Latest news with #improvised
L'Orient-Le Jour
4 days ago
- Politics
- L'Orient-Le Jour
Israeli army announces death of two soldiers in Khan Younis
Two Israeli soldiers, members of the 51st battalion of the Golani infantry brigade, were killed Saturday in the southern Gaza Strip, the Israeli army said Sunday. They were killed when their armored vehicle exploded, caused by an improvised explosive device detonated by a Palestinian fighter "emerging from a tunnel" in Khan Younis (south), according to military correspondents from several Israeli media outlets. The previous day, a 32-year-old soldier from the 749th engineering battalion, who was wounded by an explosive device last week in Khan Younis, also died, according to the same source. "The State of Israel has lost three young heroes, some of its best sons, who worked for the security of the state and for the return of all our hostages," said Defense Minister Israel Katz on X. According to the Israeli army, 462 of its soldiers have been killed during the ground military offensive against the Gaza Strip launched on Oct. 27, 2023.
Economic Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Kajol changed sarees 'behind a tree', Shah Rukh Khan carried equipment: Karan Johar on how DDLJ was filmed
Synopsis Karan Johar recently shared behind-the-scenes memories from the shoot of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, revealing the modest conditions under which the film was made. Speaking on Jay Shetty's podcast, he recalled how the crew had no money for stylists or assistants, and Kajol often had to change into sarees behind trees during the Switzerland schedule. With a crew of just 21 people, everyone, including Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, helped carry equipment and prepare for scenes. Kajol and Shah Rukh Khan Nearly three decades after the release of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), filmmaker Karan Johar has opened up about the surprisingly modest conditions under which the Bollywood classic was made. In a recent appearance on Jay Shetty's podcast, Johar revisited his time as an assistant director on the 1995 film, offering a candid account of the challenges and camaraderie that defined the shoot—especially during the Switzerland described his year-long experience on DDLJ as the most valuable learning phase of his career. Far from today's large-scale productions, the DDLJ unit comprised just 21 people traveling together in a single bus. According to him, they would stop at scenic spots selected spontaneously by director Aditya Chopra and begin filming immediately, often with no prior scouting. Because of the tiny crew, everyone pitched in to make the shoot happen. Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol weren't just acting—they were also helping carry equipment up mountains and setting up shots. 'Literally everyone was a team,' Johar recalled, pointing out how vastly different the working conditions were from today's film sets with large teams, stylists, and support of the revelations from Johar's interview was the lack of privacy and resources available to the actors. With no vanity vans or proper changing areas, Kajol often had to change into her sarees behind a tree. Shah Rukh Khan, too, changed outfits wherever space allowed. Johar remembered that there simply wasn't enough money to afford more—let alone hire professional stylists or bring along a full further revealed that during the shoot of the iconic song Tujhe Dekha To, the crew faced an unexpected problem—none of them knew how to tie a saree properly. With no one else to turn to, Johar relied on his mother's memory of how to drape one, resulting in a somewhat improvised look for Kajol that constraints didn't end there. Kajol's hair and makeup artist couldn't secure a visa for the foreign schedule. As a result, her mother, veteran actress Tanuja, stepped in to handle her makeup. Meanwhile, Johar himself would brush Kajol's hair before scenes. Recalling these moments, he noted how filmmaking in those days was filled with collaboration, hustle, and a genuine sense of on how film production has changed, Johar noted the stark contrast between past and present practices. He commented that today, a lead actor is typically accompanied by a full entourage—stylists, managers, publicists, and assistants. Back in the 90s, however, it was just the actor and, sometimes, a parent for the hardships and lack of infrastructure, Johar emphasized how enjoyable and fulfilling the experience was. He described the environment on the DDLJ set as one filled with camaraderie and passion, saying it was 'fun' compared to today's more structured and often 'boring' by Aditya Chopra and produced by Yash Chopra, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge starred Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol in roles that would go on to define their careers. Known for its iconic dialogues, timeless music, and enduring popularity, the film remains a cultural milestone in Indian cinema.
Korea Herald
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
The sound of now: young Korean creators redefine tradition and form
At Sejong Center's Sync Next25, haeum player-compsoer Joo Jeong-hyeon meets classical music composer Choi Jae-hyuck Composer-conductor Choi Jae-hyuck and haegeum player-composer Joo Jeong-hyeon have been on the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts' radar since the launch of its summer contemporary music series, The Sync Next, in 2022. This year, for the first time, the center brought them together to explore what kind of synergy might emerge. The performance, part of the Sync Next 25 program running from July to September at the Sejong Center's S Theater, pairs Choi's ensemble, Ensemble Blank, with Joo, an experimental haegeum player whose work spans performance, composition and video. It also marks their first-ever collaboration. 'Joo is an expert improviser — she's especially known for combining the haegeum with other elements in bold, experimental ways,' Choi said during a recent interview. 'We, on the other hand, are trained to play strictly notated scores. So we thought, why not try blending the two? Some parts are composed, others are improvised. It's a challenge for both of us, which is exactly why we think the audience will experience something truly new.' Choi, who first gained international attention as the youngest-ever winner of the Geneva International Music Competition's composition category in 2017, leads Ensemble Blank, a contemporary group known for its adventurous programming. 'Both Ensemble Blank and I are people who constantly think about what it means to be contemporary, and how we can achieve that. So I think the main focus of this collaboration will be creating sound together — building something collectively, rather than just presenting individual pieces,' Joo said. Joo is a 2024 recipient of the Korea National Academy of Arts' Young Artist Award. The program on Friday and Saturday opens with Alexander Schubert's 2014 piece "Serious Smile," a hyper-digital, rhythmically driven piece. This is followed by a striking contrast: Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina's "Ave Maria a 8 voci," written in 1572, arranged for wind and string instruments, offering a moment of Renaissance polyphony and meditative calm. Joo takes the stage solo with a haegeum improvisation, highlighting her signature blend of embodied technique and spontaneous expression. The program continues with Choi's own 'Straight to Heaven,' a large-scale ensemble work that moves with cinematic intensity. The evening will also see Ensemble Blank and Joo perform the Asian premiere of Jessie Cox's "Quantify,' an experimental piece from 2017 that explores the interplay of sound, identity and time. The program concludes with the world premiere of Joo's 'Primitive Happiness,' a new audiovisual work written for Ensemble Blank that fuses live instruments and video. The stage design for this performance reflects the playful creativity of the two artists. The setup features a small triangular stage and a larger triangular stage positioned opposite each other, like an hourglass, with the audience seated in between. As Choi and Joo, both born in 1994, and Ensemble Blank explore a borderless space where familiarity gives way to unexpected listening, Choi emphasized the importance of simply knowing that certain artistic experiences exist. 'Even if it's unfamiliar at first, having that encounter becomes part of one's inner world — something you can return to, draw from and eventually express,' he said. Joo echoed that sentiment, offering a reflection on Korean audiences. 'Lately, as I've been doing more work in Korea again, I've really come to feel that Korean audiences are far more open to a wide range of things and are actively seeking out new experiences. Especially among younger generations, I think we're now in a time when people embrace stimulating, dopamine-releasing experiences without resistance,' she said. 'In that sense, maybe what we're doing won't feel all that unfamiliar after all.' Two performances will take place at Sejong Center's S Theater: At 7:30 p.m. on Friday and at 5 p.m. on Saturday. gypark@
Scroll.in
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scroll.in
From Lalo Schifrin to Duke Ellington, sacred music to a jazz beat
June 26 saw the demise of the famed Argentine-American pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor Lalo Schifrin at the age of 93. He is best known for his work as a composer for films and television shows going back to the 1950s. I listened to a compilation of his 'greatest hits' and relived some of those films or shows I had watched. I had forgotten that he was responsible for the film score to the 1973 martial arts blockbuster Enter the Dragon, my introduction to Bruce Lee and my brother's pin-up hero. Listening to the music once again brough back memories of the kung fu craze, the Bruce Lee hairstyle (and bloodcurdling yells and flying kicks to go with it) and improvised nanchakus from discarded sticks from the Vaglo cloth store. Nothing can take you back in time like music. So much Hindi film music was 'inspired' by this track. It is a testament to Schifrin's versatility and adaptability that he could make his music just as fresh and relevant through all the intervening decades to the present. He will probably be most remembered by today's young generation for scoring the Mission Impossible theme. I hadn't realised that the distinctive tune in 5/4 time with its dash-dash dot-dot metre spells out in Morse code the letters M and I, for Mission Impossible. Pretty ingenious. Play After I had listened to Schifrin's 'life in music' in terms of film and television scores, I decided to explore his wider oeuvre. I was intrigued by a composition titled Jazz Suite on Mass Texts, originally released on the RCA Victor label in 1965, composed and conducted by Schifrin. The tracks are titled Kyrie, Interludium, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, Prayer, Offertory and Agnus Dei. Scored for choir and an assortment of woodwind, brass, harp, vibraphone, piano, bass, drums and other percussion, I have to say that with the possible exception of the last track (Agnus Dei), the album left me cold. I found a review which chastised reactions like mine: 'Certainly much of the record can be found leading into the realm of experimental music, and the critical listener should not be so critical, but rather sit, enjoy, and open their mind and listening senses.' To me, (on a first listening at any rate; I'll revisit it soon) the Mass text (sung by the choir in English although the titles are in Latin) seems tacked on to the jazzy accompaniment. The sung text could just as well have been the contents of recipe cookbook for all the impact it made. Play As I trawled through YouTube for the above track, I found a set that resonated much more with me, and that I hadn't heard before. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the American jazz composer, conductor and pianist Edward Kennedy 'Duke' Ellington's Concert of Sacred Music (1965), the same year as Schifrin's Jazz Suite on Mass Texts. Ellington followed this up with his Second Sacred Concert in 1968 and Third in 1973. He called these concerts 'the most important thing I have ever done'. Ellington died on May 27, 1974, from complications of lung cancer and pneumonia, six months after his last Sacred Concert performance. He clarified many times that he was not trying to compose a Mass. The 1965 concert took place as part of a series of events called 'Festival of Grace' to celebrate the opening of San Francisco's Grace Cathedral. The Very Reverend C Julian Bartlett, the cathedral Dean, who invited him, wrote that 'Duke Ellington has been endowed by God with the gift of genius', calling him 'one of the giants of contemporary music.' But not everyone was a fan. As critic Richard S. Ginell puts it, at the time 'conservatives called it a blasphemous attempt to sully religion with jazz' while 'radicals thought it was a sellout on bended knee to organized religion'. Both Schifrin and Ellington (and later Dave Brubeck) responded to progressive members of the clergy in taking up the challenge of fusing Christian texts with jazz. Another critic Gary Giddins described these concerts as Ellington bringing the Cotton Club revue to the church. I've not found the original review to assess whether this comparison was meant as compliment or sniffing dismissal. Listening and watching the footage of that same concert, I hear the influence of Gospel and spirituals, tapping into Ellington's evidently deep faith. It would be difficult to find a more sincere and heartfelt offering than Esther Marrow singing Ellington's treatment of The Lord's Prayer or Come Sunday. Play In the Beginning God connects Genesis with the 20th century with this lyric to underline the emptiness: 'No poverty, no Cadillacs, no sand traps, no bottom, no birds, no bees, no Beatles....' The programme is a montage from several stages in Ellington's career, reflecting how seamlessly his belief seeped into his art. The concert ends with a tap dance routine by Bunny Briggs, who Ellington introduces tongue-in-cheek, tongue-twistingly as 'the most super-leviathonic, rhythmaturgically syncopated taps-the-maticianisamist' to David Danced before the Lord with all his Might and a reprise of Come Sunday. The Second Sacred Concert, this time using fresh compositions premiered at New York's Cathedral of St John the Divine, but no recording of it exists. It was subsequently recorded in a studio. It was the first time Alice Babs (dubbed 'the Swedish Julie Andrews') appeared with Ellington's band, singing Heaven, Almighty God Has Those Angels (with stunning improvisations by Johnny Hodges on alto saxophone and by Russell Procope on clarinet), the wordless vocal aptly named T.G.T.T. ('Too Good to Title') and Praise God and Dance. The song Freedom is introduced by Ellington as 'that much used, often misused word' and he ends it with an eloquent tribute to his friend Billy Strayhorn, who had died recently. Play Shepherd Who Watches Over the Night Flock is a tribute to pastor John Genzel, New York City, who Ellington says 'has made many sacrifices to help the people who live at night, by night or through the night, if they're lucky' with brooding 'growl' trumpet by Cootie Williams. By the Third Sacred concert (which premiered in London's Westminster Abbey in 1973), Ellington, stricken with lung cancer, was aware that his end was near. 'Is God a three-letter word for love? Is Love a four-letter word for God?' he asks, adding 'Whether former or later, really doesn't matter.' The concert was held on October 24, which is United Nations Day, commemorating the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945. Introducing the performance, British diplomat Sir Colin Crowe said, 'The UN is once again in the eye of a storm', a reference to the 1973 Arab-Israeli so-called Yom Kippur or Ramadan war. He added, '…and without disrespect to the Secretary-General, if only Duke Ellington had to conduct their debates, maybe we really should get some harmony.' Half a century later, the United Nations is even more impotent, and due to the same region of the world. It seems doomed to go the way of the League of Nations before it, into the dustbin of history.
Time of India
28-06-2025
- Time of India
National Investigation Agency to take over Vizianagaram terror case probe
Vizianagaram: (NIA) will take over the probe of the alleged terror plot involving Siraj-ur-Rehman (29), a native of Vizianagaram, and Syed Sameer (28), a native of Secunderabad. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They were arrested by Vizianagaram police in May for allegedly conspiring to carry out bomb blasts in Vizianagaram and other places in Andhra Pradesh and other states using improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Siraj, who has an engineering degree, was arrested for possession of explosive materials, specifically ammonium nitrate, sulphur, and aluminium powder. He claimed he bought the explosive substances through an online platform, and named Sameer during his confession. The two suspects have been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), Explosive Substances Act, and various sections of BNS. After a local court granted their custody to police for seven days, they were interrogated by officials from the NIA, ATS (Anti-Terrorism Squad), Counter Intelligence wing, and other agencies besides the police. The agencies gathered crucial information about financial support to Siraj and Sameer from foreign handlers in Saudi Arabia and Oman. The two youths reportedly confessed to having connections with some Jihadi groups. Siraj said he received bomb-making training in Saudi Arabia, while Sameer was trained in Pakistan. The anti-terror agencies also found that sleeper cell members from other parts of the country were in touch with them. Vizianagaram police chief Vakul Jindal said the case is being taken over by the NIA for further investigation.
