American Sitar @ Oasis

Name: Bilingualism & Heritage Language Maintenance A Community Class with Dr. Jeanne Heil
Start: 2026-06-08T13:30:00-04:00
End: 2026-06-08T14:00:00-04:00
Location: University of Southern Maine Lewiston-Auburn College

Left-handed sitarist David Pontbriand will bring his unique original and improvised music to the Oasis of Music Wednesday October 25. This weekly event is held at Trinity Commons, 247 Bates Street in Lewiston, beginning at 12:30 and lasting less than an hour.

American sitarist David Pontbriand began his journey with the sitar in 1973. His story is an exception to the rule, in that he is entirely self-taught. Pontbriand’s Music of Sitar is driven by an intuitive and emotive approach that is deeply personal, and yet displays elements of classical Indian forms and style.

His original and primarily spontaneous compositions for sitar are freely interpretive, while rooted in the classical ragas of north India. Pontbriand explains “While I have great respect for the Indian classical traditions, I do not necessarily adhere to any of them. I allow free reign to my own musical invention.“

The Oasis of Music is a weekly music series of performances of roughly thirty minutes, running from September to May. Admission is free, with donations accepted. The musical genres vary greatly, in largely, but not exclusively, acoustic formats. For more information, call 207-344-3106.