Keval Shah and Jess Dandy give the London premiere of their highly-acclaimed show ‘Eternity In An Hour’, threading Indian and European cultures through music, poetry and philosophy.

‘What is here may be found elsewhere; what is not here is nowhere at all.’

Indian and Western philosophies converse in this unique concert, a fusion of cultures, perspectives and soundscapes. Written for Jess Dandy and Keval Shah, Indian-American composer Reena Esmail’s Godsongs sit at the heart of a programme which highlights the ways in which Western and Eastern philosophies converge and diverge.

Esmail’s settings of Sanskrit verses from the Bhagavad Gita bring together the classical music traditions of North India, Hindu devotional chant and Western art-song, drawing out the essence of Vedantic thought, and are interspersed with music from the canon of classical song repertoire.

Two outstanding and daring artists join forces for this unique reimagining of India’s most celebrated and influential scripture, and its fascinating relationship with European poetry, thought and music.

This event will last approximately 80 minutes, with no interval.

Reviews

‘profound…in its spiritual depths, intellectual curiosity and philosophical intention.’ Rebecca Franks, The Times

Keval Shah

Keval Shah is at the forefront of a new generation of pianists, recognised for the intellectual and artistic originality of his creative vision. He has performed in Europe’s leading concert halls and festivals as a song pianist, as well as performing solo shows at major electronic and pop music festivals. At the heart of his creative practice is a fascination for soundscapes born of multicultural identity and thought, working between and across cultures to curate projects which reach beyond perceived boundaries of style and genre. A prize-winner of major international competitions, and a recording artist for labels including Deutsche Grammophon, Keval is also a renowned teacher, professor at Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy, and a regular visitor to universities and conservatoires across the UK, Scandinavia and central Europe.

Jess Dandy

Jess Dandy is the foremost British contralto of her generation. She has appeared as a soloist at major international venues: Carnegie Hall, New York, the Royal Albert Hall (BBC Proms, including First Night of the Proms 2021), Philharmonie de Paris, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Palau de la Música Catalana. Three of her recordings have been nominated for Gramophone Awards and Jess was shortlisted for a Royal Philharmonic Society Award in 2021. She is the co-founder of SongPath, a mental health initiative championing the healing power of communal creative attention on musical walking trails in nature. A multi-faceted and interdisciplinary artist, she has a keen interest in philosophy, ecology, spirituality, and body psychology. Now living in her native Cumbria, she is artist in residence at Brantwood, Coniston, the historic home of 19th-century polymath, John Ruskin.