A special evening with India’s leading sitar player, Niladri Kumar.

Niladri Kumar has an encyclopaedic knowledge of and expertise in classical Indian music. He creates modern contemporary music in a style which audiences instantly connect with. A fifth generation Sitarist, he is hailed as the most enigmatic and trailblazing musician in India across generations.

Following years of training under his father and guru Pandit Kartick Kumar, Niladri went on to revolutionise sitar playing with the invention of his own instrument. The Zitar is a hybrid of the Sitar and the electric guitar. The concept began with a travelling sitar, modified by Niladri to have electric pickup and five strings instead of twenty. The resulting rock guitar sound redefined audience perception of Indian classical music.

Niladri’s ability to fuse classical and contemporary influences has earned him fans both young and old. His music has featured in many popular Bollywood films, including Crazy Kiya Re in Dhoom 2, Chup Chup Ke, and Aashique 2.

Tonight, Niladri is joined by gifted tabla player Yashwant Vaishnav. Yashwant began learning tabla as a 3-year old and became known as a ‘wonder child’. He continued to perfect his craft under the tutelage of Hemant Sachdeva and Pandit Mukund.

This event is presented by Turner Sims Southampton in association with the Asian Arts Agency