First Violin is a solo performance piece investigating cultural inheritance and musical evolution. In discovering the oldest known ancestor of the violin and its connection to the Hindu epic poem The Ramayana, Sean Devare uses spoken word poetry, live music, and narration to chronicle his search for, and recreation of the fabled first violin, invented by the demon(ized) King Rāvana. Reflecting on moments of personal and political upheaval in New York City, he reinvents the violin as a reclaiming of self.
As a first generation Indian American of mixed descent, Devare explores and interrogates his cultural identities and the gray areas between Western and Eastern classical traditions. In undertaking a journey of both musical and personal revelations, Devare lends his voice to the Asian diaspora at large.
As a first generation Indian American of mixed descent, Devare explores and interrogates his cultural identities and the gray areas between Western and Eastern classical traditions. In undertaking a journey of both musical and personal revelations, Devare lends his voice to the Asian diaspora at large.
Photos by Paul Morejón Studio
