Ken Zuckerman is an internationally acclaimed sarod virtuoso and a leading figure in the world of Indian classical music. Trained under the legendary sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Zuckerman has spent decades mastering the instrument and immersing himself in the tradition of Hindustani class...

Jayanthi Kumaresh is a renowned Carnatic veena virtuoso, celebrated for her mastery of one of India's oldest and most revered string instruments, the Saraswati veena. Coming from a distinguished lineage of musicians, she has dedicated her life to preserving and innovating within the rich traditio...

Abhishek Raghuram is a prominent Carnatic vocalist, widely regarded for his exceptional musical talent and versatility. Born into a family with a rich lineage of classical musicians, Abhishek is the grandson of the legendary mridangam maestro, Palghat Raghu. His early exposure to the intricacies ...

Patiala singer Kaushiki Chakraborty discusses the role of the tanpura, ubiquitous as the rich sonic backdrop to Indian classical performances of the North and South.

Learn more about the music:

Kaushiki Chakraborty’s astonishing vocal technique is the result of years of intense training. She sp...

Ojas Aditya, a prodigious tabla virtuoso, captivated audiences at the Darbar Festival 2023 with his masterful performance, leaving an indelible mark on the world of Indian classical music. Born into a family deeply entrenched in musical tradition, Ojas began his training at a young age under the ...

The Darbar Festival, an annual celebration of Indian classical music and dance, provides a serene confluence of Yoga and Indian classical music, enhancing the sensory and spiritual experiences of attendees. Held in London, this festival embodies the rich cultural heritage of India, blending the m...

Pravin Godkhindi is an eclectic classical flautist, performing Hindustani music on the bansuri. He studied under his father Pandit Venkatesh Godkhindi, an exponent of the Kirana gharana, as well as Carnatic mridangist Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma. He incorporates Carnatic rhythm into his playing,...

Chowdhury is one of India’s finest and mature sarod maestra making her UK debut. Indulge in the deep lilting and sound that pull on your heart strings. Chowdhury explores the depth of ragas as trained and gifted by her teachers Siddhartha Roy Chowdhury, Pandit Ajay Sinha Roy and Prof. Sanjoy Band...

"Tabla Prince" Ustad Tari Khan is a trailblazing tabla player known for insightful ghazal accompaniment – that swoon worthy genre synonymous with emotional depth and lyrical beauty.

Though he has accompanied the likes of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Mehdi Hassan, the intensity of expression ...

Prabha Atre did not originally play to pursue a musical career. But aged eight, her mother was ill and took a friend’s suggestion to take classical singing lessons to help her feel better. The young Prabha was inspired by overhearing the lessons, and studied with Kirana gharana gurus including Su...

Interview with Pandits Rajan and Sajan Mishra recorded at Darbar Festival 2016.

"Music can penetrate into your heart and that will bring peace and silence to your world"

The award-winning brothers share some heart-warming facts about their lives in this interview from the Darbar Festival 2016. ...

Born in the enchanting city of Mathura in northern India which is known as the abode of Lord Krishna, Pandit Bharat Bhushan Goswami has scaled ranks to become one of India’s most coveted sarangi players today. This short interview showcases his interesting take on classical music in the contempor...

Strumming up a melodious alap on Raag Bhimpalasi, sarod player Abhisek Lahiri talks to Darbar about his childhood, his musical values and why he does cross-over work. He is a gharana-blending musician who fuses the three major traditions of sarod -the Rampur Shahjahanpur, the Maihar, and the Seni...

Kala Ramnath interview from Darbar Festival 2006

- Kala Ramnath (Carnatic Violin)
- Dharambir Dhadyalla MBE (host)

Shubha Mudgal (Gwalior gharana)

“My gurus...were all liberal thinkers and avid collectors of knowledge. They believed in learning from as many sources as possible and I think it is their eclecticism that influenced me as well as their other students.” (Shubha Mudgal)

Shubha Mudgal sings a disti...

"Many times I nearly gave up" says one of India's finest Carnatic musicians. Award winner Sairam gives an insight into her musical world. She talks about her own fears, inhibitions and surrender in preparation for a concert. Filmed during her Darbar Festival appearance in 2016.

Recorded at Darbar Festival 2016

India's foremost sarod maestro candidly talks about his passion and the unique lineage he was born into. Khan explains that there is no book about presentation of Indian classical music and how a 3 minute Raga was about quality and duration of music.

Recorded by Darbar in 2015, on location in India.

Sahana talks about her Rampur Senia gharana and her journey from her mother Chhabi Banerjee, a famous singer, and her father Pandit Santosh Banerjee, a sitar and surbahar master, trained her in their styles while also providing her with the free...

We pay our respect to Pandit Shivkumar Sharma Ji's who graced the Darbar Festival stage with his music three times. Pandit Ji's first appearance at Darbar Festival in 2010 at the Kings Place, was uniquely special when he gave a special in-conversation session with Dharambir Singh Dhadyalla MBE to...

Dr. Prabha Atre wanted to study medicine, but the medical school was far away from home. She chose law instead and even learned kathak to fulfill her aspirations of becoming a dancer. But a chance encounter with Indian classical music changed her life forever. “I was destined to become a musician...

Rooted in the rich tradition of the Maihar gharana, Niladri Kumar has learned sitar under his father, Pandit Kartick Kumar, one of the senior-most disciples of Pandit Ravi Shankar. A renowned exponent of the sitar and surbhahar, Pandit Kartick Kumar has straddled Indian classical and Bollywood mu...

The journey of the humble bamboo flute from folk music to Indian classical music is not a very old one. The transformation took place due to the pioneering efforts of Pandit Pannalal Ghosh (1911-1960), who identified its possibilities, developed a range of techniques and introduced it to the worl...

In a lively conversation recorded in 2014, Pandit Torvi gives some age-old insights about the values of Indian music and musicians that still have strong relevance today.

Musicians:
- Pandit Vinayak Torvi (Gwalior and Kirana gharanas)

Keen observation is one of the key tools to learning an art ...