THURSDAY 25TH SEPTEMBER 2025 | 7PM | £16 FULL PRICE, £14 ARTIST/OVER 65, £10 UNDER-18
A double bill of Khayal vocalist, Mandar Phatak and carnatic violinist, Aparna Raguraman - accompanied on tabla by Junaid Ali.
Mandar Phatak - a classical vocalist with roots in Pune, India, is a musician who embodies a deep connection with his musical heritage. His early exposure to the world of south Asian art and music, in a family steeped in tradition, set the stage for his lifelong journey in the world of music. Mandar inherits the musical tradition of his guru, Pandit Vijay Koparkar, a distinguished vocalist and guru with extensive performance experience both in India and across the globe. Pandit Vijay ji is renowned for his meditative and melliferous voice, granular and Laydaar Taans, and an extensive repertoire of Jod-Raags. Vijay ji started his training with Pt. Madhusudan Patwardhan of the Gwalior Gharana, followed by his training under the renowned Dr Vasantrao Deshpande, whose musical style was a melange of diverse gharanas like Bhindi bazaar, Kirana, Patiala, and so on. This strong foundation was then further enriched as he delved into the intricacies of the Gwalior-Agra-Jaipur tradition under the tutelage of Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki.
Aparna Raguraman - A British born with South Indian heritage, Aparna Raguraman is a talented violinist known for her contributions to Carnatic music. She is the daughter and disciple of renowned musicians Sri Balu Raguraman and Smt. Subathra Raguraman. She has performed in significant venues and events, such as a performance at The Royal Festival Hall, South Bank Centre, London with Anoushka Shankar, and a concert tour in Italy organised by Sadhguru’s Isha Foundation. Aparna collaborates with various genres of music and has received numerous accolades over the last 10 years of professional experience.
Junaid Ali - Junaid is the student of Ustad Shahbaz Hussain and son of prominent ghazal singer Zeeshan Ali khansaab, born and raised in the East of London. Junaid has been under the tutelage of the Punjab and Delhi Gharana. He has had the opportunity and good fortune of performing with many great artists around the world; namely Ustad Ghulam Ali, Ustad Shafqat Ali Khan, Hans Raj Hans, Tauseef Akhtar khansaab to name a few. Junaid has broadened his horizons by recording albums with Western fusion music, particularly with 9 time Grammy Award winner: Skrillex. He has been invited to perform at both the Lahore + Karachi All Pakistan Music Conferences, he has had the privilege of performing under the Darbar Festival several times and has had the opportunity of performing in phenomenal venues such as Wembley Stadium, Birmingham Symphony Hall, the V&A, Trafalgar Square, and more. Junaid is also a teacher of psychology as well as teaching tabla to the next generation.