 1988 with the aim of bringing together diverse musical traditions to unite sound-worlds. ShivaNova combines Asian, African and Western instruments and voices to create an eclectic global sound. 
In 1994, she resigned from the Arts Council's music panel protesting over the lack of support for diverse forms of music. Then, she, along with many music organisations and independent promoters, founded, THE MAIN MUSIC AGENDA, to draw attention to the vast range of music played and studied throughout the country.

She wrote music for the children's opera, Gulliver in Lilliput, and the multi-media show, Bananas, which explored the cultural connotations of the fruit.

Priti is now developing a repertoire for popular music. Her work with ShivaNova includes collaborations with storytellers, jugglers, dancers and orchestras, as well as creating workshops in schools and the wider community. The band, has been described as "a subtle eastern groove with sophisticated technique," by the BBC Music Magazine.

The current projects include the multi-artform, Global Feast with the Myriam Dooge Dance Company from France, which will celebrate solstices and equinoxes in public spaces over the summer.

Last year, ShivaNova, established, SugarNova, a mainstream dance music arm of the group, and its debut single, Over and Over, reached the top 20 of the Music Week Club Charts.

Priti is currently a board member of South East Arts and Chairs the Regional Arts Advisory Group for the Year of the Artist. She lives in Kent. 

ShivaNova's debut cd, Polygamy, written for Orphy Robinson on jazz marimba, was pronounced "superb" and "excellent" by Time Out, and voted "Pick of the Year" in the BBC Music Magazine, 1994. It was part of Classic CDs choice of the Best in Contemporary Music. 

Urban Mantras, was considered "intelligent, musically articulate and thoroughly intriguing," by the Youth style magazine, Snoop, 1998. 

ShivaNova's new albums, Moonlighting and Flying to the Sun, are released on the ShivaNova label and distributed in the UK by Recognition/Universal. The sound of Moonlighting is distinctly mellow, while, Flying to the Sun, is a must for house and dance lovers. 

For Further Information contact: Suman Bhuchar 020 7700 5060 or email: sumanbhuchar@lineone.net

ShivaNova's founder, Priti Paintal is regarded as a pioneer in the cross-cultural music field. Born into a musical family in Delhi, Priti learnt to play piano as a child. She went on to study anthropology at Delhi University, and undertook her music training alongside. The British Council heard her perform with the Delhi Symphony Orchestra and offered her the chance to train formally in classic music. She came to Britain and studied western music at York University and Royal College of Music, Manchester.