Alec Goldfarb and Utsav La

About this event

TICKETS are $20 General/$10 Student. Concert is one long set. End time is approximately 9:00 pm.

Our Chamber Arts Series presents American composer and guitarist Alec Goldfarb and pianist Utsav Lal. They will present original contemporary compositions that draw upon the rich traditions of Hindustani classical music while exploring new possibilities through improvisation and collaborative interaction. Rooted in Goldfarb's extensive study of raga and Indian musical traditions, the project reimagines these influences through his own compositional voice, creating original works that bridge cultural traditions within a contemporary American jazz and creative music context. Their performances move fluidly between structured composition, long-form improvisation, and spontaneous musical dialogue, resulting in music that is both deeply rooted in tradition and forward-looking in its artistic vision.

Alec Goldfarb - guitar

Utsav Lal - piano

1. Raga Bhimpalasi - Paste Magazine Excerpt

2. Raga Lalit - Visangati

3. Raga Todi - Fluid Microtonal Piano

4. Raga Bhairav - Raga Shorts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNMpKqrs6OE&t=20s

www.utsavlal.com

https://www.alecgoldfarb.com/

Alec Goldfarb and Utsav Lal bring together Hindustani classical music and contemporary improvisation, presenting a program that moves between traditional long-form raga performance and exploratory, highly interactive improvisations. Their work is driven by an interest in creating a new experimentalism within Indian classical music, expanding the tradition through new forms of interaction, structure, and harmony. 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.

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.

Utsav Lal is recognized as the rarest of pianists, known for his groundbreaking interpretations of Indian classical ragas on the piano. A Young Steinway Artist, his “highly evocative and dazzling” ( Irish Times ) performances weave together elements of Dhrupad, jazz, and creative improvisation, creating a deeply immersive listening experience and a “meditative, patient, powerful approach to the piano” ( Jazz Speaks ). Lal’s work has garnered him an impressive career spanning two decades performing at prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall (New York), Southbank Centre (London), Kennedy Center (Washington DC), Asia Society (Hong Kong), and the Arts Center (Melbourne).

Treading the careful line between an ancient tradition and the innate desire for innovation, Lal has released nine records, including a solo record of ragas on a pioneering microtonal piano called “The Fluid Piano” - described as a “deeply personal pianistic meditation” ( Songlines ). He is influenced by a vast array of sources such as his guru Wasifuddin Dagar, the Persian piano tradition, The Necks, Tsege Mariam Guebro, and Ran Blake. Respected for his versatility, Lal features on several international collaborations, working alongside L. Shankar, Martin Hayes, Doug Wieselman, Ganavya, Talvin Singh, George Brooks, Miles Okazaki, Eyvind Kang, Rajna Swaminathan, Kala Ramnath, and others.

Concerts and events made possible, in part, with support from the Wells Fargo Philanthropic Services Private Trust Foundations, which include grants from the Stanley A. and Flora P. Clark Memorial Community Trust Foundation, the John, Anna, and Martha Jane Fields Memorial Trust Foundation, and the Florence V. Carroll Charitable Trust. Special concert event support provided by the Arts Midwest Grow, Invest, Gather (GIG) Fund grant (2022-2023 season). Activities are made possible in part by the Arts Organization Support (AOS), Indiana Arts Commission, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

Concerts and events made possible, in part, with support from The Esther and George Jaruga Charitable Foundation (2020-2023 seasons). The Student and Home Grown Series concerts made possible, in part, with support from the ArtsEverywhere Grant from the Community Foundation of St. Joseph County, and the Arts Project Support Grant and the Arts Recovery Grant through the Indiana Arts Commission.