Darbar 2024

Some of the finest international and UK-based Indian classical artists assemble at the Barbican Centre in London this autumn for the latest enticing iteration of the Darbar Festival, with the event celebrating its 19th anniversary this year.

Highlights from this jam-packed summit, which takes place between October 24-27, include a series of mouth-watering double-bills, boasting the turbo-charged twin-tabla assault of Pandit Anindo Chatterjee and son Anubrata Chatterjee, the virtuoso match-up of sitar whizz Jasdeep Singh Degun with spectacular khayal singer Shalmalee Joshi, and a Karnatic deep-dive pitching together sarod ace Amaan Ali Bangesh and India’s foremost violinist, composer and conductor, Dr L Subramaniam, here making his festival debut.

Other prize picks from this year’s bill take in the south Indian kacheri-stylings of sublime vocalist Aruna Sairam, iconic sitarist Pandit Kushal Das and the emotive midnight-raga magic of vocalist Ashwini Bhidi-Deshpande, with the momentum between marquee names catered for via a carefully-curated run of workshops, guided meditations, mantras, ragas, talks and free family events, as well as a pop-up market.

About this year’s festival, Darbar Arts Culture and Heritage Trust Artistic Director, Sandeep Virdee OBE, says: “Indian classical music is often misunderstood as an obscure artform that distances the audience. Far from it. With a vast repertoire of music styles and subgenres depending on your emotional state, it has the power to stir, thrill and inspire the soul. We are delighted to showcase the world’s finest proponents of this magical artform and welcome audiences from richly diverse backgrounds near and far.”

Visit www.darbar.org for full details and ticket information