Alec Goldfarb and Utsav Lal bring together Hindustani classical music, chamber music, and contemporary improvisation, presenting a program that moves between traditional long-form raga performance and exploratory, highly interactive improvisations. The music draws deeply from raga grammar and lineage while also engaging experimental textures and forms, creating something that feels both rooted and forward-looking.
Utsav Lal is recognized as the rarest of pianists, known for his groundbreaking interpretation of Indian classical ragas on the piano. Deeply rooted in Dhrupad, His performances weave together elements of jazz, celtic music and creative improvisation creating a deeply immersive listening experience. Lal’s ground-breaking work has garnered an impressive career spanning two decades, with solo performances at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall (New York), Southbank Centre (London), Kennedy Center (Washington DC), Steinway Hall (New York), Asia Society (Hong Kong), Arts Center (Melbourne). Influenced by a vast array of sources such as his guru Wasifuddin Dagar, The Necks, Tsege Mariam Guebro and Ran Blake, The Irish Times describes Utsav Lal as “ highly evocative and dazzling.” Utsav has 9 records released including the solo record of ragas on a groundbreaking microtonal piano called “The Fluid Piano” and has collaborated with several artists like Martin Hayes, L.Shankar, Doug Wieselman, Ganavya, Australian Contemporary Circus Theatre CIRCA, Talvin Singh, George Brooks, Miles Okazaki, Rajna Swaminathan, Kala Ramnath.
Alec Goldfarb is a Brooklyn-based guitarist, composer, and Hindustani classical musician known for blending jazz, new music, and Indian classical traditions. A DownBeat Magazine award-winning composer, his music is described as “full of ingenious juxtapositions” (The Wire), and unravels hidden meeting points between disparate sound cultures, revealing the intricate movement of traditions across time. An exponent of the Senia-Maihar Gharana, he performs Hindustani classical music globally using a unique guitar technique inspired by the sarod and sitar. Alec has premiered works by prominent composers and performed at major venues including Roulette Intermedium, NESCO Center, Skanu Mezs, India Habitat Centre, The Jazz Gallery, Bangalore International Center, and the Asia Society NYC. He has performed with Anthony Braxton and the Creative Music Orchestra at Darmstadt, JACK Quartet, John Wetton (King Crimson), Steve Lehman, Patrick Bartley Jr., Immanuel Wilkins, and Eric Wubbels. Recent projects include his acclaimed album Fire Lapping at the Creek, alt-historical baroque suite The Tree of Heaven, works for Gamelan and mixed ensemble, and tours across Asia, North Africa, Europe, and the U.S.
Goldfarb is an alum of the University of Illinois.