ABSOLUTE FOCUS with Cellist Chris Votek to Perform Hindustani Ragas at Sierra Madre Playhouse
Santoor virtuoso Kamaljeet Ahluwalia and tabla master Jas Ahluwalia join the cross-cultural chamber program.
Cellist Chris Votek joins Absolute Focus – the celebrated husband-and-wife duo of santoor virtuoso Kamaljeet Ahluwalia and tabla master Jas Ahluwalia – for an evening of traditional Hindustani raga, on Saturday, August 16, 2026, 4:00 PM, at Sierra Madre Playhouse. The program provides a rare opportunity to hear a combination of instruments rarely featured together in Hindustani music tracing the classical Raga arc from stillness to movement, from introspection to celebration.
Kamaljeet Ahluwalia walks an innovative path on the santoor, a rare and exquisite hammered dulcimer/zither whose shimmering resonance is central to the Hindustani tradition. Her performances invite audiences on an emotional and spiritual journey, exploring vast, sublime melodies and intricate rhythmic patterns that build to an energy-filled crescendo. Kamaljeet began her training at age seven under sitar maestro Dharambir Singh (MBE). She furthered her studies with santoor maestro Harjinderpal Singh, with her most transformative learning coming from her time under the late Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, whose teachings deeply shaped her artistry. Kamaljeet now humbly works to carry on his legacy through her performances and dedication to the santoor.
Jas Ahluwalia studied the illustrious tabla, a pair of hand-played drums renowned for its versatility in both melody and rhythm, under the world-renowned Ustad Tari Khan. Jas' deep understanding of rhythmic cycles (tala) and intuitive accompaniment elevates every performance, bringing emotional depth and intelligence to each interaction with his fellow musicians.
Votek is one of very few cellists in the world fluent in the language of Hindustani music. He has spent years immersed in the vocal-style (Gayaki-ang) tradition, adapting its intricate ornamentation, bends, and breath-like phrasing to the cello with remarkable clarity and emotional depth. Playing alongside Absolute Focus, he becomes a true voice within the raga itself — his cello weaving through santoor and tabla in the call-and-response conversation that defines Hindustani performance. The set will follow the traditional raga trajectory: a meditative alap unfolding slowly into intricate, rhythmically charged interplay and exhilarating dialogue between the musicians.
The concert is presented as part of the Sierra Madre Playhouse Hindustani Music Series, which highlights Los Angeles-based artists devoted to the living tradition of Indian classical music.
For tickets ($12-$35) and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.
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