Khyal: A Tapestry of Traditions is a musical journey into the rich, evolving world of khyal, the preeminent genre of Hindustani classical vocal music. Presented by renowned khyal virtuoso Samarth Nagarkar, this concert explores khyal as a dynamic amalgamation of India’s diverse vocal traditions, such as dhrupad, qawwali, thumri, and various folk and devotional styles. Through shared repertoire and stylistic patterns that reveal a cross-pollination of these traditions, this performance celebrates khyal as a living tapestry. Nagarkar will be joined by eminent musicians, Dr. Suhail Yusuf Khan on Sarangi and Shankh Lahiri on tabla.
Samarth Nagarkar is a virtuoso singer, known for his mastery of khyal, the preeminent form of Hindustani/North Indian classical vocal music. His performances are noted for their meditative artistry, technical finesse and emotive depth. Samarth has performed at major venues worldwide, including Lincoln Center, LearnQuest Music Conference, and NCPA, Mumbai. Author of the acclaimed book Raga Sangeet, he has several solo and collaborative albums to his credit. As a dedicated educator, he presents lectures, courses and masterclasses at institutions such as NYU, Manhattan School of Music, and Jazz at Lincoln Center. He is a voting member of The Recording Academy (Grammys) and has received prestigious awards like the Excellence in the Arts Award from NAKA. Trained under distinguished gurus Ulhas Kashalkar and Dinkar Kaikini, Samarth’s music represents three traditional gharana styles of Gwalior, Agra, and Jaipur. He is a former scholar of the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata. Samarth is a Dr. Sambhi Visiting Artist at UCLA.
Suhail Yusuf Khan is one of today’s leading exponents of sarangi. He brings together expertise from a performance career that has extended over 25 years, a creative ability, and academic research to find new modes of expression in Hindustānī music. Trained under his grandfather, the pioneering sarangi maestro Sabri Khan, and uncle Kamal Sabri, Suhail carries forward a lineage of eight generations of musicians in his family. He is a Ph.D. and Postdoctoral Associate Fellow at Yale Institute of Sacred Music for the Academic Year 2024-25. His doctoral dissertation, “Bridge Overtones: Lessons from the Sarangi,” is the first in-depth ethnomusicological study of the North Indian bowed instrument tradition by a hereditary sarangi player. He has been featured on over twenty albums and signed to Domino records, U.K.
Shankh Lahiri is a world-renowned tabla artist and composer. Coming from a lineage of musicians, he received training in both tabla and vocal music from his father, sitarist Rabi Lahiri. He subsequently became a disciple of the acclaimed tabla maestro Nayan Ghosh. Shankh has shared the stage with such legends of the genre as Jasraj, Shujaat Khan and Shahid Parvez. He continues to tour and perform internationally at festivals like Sanremo Music Festival in Cuba, South by SouthWest, and the Straz Center of Performing Arts. He is the founder of Shruti Foundation, Shruti School of Music, and WAHH! World Fusion Band.