Bengaluru recently witnessed a meeting of sitar virtuoso Ustad Shujaat Hussain Khan and two-time Grammy Award–winning flautist Pandit Rakesh Chaurasia, who came together for a collaborative classical concert. Moving between solo explorations and shared improvisations, the evening underscored the role of spontaneity in Indian classical music. Excerpt from a chat:‘Live music is where the performer and the listener become one’In a time shaped by reels, playlists and algorithm-led discovery, both maestros remain firm in their belief that nothing replaces the immediacy of live performance. “Live music is like language,” says Ustad Shujaat. “It unfolds in front of you. The creation happens in that moment, where the listener and the musician become one.” Pandit Rakesh expands on the fragility and honesty of the live experience. “In this AI-driven world, live concerts are still untouched. If there is a mistake, it remains. That chemistry on stage cannot be corrected or recreated online,” he says.‘Classical music isn’t fighting for survival, it’s living its own truth’When asked about the future of Indian classical music, both musicians dismiss the familiar anxiety around relevance. Ustad Shujaat frames it as continuity rather than survival. “As long as human beings feel, listen and respond, this music will remain. It does not need protection — it lives through culture and shared memory,” he says. Pandit Rakesh sees this continuity reflected in the next generation. “Once the foundation is strong, you can move anywhere. You don’t have to perform only classical music, but it gives you grounding across borders,” he shares.
You don’t have to perform only classical music, but it gives you grounding. It allows the music to travel, emotionally, spiritually and across borders
– Pandit Rakesh Chaurasia
‘Bengaluru audience knows what they’re coming for’Both musicians agree that Bengaluru remains one of India’s most attentive classical audiences. “The people here are very musical. They know what they are going to get, and they listen with complete involvement,” says Pt Rakesh. For Ustaad Shujaat, the recurring full houses speaks for themselves. “Every time I come here, I see people returning with open hearts and open minds,” he says.
