Mystic Melodies of the East

Supported by the City of Monash | 2025–26

Mystic Melodies of the East brings together Indian classical flute, raga and contemplative listening to create an immersive musical experience centred on depth and spiritual connection.
The project continues Subu’s exploration of music as a meeting point between artistic tradition, community wellbeing and reflective listening, presenting Indian classical music in a welcoming and accessible contemporary setting.

Subu’s role: Project creator and flautist

Toranj

Persian–Indian–Western Cross-Cultural Collaboration
Toranj is a Melbourne-based world music ensemble bringing together the music and instrumentation of Persia, India and the West.
As a featured bansuri artist, Subu contributed the melodic language and improvisational traditions of Indian classical music to the ensemble’s intercultural sound, performing alongside artists working with Persian voice, tombak, santoor, sitar, cello and kamancheh.

​Subu’s role: Featured bansuri artist and collaborator

Jyothi

Sangam Light Commissions | 2022

Jyothi explores light as a divine and elemental force—a symbol of creation, preservation and destruction, as well as spiritual awakening.
Through Indian classical flute, the work reflects on light as both illumination and agni: the inner fire that gives us the energy to encounter life in all its depth and complexity. The project places the bansuri within a contemporary conceptual and interdisciplinary setting.

​Subu’s role: Concept creator and flautist

Bamboo Flute for Mental Health

City of Monash Quick Response Grant | 2020

​Developed during the COVID-19 period in conjunction with Multicultural Arts Victoria’s Raga Series, Bamboo Flute for Mental Health used Indian classical ragas and bamboo flute to create a virtual guided meditative environment.
The interactive online series was designed to support mental, emotional and physical wellbeing, with episodes exploring experiences including anxiety and depression. Guest musicians and live audience interaction helped create a shared space for reflection, connection and contemplative listening.

​Subu’s role: Project creator, curator, flautist and host

Bansuri Meditations

Presented with The Boite | 2020

Created during a period of uncertainty and isolation, Bansuri Meditations was a series of online musical experiences exploring traditional Indian bamboo flute music as a pathway to relaxation, reflection and serenity.
Presented in collaboration with The Boite, each one-hour session invited audiences to begin their weekend with Indian classical ragas in a calm and accessible setting. The series demonstrated how the bansuri could move beyond the traditional concert format and support contemplative listening and emotional wellbeing.

​Subu’s role: Bansuri artist and series presenter

Dawn Raga Series


Arts Centre Melbourne, Multicultural Arts Victoria and Bunjil Place | 2020
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The Dawn Raga Series brought Indian classical music into Melbourne’s public spaces through intimate early-morning performances designed to create a calm, uplifting and reflective start to the day.
Subu performed Indian classical flute with tabla artist Jay Dabgar at Bunjil Place as part of the wider series co-presented by Arts Centre Melbourne, Multicultural Arts Victoria and Bunjil Place. The program also formed part of the Asia TOPA Public Program, connecting Melbourne audiences with the musical traditions and contemporary cultural voices of the Asia-Pacific region.

​Subu’s role: Featured Indian classical flautist

Indian Classical Flute — City of Monash Commission

Commissioned by the City of Monash | 2021

​Subu Sastry was commissioned by the City of Monash to create and present an Indian classical flute performance for its community cultural programming.
The presentation introduced the meditative and expressive qualities of Indian classical raga through the bamboo flute, making the tradition accessible to a broad Australian audience. The commission demonstrates Subu’s ability to create culturally meaningful artistic content for councils, festivals and public-facing arts programs.

​Subu’s role: Commissioned artist, flautist and presenter

Melodies Across Borders: RAGAS & Flamenco

An original cross-cultural project created by Subu Sastry | 2024

Melodies Across Borders is an original project created by Subu Sastry, bringing together the improvisational language of Indian classical raga and the rhythmic character of flamenco guitar.
The project explores the meeting points between bansuri, raga, flamenco phrasing and spontaneous musical dialogue. Each tradition retains its distinct identity while creating a new shared sound through melody, rhythm and improvisation.

​Subu’s role: Creator, artistic lead, Indian classical flautist and improvising artist

Commissions, Festivals & Collaborations

Subu Sastry is available for commissioned works, festival programming, cross-cultural collaborations, recordings and curated concert experiences.
He works with artists, presenters and cultural organisations to develop projects grounded in Indian classical music while remaining open to contemporary, interdisciplinary and intercultural approaches.