As part of (Re)Sounding India, curated by Guest Curator Keval Shah, Shah performs the complete solo piano works of Reena Esmail, including the UK premiere of works written especially for him. Blending Hindustani and Western classical traditions, Esmail’s music – with its reimagined ragas, lyrical textures and contemporary harmonies – offers a compelling reflection of layered identities and heritage found across cultures.

As part of Origins Unwrapped 2027, Kings Place’s series exploring origins, identity and cultural inheritance, guest curator Keval Shah presents a performance of the complete solo piano works of acclaimed composer Reena Esmail.

Part of Shah’s four-event series (Re)Sounding India, this programme explores how Esmail and Shah, as artists of the South Asian diaspora, draw on, transform and reimagine elements of Indian culture within a contemporary musical practice.

Born in the United States to Indian parents, Esmail has become one of the leading voices exploring the meeting points between Hindustani and Western classical traditions, creating music that reflects life between cultures. Across a rich and varied collection of works, Esmail’s distinctive musical language unfolds through reimagined ragas, lyrical melodies and vibrant contemporary harmonies. Her piano music, much of written for Keval Shah, reflects both artists’ heritage and diverse cultural inheritances, revealing how traditions evolve as they travel across generations and continents.

As both performer and curator, Keval Shah brings a unique perspective to this music, illuminating the artistic and personal questions at the heart of Esmail’s work.

Following the performance, an artist conversation offers further insight into the ideas, influences and cultural connections that shape this remarkable body of music.

This event will last approximately 70 minutes, with no interval.

Reviews:

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

Keval Shah

Multi-award-winning pianist and curator Keval Shah is celebrated for the artistic and intellectual originality of his creative practice, at the heart of which lies a fascination for soundscapes born of multicultural identity and thought. Raised in a Gujarati family near London, he trained at Cambridge University and the Royal Academy of Music before becoming, at 25, the youngest professor in the history of Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy. His career has since flourished internationally, marked by collaborations with world-renowned singers, composers, and arts institutions.

Reconnecting with his Indian roots in recent years has transformed Keval’s artistic vision, leading him to create critically-acclaimed boundary-crossing programmes as soloist, song pianist, chamber musician and curator. His forthcoming engagements include solo and orchestral projects with composer Reena Esmail, a residency as guest curator at Kings Place, and recitals at Wigmore Hall, Pierre Boulez Saal, L’auditori, and across Europe. Keval has recorded for Deutsche Grammophon and this season will release his debut solo album featuring the piano music of Reena Esmail.

He has taught as a guest at The Juilliard School, the Royal Academy of Music, the Royal College of Music, and at universities across Europe, and works as a presenter and broadcaster in Finland and at the BBC. His life and work are the subject of an upcoming documentary by Finnish filmmaker Antti Vuori.