Classical and Jazz: Latest News > April 7
Published: 7 April, 2011
by SEBASTIAN TAYLOR
A RICH masala of sitar, tabla and vocal concerts and workshops has been assembled for the annual Darbar Festival of Indian music at Kings Place over the weekend of April 22-24.
It is the foremost festival of Indian music outside the sub-continent, giving a forum for the new generation of dazzling musicians building on ancient virtuosic traditions.
First up on the Friday is Alam Khan paying a tribute to his father, the late Maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, described by Yehudi Menuhin as “perhaps the greatest musician in the world”. Alam plays the sarod, accompanied on tabla by Anubrata Chatterjee, son of the great Pandit Anindo Chatterjee.
On the Saturday there’s a tabla duet. Pandit Suresh Talwalker is widely recognised as shaping modern tabla playing aesthetics; his daughter Suresh is providing vocal accompaniment.
The evening concert on the Sunday is a ravishing double bill involving Roopna Panesar, this country’s leading female sitarist, accompanied on tabla by the outstanding Sukhwinder Singh, known as Pinky; plus Pandit Ulhas Kashalker, the acclaimed north Indian vocalist, in the second set.
There are some interesting participation: Kanwal Ahluwalia is giving free hatha yoga classes for all and sundry on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Call box office for details. Purbayan Chatterjee is hosting a sitar workshop for players, not beginners, at Saturday lunchtime. Bring your sitar. Anubrata Chatterjee is hosting a tabla workshop, also for players, not beginners, at the same time. Bring your tabla.
• Darbar Festival, Kings Place, April 22-24. All concerts/ workshops: online £9.50/ festival pass £99. 0207 520 1490, www.kingsplace.co.uk