Darbar Arts Culture Heritage Trust was founded in 2005 by artistic director Sandeep Singh Virdee and each year curates the Darbar Festival, the UK’s largest and most respected Indian classical music festival.
In order to aid the development of the next generation of Indian classical musicians, the Trust has forged partnerships with Sky Arts and BBC Radio 3, and regularly organises classical music classes and music retreats. In addition, it works closely with faith-based organisations to produce exhibitions and global inter-faith projects celebrating south Asian culture.
Roopa Panesar (sitar) and Gurdain Rayatt (tabla)
Darbar Festival 2012 teams up with Roti Chai for a weekend immersion in Indian classical music and culture at London's Southbank Centre from Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 September & further concerts nationwide
http://www.darbar.org/darbarfestival
The Darbar Festival brings the colours, sounds, and aromas of India to the Southbank Centre for a vibrant weekend of music, talks, food, and yoga from Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 September in the Purcell Room. From dawn to dusk, hypnotic ragas will set the pulse of the day for a full immersion in the rhythm of India, while Roti Chai Restaurant is opening a pop-up restaurant in the Festival Village offering Indian culinary specialities .
Showcasing India's most respected classical virtuosi, many appearing in the UK for the first time, The Darbar Festival provides an ideal introduction to an ancient tradition, which is more than 4,000 years old. Many of the concerts will tour nationwide to 12 different cities.
Legendary tabla maestro from the Lucknow gharanam, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. This is an excerpt from Swapan Ji's tabla solo at The Darbar Festival 2006 in Leicester before great maestros including Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, Pandit Kumar Bose, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, Ronu Mujamdar, Kala Ramnath, Bahauddin Dagar, Subhankar Banerjee, Ravi Shankar Upadyay, Bhai Baldeep Singh and many more.
An insight into the Circle of Sound project Soumik Datta and Bernhard Schimpelsberger.
Soumik Datta is best described by Mercury award winning Talvin Singh as "Darjeeling tea meets Coca-Cola"! The young British composer is one of the most acclaimed Sarod (muscular plucked Indian string instrument) players of his generation. Trained by Maestro Buddhadev Das Gupta and a Masters graduate from Trinity College of Music, he plays the electric Sarod and composes for feature film soundtracks ('Life Goes On' and 'Tooting Broadway'). Austrian percussionist Bernhard Schimpelsberger plays the Western drum kit like a tabla virtuoso, seamlessly blending Indian and Western rhythms into a unique drumming style. Having studied with Tablamaster Pt. Suresh Talwalkar and Trilok Gurtu heis a rhythm visionary constantly pushing boundaries. Between the two artists they have collaborated with Jay-Z, Beyonce, Talvin Singh, Akram Khan, Nitin Sawhney, Bill Bailey, Susheela Rahman, Raghu Dixit etc. The duo known as "Circle of Sound" infuse Indian music, Drum and Bass, electronics and visuals to spectacular effect.
Darbar Festival 2011 21 - 24 April 2011 at Kings Place, London. The biggest Indian Classical Music event outside of event. This years festival brings an extravagant array of musicians from Hindustani and Carnatic traditions. Tickets on sale now www.kingsplace.co.uk
Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma playing Rag Jog at the Darbar Festival 2010 at the Kings Place in London on April 4th.
You can see more of the performance on Sky Arts television.
Rajhesh Vaidhya playing the his modified, amplified Veena at the Darbar Festival at the Kings Place in London on 4th April 2010. He is playing Raag Kafi (Espresso).
Accompanying artists are H.S. Sudindra on mridangam, Neyveli Venkatesh on Kanjira and Satyajit Talwalkar on tabla.
You can see more of this performance on Sky Arts television.
Part of Raag Multani sung by Venkatesh Kumar at the Darbar Festival 2010 at the Kings Place, London.
He's accompanied by Satyajit Talwalkar on Tabla, Tofail Ahmed on Harmonium and Murad Ali on Sarangi.
Jyotsna Srikanth playing at the Darbar Festival at the Kings Place in London on April 2nd 2010.
Accompanying her on the mridangham are Neyveli Venkatesh and H.S. Sudhindra.
'UK-based violinist Jyotsna Srikanth, and two players of the barrel-like mridangam hand-drums provided a remarkable, improvised instrumental set, with the unassuming Srikanth switching between rapid-fire violin ragas and slower, delicate pieces, and some impressive, unrehearsed interplay between the percussionists, one of whom had only been in Britain for a few hours and deserved her standing ovation.' Guardian on Jyotsna Srikanth
You can see the more of the performance on Sky Arts (Channel 257 or 259 on Sky or Channel 285 on Virgin).
Pandit Kushal Das playing Raga Bhimpalasi at the Darbar Festival at the Kings Place in London on April 3rd 2010.
Satyajit Talwalkar is playing the tabla.
You can see the more of the performance on Sky Arts (Channel 257 or 259 on Sky or Channel 285 on Virgin).
The premiere performance of Param Vir's composition of Darbar Chhayanat bringing together voices from opera and Hindustani Indian classical music. It was presented at the Darbar Festival at London's Kings Place on April 1st 2010.
Accompanying artists are: Sanju Sahai on tabla, Paul Silverthorne on viola and Rohan de Saram on the cello.
You can see the full performance on Sky Arts (Channel 257 or 259 on Sky or Channel 285 on Virgin).
Visit www.skyarts.co.uk/darbar for broadcast schedule.
Shashank Subramanium (Carnatic Flute) and Purbayan Chatterjee (Sitar) with Patri Satish Kumar (mridangam) and Sukhwinder Singh - Pinky (tabla)
Purbayan Chatterjee, who plays the sitar with a maturity beyond his years, takes the stage with Shashank, a child-prodigy of the south Indian flute to present a performance of speed, virtuosity and mercurial invention that fuses the Indian classical traditions from the north and south traditions of the sub-continent.
Darbar Festival 2009
Described by one artist as the G20 summit of Indian music and by World Music magazine Songlines as surely Britains best festival of south Asian music, the Darbar Festival is says arts journalist, Jameela Siddiqui a place where everyone expects and gets the highest quality performances of Indian classical music.
Indian classical music is arguably one of the most complex and complete systems of music ever developed. What began as Vedic chants several thousand years ago developed into a sophisticated musical system by the 3rd century.
The music is based on a single melody line, which is played over a fixed drone and the performance is based melodically on particular ragas and rhythmically on talas. The music has been passed down orally. Improvisation predominates and written notation, when used, is skeletal.
This series from the Darbar Festival, presented by Lopa Kothari, features ten outstanding performances from artists from the two main strands of Indian classical music, the North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic traditions.
Visit www.skyarts.co.uk/darbar for broadcast schedule.
Wasifuddin Dagar (Dhrupad Vocal) with Mohan Shyam Sharma (Pakhwaj)
Raag Khamboji
Transport yourself to ancient India with deeply devotional dhrupad singing. Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar represents the 20th unbroken generation of dhrupad singers in the Dagar family. Traditionally his family has always performed dhrupad as a duet, but Wasifuddin successfully presents the dynamic of a duet in a solo performance.
Darbar Festival 2009
Described by one artist as the G20 summit of Indian music and by World Music magazine Songlines as surely Britains best festival of south Asian music, the Darbar Festival is says arts journalist, Jameela Siddiqui a place where everyone expects and gets the highest quality performances of Indian classical music.
Indian classical music is arguably one of the most complex and complete systems of music ever developed. What began as Vedic chants several thousand years ago developed into a sophisticated musical system by the 3rd century.
The music is based on a single melody line, which is played over a fixed drone and the performance is based melodically on particular ragas and rhythmically on talas. The music has been passed down orally. Improvisation predominates and written notation, when used, is skeletal.
This series from the Darbar Festival, presented by Lopa Kothari, features ten outstanding performances from artists from the two main strands of Indian classical music, the North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic traditions.
Visit www.skyarts.co.uk/darbar for broadcast schedule.
UK Carnatic Ensemble
Sindu and Indu (vocals) with Aravindan (flute), Senthuran (mridangam) and Dharmesh (tabla)
A line of rising UK musicians from the south Indian carnatic traditions singing beautifully crafted vocal melodies, backed by violin, flute, and dynamic percussion from the north and south of the sub-continent.
Darbar Festival 2009
Described by one artist as the G20 summit of Indian music and by World Music magazine Songlines as surely Britains best festival of south Asian music, the Darbar Festival is says arts journalist, Jameela Siddiqui a place where everyone expects and gets the highest quality performances of Indian classical music.
Indian classical music is arguably one of the most complex and complete systems of music ever developed. What began as Vedic chants several thousand years ago developed into a sophisticated musical system by the 3rd century.
The music is based on a single melody line, which is played over a fixed drone and the performance is based melodically on particular ragas and rhythmically on talas. The music has been passed down orally. Improvisation predominates and written notation, when used, is skeletal.
This series from the Darbar Festival, presented by Lopa Kothari, features ten outstanding performances from artists from the two main strands of Indian classical music, the North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic traditions.
Pt Tejendra Majumdar (Sarod) + Pt Kumar Bose(Tabla) - Raag Darbari
Pandit Tejendra Majumdar is quite simply one of the finest sarod players of this generation. He had training from one of the greatest sarod maestros of our times, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. Accompanying him on tabla is the remarkable, irrepressible Pandit Kumar Bose.
Darbar Festival 2009
Described by one artist as the G20 summit of Indian music and by World Music magazine Songlines as surely Britains best festival of south Asian music, the Darbar Festival is says arts journalist, Jameela Siddiqui a place where everyone expects and gets the highest quality performances of Indian classical music.
Indian classical music is arguably one of the most complex and complete systems of music ever developed. What began as Vedic chants several thousand years ago developed into a sophisticated musical system by the 3rd century.
The music is based on a single melody line, which is played over a fixed drone and the performance is based melodically on particular ragas and rhythmically on talas. The music has been passed down orally. Improvisation predominates and written notation, when used, is skeletal.
This series from the Darbar Festival, presented by Lopa Kothari, features ten outstanding performances from artists from the two main strands of Indian classical music, the North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic traditions.
Aruna Sairam (Carnatic Vocal) with Jyotsna Shrikant (violin), Patri Satish Kumar (mridangam), RN Prakash (ghatam) and Priya Parkash (tanpura)
Aruna Sairam is one of the best voices to emerge from the Carnatic tradition of southern India an this concert presents a rich repertoire of beautiful and rare classical compositions as well as lighter folk forms and melodies.
Darbar Festival 2009
Described by one artist as the G20 summit of Indian music and by World Music magazine Songlines as surely Britains best festival of south Asian music, the Darbar Festival is says arts journalist, Jameela Siddiqui a place where everyone expects and gets the highest quality performances of Indian classical music.
Indian classical music is arguably one of the most complex and complete systems of music ever developed. What began as Vedic chants several thousand years ago developed into a sophisticated musical system by the 3rd century.
The music is based on a single melody line, which is played over a fixed drone and the performance is based melodically on particular ragas and rhythmically on talas. The music has been passed down orally. Improvisation predominates and written notation, when used, is skeletal.
This series from the Darbar Festival, presented by Lopa Kothari, features ten outstanding performances from artists from the two main strands of Indian classical music, the North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic traditions.
Rupak is accompanied by Anuradha Pal
Few Indian instruments are as evocative as the simple bansari or bamboo flute. This simple bamboo instrument, in the hands of Rupak Kulkarni, a student of maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, produces one of the most haunting and captivating sounds in Indian classical music.
Darbar Festival 2009
Described by one artist as the G20 summit of Indian music and by World Music magazine Songlines as surely Britains best festival of south Asian music, the Darbar Festival is says arts journalist, Jameela Siddiqui a place where everyone expects and gets the highest quality performances of Indian classical music.
Indian classical music is arguably one of the most complex and complete systems of music ever developed. What began as Vedic chants several thousand years ago developed into a sophisticated musical system by the 3rd century.
The music is based on a single melody line, which is played over a fixed drone and the performance is based melodically on particular ragas and rhythmically on talas. The music has been passed down orally. Improvisation predominates and written notation, when used, is skeletal.
This series from the Darbar Festival, presented by Lopa Kothari, features ten outstanding performances from artists from the two main strands of Indian classical music, the North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic traditions.
Ashwini Bhide Deshpande (North Indian Hindustani Vocal) with Subhankar Bannerjee (tabla), Jyoti Goho (harmonium) and Priya Parkash (tanpura)
Ashwini Bhide is one of the finest classical divas from the north Indian classical tradition. She has a range of over three octaves and has a reputation for soulful ragas sung in a unique style that blends different influences. Her performances encompass lyrical khayal, a beautiful, imaginative and flowing style that transports you to another world.
Darbar Festival 2009
Described by one artist as the G20 summit of Indian music and by World Music magazine Songlines as surely Britains best festival of south Asian music, the Darbar Festival is says arts journalist, Jameela Siddiqui a place where everyone expects and gets the highest quality performances of Indian classical music.
Indian classical music is arguably one of the most complex and complete systems of music ever developed. What began as Vedic chants several thousand years ago developed into a sophisticated musical system by the 3rd century.
The music is based on a single melody line, which is played over a fixed drone and the performance is based melodically on particular ragas and rhythmically on talas. The music has been passed down orally. Improvisation predominates and written notation, when used, is skeletal.
This series from the Darbar Festival, presented by Lopa Kothari, features ten outstanding performances from artists from the two main strands of Indian classical music, the North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic traditions.
Darbar Festival 2009
Described by one artist as the G20 summit of Indian music and by World Music magazine Songlines as surely Britains best festival of south Asian music, the Darbar Festival is says arts journalist, Jameela Siddiqui a place where everyone expects and gets the highest quality performances of Indian classical music.
Indian classical music is arguably one of the most complex and complete systems of music ever developed. What began as Vedic chants several thousand years ago developed into a sophisticated musical system by the 3rd century.
The music is based on a single melody line, which is played over a fixed drone and the performance is based melodically on particular ragas and rhythmically on talas. The music has been passed down orally. Improvisation predominates and written notation, when used, is skeletal.
This series from the Darbar Festival, presented by Lopa Kothari, features ten outstanding performances from artists from the two main strands of Indian classical music, the North Indian Hindustani and South Indian Carnatic traditions.
Ganesh and Kumaresh (South Indian Carnatic Violin). Accompanied by Patri Satish Kumar and R.N. Prakash
A violin duet that combines Indian classicism with more contemporary styles by brothers Ganesh and Kumaresh. The recital presents a series of pre-composed and improvised pieces where the pace builds up and slows down in geometric progressions within complex rhythmic patterns.
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Pandit Kumar Bose | Tabla Solo
Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, Tabla Solo
Uday Bhawalkar, Raga Bhimpalasi
Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar Raga Darbari
Roopa Panesar and Gurdain Rayatt | Darbar Festival 2012 Launch Party
Swapan Chaudhuri demonstrates Dha TeTay Kaiyda
Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, great tabla maestro
Soumik and Bernhard speak about Circle of Sound
Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma & Pt Anindo Chatterjee at Darbar Festival 2010
Rajhesh Vaidhya on Veena at the Darbar Festival 2010
Pandit Venkatesh Kumar - Darbar Festival 2010
Jyotsna Srikanth on Carnatic Violin at the Darbar Festival 2010
One of India's greatest sitar players: Pandit Kushal Das
Patricia Rozario & Veena Sahasrabuddhe at Darbar Festival 2010
Shashank Subramanium (Carnatic Flute) and Purbayan Chatterjee (Sitar) at Darbar Festival 2009
Wasifuddin Dagar (Dhrupad Vocal) at Darbar Festival 2009
UK Carnatic Ensemble at Darbar Festival 2009
Pt Tejendra Majumdar (sarod) with Pt Kumar Bose (tabla) at Darbar Festival 2009
Sukhwinder Singh on Jori at Darbar Festival 2009
Aruna Sairam (Carnatic Vocal) at the Darbar Festival 2009
Rupak Kulkarni on the bansuri (flute) at Darbar Festival 2009
Ashwini Bhide at Darbar Festival 2009
Ganesh & Kumaresh on carnatic violin at Darbar Festival 2009
