Description
Saturday, March 7 • 7 PM • BKCM Concert Hall
A new workshop series hosted by the BKCM Jazz Program exploring the rich past, vibrant present and exciting future of Indian classical music. This workshop with Vivek Pandya honors the legacy of the late tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain.
The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music presents Ragas & Rhythms, a new workshop & performance series exploring the rich and varied traditions of Indian classical music and their reverberations across the musical landscape today. From Bollywood to Hollywood — where the tabla maestro, Ustad Zakir Hussain, took home three Grammys last year alone — the ancient forms, rhythms and patterns at the root of Indian classical music continue to find vibrant new expressions all over the world, including here in New York, where artists like Brooklyn Raga Massive, Nexus, and ARAJ are fusing traditional forms with contemporary genres to create innovative musical horizons all their own.
Whether you are a longtime lover of Indian classical music seeking a new community to share it with, a student looking to deepen and broaden your musical palette, or someone curious to dive into India’s rich musical history and forms for the first time, we invite you to join us for a series of musical workshops led by some of NYC’s most innovative masters of the craft.
Workshop #2: Hindustani Music & Tabla with Vivek Pandya
The series will launch on Sunday, December 7 at 7 pm with a performance and workshop by Vivek Pandya highlighting Hindustani music and honoring the late tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, who passed away in 2024. With roots in the subcontinent’s northern regions, Hindustani music often features a melodic soloist (sitar, sarod, or vocalist), a drum (usually tabla), and a drone (tambura). Series co-founder and BKCM parent Sai Prakash will give an introduction to Pandya’s performance.
Featured Artist: Vivek Pandya
The evening will feature a special performance and interactive workshop led by tabla prodigy Vivek Pandya, one of the most exciting rising stars in Indian classical music.
Pandya was taken to world renowned tabla maestro Pt Anindo Chatterjee for intensive training at the age of 4 and a half. His prodigious talent was appreciated online, resulting in worldwide recognition at a young age. At the age of 9, He made his debut on New York City Radio Live at Columbia University.
Alongside a strong knowledge about the tradition of tabla, Vivek has a contemporary mindset that allows him to be one of the most sought after accompanists in his generation of tabla players. He is known for his flair, one finger teentaal and a syllable called “dhir dhir” which is played with only the palm of the hand.
Vivek has collaborated on fusion albums such as “20 for 20” with cellist Inbal Segev, ” Strive” with Satwinder Pal Singh and ghazal “Harsoo Dikhaye Dete” by Gayatri Asokan. He has toured India, Canada and USA and earned the recognition and respect of not only music lovers, but maestros of the music alike.
This series is hosted by the BKCM Jazz Program, and future workshops will explore Indian classical music’s fusion with jazz and other contemporary genres.
Tickets are pay-what-you-wish, with a suggested donation of $10. All proceeds go to support paying our artists and funding future concerts and workshops in this performance series.