Thursday, 6th November, 2025

Next event: An evening of live classical music from South Asia

We are delighted to invite you to an unforgettable evening of live South Asian classical music played by four talented artists based in the UK. They have each devoted years to practicing their art, and having recently performed to acclaim at the Barbican, for the Darbar Festival as well as this year’s Brighton Festival, we are very fortunate to have them perform for us.

Jason Kalidas (on bansuri, South Asian bamboo flute) and Denis Kucherov (on tabla), have each dedicated themselves to studying and performing the complex art of South Asian raag in the UK and South Asia, with Jason providing an experience and delight in the soaring sounds of the bansari with the accompanying sparkling beats of the tabla played by Denis. Together they produce an ethereal and healing sound, speaking straight to the heart expressed through centuries’ old ancient raags, providing intricate and energising rhythmic patterns. Playing together, and individually, they each work within the
framework of the raag’s melody and the “taal” rhythm, as they improvise both solo and as a duo.

Shayaan Saqib (on sarodh) and Junaid Ali (on tabla). Shayaan is a talented UK born sarod player studying under the mentorship of Pandit Arnab Chakrabarty representing the Lucknow- Shahjehanpur Gharana. His training and disciplined practice has led him to achieve a style marked by seriousness and introspection. Junaid is a student of Ustad Shahbaz Hussain and son of prominent ghazal singer Zeeshan Ali Khansaab, born and raised in east London. Junaid has been under the tutelage of the Punjab and Delhi Gharana. He has also benefited from performing with many great artists around the world; namely Ustad Ghulam Ali, Ustad Shafqat Ali Khan, Tauseef Akhtar Khansaab to name a few.

Event date and time: Thursday 6 November, at 6pm for a strict 6.30pm start – 8.30pm (light refreshment
will be available)

Venue: High Commission of Pakistan, 36 Lowndes Square, London SW1X 9JN