Ikhlaq Hussain

When played live, northern Indian classical music is shaped by the artist’s mood and rapport with the audience. What will inspire renowned sitar player Ikhlaq Hussain when he takes the stage at the Rubin on 5/19? Though every show is different, Hussain is known for performances that evoke the soul’s yearning for the divine. He will be joined by Suryaksha Deshpande on tabla for the evening’s program of northern Indian classical ragas and talas in the Gayaki Ang style.

Musical performances at the Rubin Museum are made possible through the generosity of the Carlo and Micól Schejola Foundation. This concert is presented with Harrice Miller Entertainment and Sunny Thakkar.

About the Musician

Ustad Ikhlaq Hussain is a sitar virtuoso from a centuries-long line of influential musicians of the Delhi Gharana school, dating back to the early 13th century and including his father and teacher, the late Ustad Imdad Hussain. He also studied with famed sitar master Ravi Shankar. Hussain plays in the Gayaki Ang style, reproducing the nuance of the human voice, perhaps the most difficult form of playing the sitar. He was an Artist in Residence at Shangri La, Hawai’i (DDFIA) in 2014. In 2015 Hussain performed at Lincoln Center Out of Doors, and in 2016, he performed at the Harlem Arts Festival and the Storm King Art Center as part of the Masters of Indian Music series presented by the World Music Institute. Ikhlaq Hussain’s personal mission is to preserve and disseminate his rich musical heritage through concerts, performances, and teaching.