The Bethlehem Area Public Library\u2019s annual fundraising concert <\/span>11Fest<\/span><\/a> is just around the corner! To prepare music fans for this exciting event, we\u2019ve interviewed another one of the 11 performers, Arati Shah-Yukich, ahead of her performance!<\/span><\/p>\n Arati describes her performance as one consisting of various genres including jazz, blues, folk, ancient hymns, and classical Indian. Her music will incorporate her own vocals as well as a smattering of traditional Indian instrumentation. She\u2019ll even be joined on stage by both a fellow singer and a dancer!<\/span><\/p>\n Arati describes Classic Indian music as a branch of yoga, intending for it to be an enlightening form of sonic meditation. She\u2019s given workshops in the past guiding audiences in meditation set to her own singing. She\u2019s even invited audience members to create their own sounds.<\/span><\/p>\n Arati is an outspoken activist in the fight against climate change and social inequality. She\u2019ll even incorporate these messages in her own music. Her extensive educational background and work regarding water pollution has given her the tools to discuss these persistent issues. For an even deeper dive into Arati\u2019s background and education, she invites readers to visit <\/span>her website.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n Arati\u2019s first music performance was when she was twenty years old at a music festival in India. At the festival, she was honored as a young, up and coming performer. Her activism, however, has always been deeply ingrained in her musical pursuits.<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to her climate activism, Arati is a big proponent of the arts and the library as a place of community and interconnectedness. She explained that the Bethlehem Area Public Library was a great place to take her kids to read and play. She\u2019s also attended many lectures and events staged by the library. \u201cThe library has always been a constant part of my life,\u201d says Arati.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.bapl.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/arati.png?resize=268%2C202&ssl=1\")
The goal of Arati\u2019s performance is to remind audiences of what it means to be human in hopes that we can all one day live as one unified species. The dominant quality of her music is mindfulness and relaxation. What results is a highly unique and meditative listening experience regardless of if you\u2019ve practiced any form of spirituality. At the end of her set, Arati will invite audience members to join her in guided relaxation and mindful breathing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n