Pandit Ajay Prasanna leads a cross-cultural concert with Shahbaz Hussain, Rekesh Chauhan and RN Prakash

Highlights:

• Grammy-nominated flautist Pandit Ajay Prasanna to perform at the Royal Academy of Music

• Accompanied by tabla maestro Shahbaz Hussain, pianist Rekesh Chauhan and ghatam artist RN Prakash

• Concert explores the healing and meditative power of Indian classical music

London Ragas Fusion, an evening of Indian classical music that unites four acclaimed musicians, will be held at Duke Hall, Royal Academy of Music, on Saturday (15).

The concert will be led by Pandit Ajay Prasanna, a three-time Grammy-nominated flautist and one of India’s foremost exponents of the bansuri. A disciple of Pandit Rajendra Prasanna, he has performed with Ravi Shankar, Zakir Hussain and AR Rahman, and is known for his work across classical, fusion and film music.

He will be joined by Shahbaz Hussain, regarded as one of Europe’s leading tabla players. Based in the UK, Hussain has performed with artists including Ustad Fateh Ali Khan and Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, and is known for promoting Indian classical music through performances and education.

The line-up also includes pianist Rekesh Chauhan, who has performed at venues such as the Royal Albert Hall and Wembley Arena, and whose work combines Indian classical traditions with Western harmony. Completing the ensemble is RN Prakash, a leading exponent of the ghatam, one of South India’s oldest percussion instruments. Prakash has toured internationally and is recognised for bringing the clay-pot instrument into modern fusion performances.

The event, presented by the Royal Academy of Music, is part of its effort to showcase global classical traditions within a contemporary context. According to the organisers, the concert aims to explore the connection between music, mindfulness and emotional well-being, a theme rooted in Indian classical traditions that view ragas as a form of meditation.

More details here