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Carnegie Hall’s India score: A Night for Zakir, a new annual ritual
The events build on the legacy of maestros like Ravi Shankar who carved a niche for Indian music on the American stage.
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Staff Reporter - Sun, 22, Feb 2026
- 00:00 EST
- 6
Carnegie Hall / Wikipedia
Indian rhythm will echo in New York’s Carnegie Hall again, as an eulogy for tabla legend Zakir Hussain in March 2026 and as an institutionalised Indian Music Festival in May 2027.
On March 6, Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage will host ‘Zakir Hussain Eternal’, a 75th birthday celebration presented by the Zakir Hussain Institute of Music and the World Music Institute.
The evening brings together an extraordinary cross-cultural ensemble including saxophonist Charles Lloyd, Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, banjo virtuoso Béla Fleck, bassist Edgar Meyer and pianist Vijay Iyer, alongside leading Indian classical artists and members of Hussain’s tabla choir.
Conceived as both homage and celebration, the concert reflects Hussain’s singular ability to bridge Hindustani classical tradition with jazz and world music, a dialogue he began at Carnegie Hall in 1970 alongside his guru and collaborator, Ravi Shankar.
Carnegie Hall’s association with Indian music stretches back decades. Ravi Shankar went on to perform there 29 times after his early appearances with his brother Uday Shankar. The stage has also welcomed sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and sitarist Anoushka Shankar, affirming the venue’s stature as a global crossroads.
Building on that legacy, the Hall announced earlier this month the creation of its inaugural Indian Music Festival, scheduled for May 21–23, 2027, as part of the 2026–27 season.
The annual three-day event is supported by a $10 million gift from the Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation, led by the Indian-American couple, vocalist and philanthropist Ila Paliwal and business leader Dinesh C. Paliwal.
The Consulate General of India in New York welcomed the announcement, calling it a milestone for cultural exchange.
Planned in consultation with Ila Paliwal, the festival will feature a marquee performance in Stern Auditorium and two evenings in Zankel Hall devoted to instrumental and vocal recitals, rising artists and contemporary compositions that honour tradition while embracing innovation.
Select musicians will receive the Carnegie Hall Fellow Award, and the festival will be complemented by educational and community initiatives aimed at deepening appreciation of Indian classical music.
Together, the tribute to Zakir Hussain and the launch of the annual Indian Music Festival reflect Carnegie Hall’s deepening engagement with Indian music. What began decades ago with landmark concerts by great maestros is now taking firm institutional shape, giving Indian classical and contemporary traditions a lasting home on one of the world’s most prestigious stages.
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