A Hindustani classical vocalist and an artist to present a jugalbandi of sound and colour

At the heart of this year’s edition is a rare dialogue between two Padma Shri awardees -- Pt Venkatesh Kumar, the Hindustani vocalist whose voice is steeped in parampara, and Vasudeo Kamath, an internationally acclaimed artist whose brush strokes have for long captured the spirit of India

MUMBAI

Pandit Venkatesh Kumar (HT Photo)

A unique collaboration of Indian classical music and fine art will be presented at the St Andrew’s Auditorium on Sunday, as a part of Arghya 2025, an annual festival of classical performing arts, to celebrate two expressions of art in a way that they do not just coexist but converse, creating a shared tapestry of tradition, imagination and legacy.

At the heart of this year’s edition is a rare dialogue between two Padma Shri awardees -- Pt Venkatesh Kumar, the Hindustani vocalist whose voice is steeped in parampara, and Vasudeo Kamath, an internationally acclaimed artist whose brush strokes have for long captured the spirit of India. Together, they will offer audiences an experience where a raga is not only heard but also painted on canvas in real time.

For Kamath, this act of painting in response to live music is less about representation and more about evocation. “It will not merely be an illustration, but an inspiration to bring the spirit of music on canvas. Panditji’s music will ripple in my brushstrokes,” he says. He resists calling it a jugalbandi, even though audiences may be tempted to do so. “We are not going to let our art be bound by that dynamic. He sings his truth; I paint mine. What binds us is not structure but inspiration.”

The distinction is important as it frees both artist and musician to inhabit their own spaces fully while still engaging in a shared atmosphere of improvisation. Just as a dancer responds to the rhythm of a song, Kamath says the rise and fall of melody sometimes influences the movement of his hand. The arc of a taan may inspire a sweep of colour, while the pulse of the tabla might echo in the tempo of his brush. But underpinning this spontaneity is a discipline honed over decades. “Classical techniques are so deeply ingrained in practice that when you perform live, expression flows effortlessly. Years of riyaaz in any art form are what make such freedom possible,” he reflects.

Pt Venkatesh Kumar views the confluence with equal wonder. “Classical music is an art and so is painting. The audience will not just hear the bhaav of the ragas but also witness it taking colour and form. It will be a very unique experience,” he says. Like Kamath, he does not look upon the performance as a match between brush strokes and notes, but parallel journeys, “two streams flowing side by side, converging and diverging, yet nourishing one another”.

The collaboration will be anchored by Mandar Puranik on tabla and Siddhesh Bicholkar on harmonium. Beyond the singular duet, audiences will also be treated to a santoor recital by Satyendra Singh Solanki, accompanied by Sardar Harmeet Singh on table; a vibrant tabla ensemble by the disciples of the Ustad Allarakha Institute of Music, arranged and composed by Ustad Fazal Qureshi, will honour the vast tradition of Indian percussion, ensuring that the memory of legends continues to resonate through fresh voices and eager hands. Adding to the galaxy of performers will be the voice of Kaushiki Joglekar, who stands as a luminous bridge between generations and styles, carrying forward the depth of tradition while opening new pathways of expression for contemporary listeners.

The evening will come to a close with Vasudeo Kamath being felicitated for his contribution to the fine arts and his recent Padma Shri honour. “Awards bring joy, but true reward lies in people connecting with your art. What goes down in history is not our achievements but our contributions,” he says.

“Tradition thrives when we honour it, but also when we add something new to keep it alive,” Kamath says. Kumar echoes the sentiment pointing out how younger audiences are increasingly drawn to classical forms: “Ten years ago, fewer people listened. Now more are curious, and such experiments help them discover its depth.”

Perhaps no single raga or image can capture what awaits as both prefer to leave it to the alchemy of the moment. What is certain, however, is that Arghya 2025 will be more than a concert. It will remind us that art, at its purest, is dialogue.

(Where: St. Andrew’s Auditorium, Bandra.

When: September 14.

Time: 6:30pm.)