Thursday 20 August 2020

Talented Pianist Utsav Lal to Present Hindustani Classical Music at HCL Concerts ‘Baithak’

A musician extraordinaire, Utsav Lal performs on an instrument traditionally considered unsuitable for Hindustani Classical Music- Grand Piano 

Lal will also present a concluding section accompanied by Jake Charkey, an acclaimed American cellist, proficient in Western and Hindustani classical music 

Noida, 20 August 2020: HCL Concerts - Baithak, a series of live, virtual performances by accomplished and upcoming Indian classical music and dance artists will be presenting a performance by internationally acclaimed pianist, Utsav Lal with guest artist & well-known American cellist Jake Charkey, on Friday, August 21 at 7 pmThe performance will be live-streamed on HCL Concerts social media pages including Facebook (www.facebook.com/HCLConcerts,) YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/c/HCLConcerts) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/HCLConcerts).

Renowned as the ‘Raga Pianist’, Utsav Lal’s soulful renditions in traditional Alap Jod Jhalla have won him fans all over the world. Choosing to perform on an instrument that has traditionally been considered unsuitable for Hindustani classical music, Lal has gained international success for his rendition of Indian Classical Ragas on the Piano with performances at top global venues like Carnegie Hall-New York, Kennedy Center-Washington DC, Southbank Centre-London, The National Concert Hall-Dublin and others. Evoking the vast expressive capabilities of the piano, Lal’s music is deeply influenced by Dhrupad and his guru Padma Shri recipient Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar and is recognized to leave listeners spellbound with its sincerity and powerful intensity.

Lal will also be accompanied by Jake Charkey, an acclaimed and award winning American cellist, composer and producer, trained in both Western and Hindustani Classical music. He is a disciple of the renowned violinist, Padma Bhushan awardee Dr N. Rajam in the rare Gayaki Ang style and is one of the few cellists in the world performing Indian music on the cello. Based in Brooklyn, New York, Jake has spent significant time in India recording and performing with many musicians in Bollywood.

Talking about his upcoming performance, Utsav Lal said, “My work is a constant trial and error in finding ways to express Indian Ragas on the piano. I'm very honored to be a part of the HCL Concerts Baithak program with its amazing line-up and excited to share my music and showcase my love for this beautiful tradition. I'm also very happy to have the chance to present some ragas in the final section of the concert with Jake Charkey on the cello and I hope the listeners will enjoy this unusual combination of our two instruments.”

Talking about the upcoming performance, Sundar Mahalingam said, “It’s not every day that music aficionados get treated to a Hindustani classical music performance by a pianist and a cellist. We are extremely happy to host the immensely talented and acclaimed Utsav Lal and Jake Charkey on the HCL Concerts Baithak platform for what we believe will be a masterful rendition of Hindustani classical music that will truly captivate our listeners.”

HCL Concerts - Baithak performances have attracted over 73 million viewers for the 34 performances held over the last five months. Viewers from 45 countries including India, US, UK, Australia and the UAE have logged in to watch performances by artists like Ustad Shujaat Khan, Purbayan Chatterjee, Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Shubha Mudgal, Rakesh Chaurasia and many more.

‘Baithak’ was launched in April 2020 with the hope of helping music lovers stay connected with their favourite artists from the comfort and safety of their homes in the wake of the pandemic. Since then, the initiative has received tremendous response from a variety of audience who have appreciated the performances and the music that translate into an experience of positivity while keeping them entertained. This initiative is part of HCL Concerts, a platform dedicated to encouraging and promoting Indian classical performing arts for over 22 years now. All performances on the platform are free to view online and are streamed on the social media pages of HCL Concerts.

About HCL Concerts:

The conservation and promotion of India’s art and cultural heritage is very close to HCL’s heart. To this end, HCL has been organizing HCL Concerts for 22 years, dedicated to nurturing and promoting talent rooted in the glorious heritage of Indian classical performing arts. Concerts under the umbrella of HCL Concerts are organized at Delhi NCR, Lucknow, Nagpur, Madurai, Bengaluru and Chennai in India, and New York and San Francisco in the US regularly throughout the year. Over 600 artists have graced this platform and have contributed towards reinvigorating the Indian classical performing arts.

Over the years, more platforms have been developed to contribute to the growth of the Indian performing arts ecosystem. Most notable of these are the HCL Music App, allowing music lovers across the world a chance to enjoy the most comprehensive collection of classical music from the comforts of their home for free, and HCL Digital Concerts, a talent identification and nurturing program aimed at showcasing the talented and upcoming classical performing artists to a global audience through a digital medium. For more information, visit – http://www.hclconcerts.com

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