S. Akash (Flute Maestro) | Utsav Lal (Raga Pianist) – Curated Double Bill Concert !

RAGA. RHYTHM. REIMAGINED.

A Double-Bill Curated Concert Experience

ICMCA is delighted to present a mini-festival that celebrates the brilliance, vitality, and evolving voice of Hindustani classical music. This special afternoon brings together two distinct concerts, each pairing an outstanding melodic artist with a masterful tabla accompanist, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience contrasting musical conversations within a single immersive event.

An intermission between the two concerts allows audiences to relax, connect, and enjoy light refreshments, before returning for a second spellbinding performance.

Concert I: [4:00 – 5:15 PM]

S. Akash (Flute) with Vivek Pandya (Tabla)

The first concert of the evening features flute maestro S. AKASH, accompanied by the exceptional young tabla artist VIVEK PANDYA, in a deeply expressive and rhythmically charged presentation.

Born in 1997, S. Akash is a child prodigy whose musical journey began at the age of four under the late Pandit Venkatesh Godkindi, and continues under the guidance of Pandit Jayateerth Mevundi. Known for his extraordinary musical intuition and intricate raga development, Akash performs with remarkable depth despite not relying on written notation. His artistry has earned him numerous honors, including the Child Prodigy Award, the Pogo Amazing Kids Award, and the Bharat Ratna Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi Fellowship. He has performed extensively across India and internationally, collaborating with leading musicians such as Pandit Ajay Chakraborty, Ustad Taufiq Qureshi, Shankar Mahadevan, and Kaushiki Chakraborty.

Accompanying him is Vivek Pandya, one of the most exciting young tabla players of his generation. Trained for over fifteen years under the legendary Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, Vivek is admired for his technical clarity, refined tonal control, and fearless command of complex rhythmic structures. He has performed at prestigious venues including Lincoln Center (NYC) and EMPAC Concert Hall, and has earned recognition both as a sensitive accompanist and a compelling soloist. His versatility also extends to cross-genre collaborations and recordings, reflecting a modern artistic vision rooted firmly in classical tradition.

Concert II: [5:45 – 7:00 PM]

Utsav Lal (Raga Pianist) with Vivek Pandya (Tabla)

Indian pianist/composer UTSAV LAL, often known as the ‘Raga Pianist’ is recognised as the rarest of pianists. Stunning the world with his innovative handling of Indian Classical Music on a Western instrument, The Irish Times describes Utsav Lal as “a fleet-fingered performer whose best moments can be both highly evocative and dazzling.” Lal’s ground-breaking work has garnered an impressive career spanning two decades, with solo performances at world famous venues like Carnegie Hall (NYC(, Southbank Centre (London), Kennedy Center (DC), Steinway Hall (NY), Asia Society (HK), Arts Center (Melbourne).

Treading the careful line between an ancient tradition and the innate desire for innovation with utmost respect, Lal’s music is acclaimed for its sincerity, depth and powerful intensity. Deeply influenced by Dhrupad, his work gains inspiration from a vast array of sources such as The Necks, Thelonious Monk, Tsegué-Maryam Guèbrou and Cecil Taylor. Lal has challenged commonly understood ways of improvisation to develop his own unique voice for the piano, taking stage at leading festivals including Novara Jazz (Italy), San Francisco Silent Film (USA) AsiaTopa Festival (Australia), Masters of Tradition (Ireland).

Endorsed as Young Steinway Artist (2010), TiE Aspire Young Indian Achiever (2012), Yamaha Jazz Scholar (2014), Lal has been recognized for his extensive collaborative work with Irish, Scottish, Jazz and Experimental artists including leading names like L.Shankar, Martin Hayes, Dennis Cahill, Winifred Horan, Australian Contemporary Circus Theatre CIRCA, Talvin Singh, George Brooks, Rajna Swaminathan. Lal has 9 solo record releases which include a historic world’s first album on the microtonal “Fluid Piano” (2016). Lal holds a Masters in Contemporary Improvisation (New England Conservatory of Music), bachelor’s in jazz (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) and is a disciple of Dhrupad vocalist Ustad F. Wasifuddin Dagar.