About

An evening of Carnatic and Irish contemporary music. Acclaimed Carnatic vocalist Kalaimamani Sikkil C. Gurucharan and Belfast flautist Aisling Agnew, Artistic Director of the Hard Rain Soloist Ensemble, lead a special evening bringing together musicians from Carnatic and Irish contemporary classical traditions.

The concert brings two distinct musical worlds into the same space. Each tradition is first presented through its own musical language and ensemble, before the artists come together in a specially developed collaborative performance centred on listening, improvisation and musical dialogue.

Sikkil C. Gurucharan, one of the leading Carnatic vocalists of his generation, will be accompanied by Sruthi Ravali on violin and Sri Somasundara Desigar on mridangam.

The Irish presentation is led by Aisling Agnew on flute, alongside Belfast musicians David McCann on cello and Richard Allen on harp. Together, they bring extensive experience across contemporary music, chamber performance, orchestral music, new composition and international artistic collaborations.

The evening offers audiences an opportunity to encounter both traditions in their own right, while also exploring what can emerge when musicians with very different musical backgrounds share a stage.