World-Renowned Percussionist Zakir Hussain Returns to Minneapolis 4/28

Hennepin Theatre Trust announced today that ZAKIR HUSSAIN, one of the world's greatest percussionists, the wizardly Indian tabla player and composer, returns to Minneapolis to perform at the historic Pantages Theatre (710 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis) on Friday, April 28, 2017 at 8 p.m. Zakir will be joined on stage by Indian classical, fusion and experimental performer RAHUL SHARMA. Sharma has written music for several Bollywood films. In 2002, he was one of the youngest music directors for whom the nightingale of Inida Lata mangeshkar sang all the songs for Yash chopra's 'Mujhase Dosti karoge' starring Hritik Roshan-Kareena Kapoor.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 10 a.m. at the State Theatre Box Office, charge-by-phone at (800) 982-2787and online at HennepinTheatreTrust.org.

Widely considered a chief architect of the contemporary world music movement, Zakir's contribution has been unique, with many historic and groundbreaking collaborations, including Shakti, Remember Shakti, Masters of Percussion, the Diga Rhythm Band, Planet Drum, Tabla BeatScience, Sangam with Charles Lloyd and Eric Harland, in trio with Bela Fleck and Edgar Meyer and, most recently, with Herbie Hancock. The foremost disciple of his father, the legendary Ustad Allarakha, Zakir was a child prodigy who began his professional career at the age of twelve, touring internationally with great success by the age of eighteen.The pre-eminent classical tabla virtuoso of our time, Zakir Hussain is appreciated both in the field of percussion and in the music world at large as an international phenomenon. A National Treasure in his native India, he is one of the world's most esteemed and influential musicians, renowned for his genre-defying collaborations.

As a composer, he has scored music for numerous feature films, major events and productions. He has composed two concertos, and his third, the first-ever concerto for tabla and orchestra, was premiered in India in September, 2015, premiered in Europe and the UK in 2016, and will be performed in the USA in April, 2017, by the National Symphony Orchestra at Kennedy Center. A Grammy award winner, he is the recipient of countless awards and honors, including Padma Bhushan, National Heritage Fellowship and Officier in France's Order of Arts and Letters. In 2015, he was voted "Best Percussionist" by both the Downbeat Critics' Poll and Modern Drummer's Reader's Poll.

As an educator, he conducts many workshops and lectures each year, has been in residence at Princeton University and Stanford University, and, in 2015, was appointed Regents Lecturer at UCBerkeley. He is the founder and president of Moment Records, an independent record label presenting rare live concert recordings of Indian classical music and world music. Zakir was resident artistic director at SFJazz from 2013 until 2016.

Raul Sharma learned music and the Santoor from his father, Guru Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, who is a music legend in India and throughout the world. Sharma's father has been instrumental in bringing this little known instrument from the valleys of Kashmir and introducing it to the Indian Classical Music World. Today, Sharma performs worldwide at such prestigious venues as WOMAD, Edinburgh Festival, the Esplanade in Singapore and the Royal Festival Hall in London. He is proud and honored to have continued the tradition of bringing the santoor on a journey from folk to classical and beyond.

In 2002, Sharma was the first Indian Musician to record with the French pianist Richard Clayderman for the "Confluence" album, which was one of India's best-selling records. He has recently composed "Rebel," a santoor rock album and an album with folk musicians of Kashmir, and numerous other collaborations. He has collaborated on more than 60 live and studio albums throughout his 15 year career. Sharma is honored to continue to carry on his father's legacy and especially honored to be collaborating again with Ustad oZakir Hussain on these classical Indian music concerts.

Hennepin Theatre Trust is a nonprofit organization that creates positive change through the arts by bringing together people, businesses and organizations in WeDo™, the West Downtown MPLS Cultural District. We serve the community through our four theatres - the Orpheum, State, Pantages and New Century - and our unique arts, culture and education programs. Learn more at HennepinTheatreTrust.org and wedompls.org.