Two virtuosos of Hindustani classical music perform in Nice on 9 November in tribute to the master, Zakir Hussain, who revolutionized Indian rhythm.
There is a story about Zakir Hussain that captures the essence of who he was as both artist and human being. When he was just two days old, his father, the legendary tabla player Allah Rakha, held him in his arms and, instead of reciting aazan, the traditional prayer in his ear, sang tabla rhythms into the infant’s consciousness.
A pair of hand drums, one high-pitched, one bass, the tabla produces rhythmic cycles (talas) through different finger techniques, with each stroke represented by spoken syllables like “dha” and “tin” that can be recited, sung, and taught.
It was a prayer of a different kind that Zakir Hussain’s father whispered in the infant’s ear… one that would echo through six decades of revolutionary music-making. The lessons would formally begin at age seven, with father and son meeting at 2:30 in the morning for four years, talking rhythm and the history of their tradition while the rest of the world slept. Little did they know that Zakir would become the finest player of his generation.
Zakir Hussain died on December 15, 2024 at age 73. The loss reverberates across continents and musical traditions, for Hussain was that rarest of artists: a virtuoso deeply rooted in classical tradition who fearlessly crossed every border. His collaborations ranged from multi-day jam sessions with the Grateful Dead to performances with the legendary Ravi Shankar.
On November 9, 2025, Centre Culturel La Providence in Nice hosts an exceptional concert in his memory, bringing together two exceptional interpreters of Hindustani classical music: violinist Kala Ramnath and tabla master Nihar Mehta.
The concert finds a fitting home at La Providence, nestled in the heart of Nice’s Old Town. The venue’s baroque chapel regularly resonates with the sounds of Indian sitar, Bach’s strings, or Celtic music, creating what director Frédéric Rey envisions as a space that brings cultures and people together. Under his direction, both La Providence and its parent venue, La Semeuse, have established themselves as meeting points in the heart of Nice where artists transcend epochs, art forms, and borders.
Two Masters Unite in Tribute
Kala Ramnath, known for her “singing violin,” became the first Indian violinist to be featured in The Strad, the world’s premier violin publication. Born into a dynasty of seven generations of musicians, she studied for over a decade with the legendary vocalist Pandit Jasraj, revolutionising the approach to transposing Hindustani vocal techniques onto the violin. Her career has taken her from Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House, with collaborations spanning Béla Fleck, the Kronos Quartet, and the London Symphony Orchestra. And her own grandfather would wake her up in the middle of the night to practice….
Video via darbarfestival on YouTube
As a teenager, Ramnath received pivotal advice from Zakir Hussain himself. After hearing her play, Hussain challenged her by asking why anyone would want to listen to her imitating her aunt rather than developing her own voice. A question that transformed her artistic path.
Joining her is Nihar Mehta, a tabla virtuoso from Ahmedabad whose family founded the renowned SAPTAK School of Music in 1980. Mehta began his tabla studies at age 12, training under his uncle Nandan Mehta before studying with other great masters. He has accompanied distinguished artists, performing across prestigious venues in India, Europe, and America.
Video via Priscilla India on YouTube
An Evening of Hindustani Splendour
The 75-minute concert promises an immersion in the rich tradition of Hindustani classical music. The combination of Ramnath’s lyrical violin technique, which translates the nuances of vocal ornamentation to strings, and Mehta’s rhythmic mastery represents the very essence of what Zakir Hussain championed: virtuosity in service of emotional and spiritual expression. The backdrop of the Baroque chapel only heightens the intercultural experience.
In the end, perhaps the most fitting tribute to Zakir Hussain is not silence but sound – the continuing conversation between instruments, between traditions, between artists who carry forward what he spent a lifetime building. When Ramnath’s violin sings and Mehta’s tabla responds, those rhythms whispered to a two-day-old child many years ago will echo still, as alive as they ever were. Some prayers, it turns out, are answered in the music that follows.
VISITOR INFORMATION
Zakir Hussain tribute concert featuring violinist Kala Ramnath and tabla master Nihar Mehta | Sunday, November 9, 2025 | Duration: 1h15
Tickets: €18 (regular) / €15 (reduced) / €12 (La Semeuse members)
Information: lasemeuse.asso.fr
CONTACT DETAILS
Centre Culturel La Providence
8 Rue Saint-Augustin
06300 Nice
Tel: +33 (0)4 93 80 34 12
Lead image courtesy La Semeuse / La Providence; all other images and videos as credited
Share article
Leave a Reply