Shubha Mudgal's upcoming show at Your Artist promises to be an educational experience of hindustani vocal music

Your Artist— an event that offers a captivating blend of music and dialogue, providing attendees with a deeper insight into Indian classical music — returns to the city with its second edition this weekend. The two-day event, featuring Shubha Mudgal, kicks off with a thought-provoking conversation with singer-composer Bindhumalini Narayanaswamy on Day 1, before the Padma Shri awardee takes the stage on Day 2 for a mesmerising concert. In anticipation of her upcoming performance, we speak to the composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist who highlights the unique blend of tradition and innovation that defines the series.

Can you tell us more about Your Artist and what can attendees expect from this event?
Your Artist is curated and initiated by Bijayini Satpathy and I've been invited to this year's series, which is structured as a two-session set. One session follows the concert format, while the other is a free-flowing interaction where the featured artiste is encouraged to share insights from their journey. On February 17, I'll engage in conversation with singer-composer Bindhumalini and on February 18, I'll present a concert as part of the series where tabla artiste Pradhan Aneesh and harmonium artiste Sudhir Nayak will accompany me on stage.

What topics do you plan to explore during the former part of the series? Give us some insights into your upcoming performance.

As it's a free-flowing conversation, I anticipate discussing various aspects related to the study of music such as training, teaching, performing, composing and the challenges faced by artistes. For the concert, I'll present a selected repertoire in the khayal and thumri-dadra forms, including traditional compositions from my gurus and some of my compositions.

What role do you see events like Your Artist playing in promoting and preserving Indian classical music and its various forms?
The series, curated by a highly accomplished artiste firmly rooted in tradition yet able to develop her style, holds a unique direction. While audiences conventionally witness artistes perform, the conversation segment of the series allows them to delve deeper into the artiste's work and understand the impulses steering their journey.

₹500 onwards. February 17 & 18, 7 pm. At BIC, Domlur.