In the first part, Pavel Milyakov, a Russian artist active for over a decade on the international electronic scene and known under the stage name Buttechno. Initially recognized for his techno and experimental productions, Milyakov has gradually expanded his field of research toward more abstract and contemplative forms, moving closer to ambient and audiovisual music. His work stands out for its ability to move across genres and contexts, shifting from clubs to art galleries, from records released on independent labels to multimedia projects that integrate sound and image. In this concert, he will present an audiovisual ambient live set built on expansive, layered sonic textures, accompanied by visual elements that enhance its perceptual dimension. Milyakov’s performance fits within the framework of contemporary electronic research, with particular attention to the relationship between sound, image, and space, offering a listening experience that invites focus and a suspension of time.

The second part of the evening is dedicated to North Indian classical music, with an extended tabla solo by maestro Sanju Sahai, a sixth‑generation representative of the prestigious Benares gharana. Considered one of the most refined interpreters of the contemporary tradition, Sahai combines extraordinary technical mastery with deep musical sensitivity, capable of transforming rhythmic complexity into a discourse of great clarity and intensity.

The concert unfolds according to the classical structure of the raga, introduced by the sitar with a slow, hypnotic melodic line that establishes the rasa (the emotional color) and the thematic material on which the entire performance will develop. On this foundation, the tabla gradually enters, at first with sparse and measured figures that outline the tala (the rhythmic cycle) and prepare the ground for the transformations to come.

Sahai’s solo, lasting about fifty minutes, follows the traditional model of variation and development: the initial rhythmic cells, presented with great clarity, are expanded, contracted, doubled, and then quadrupled, reaching dizzying speeds in which finger precision and the complexity of permutations merge into a single pulsating fabric. This progression, typical of the Benares school, alternates moments of extreme timbral finesse with passages of overwhelming energy, in a continuous balance between control and improvisational momentum.

The sitar accompanies and supports the entire journey, cyclically returning to the raga’s theme and offering a melodic point of reference around which the tabla can expand. The dialogue between the two instruments creates a dynamic tension between stability and acceleration, between meditation and virtuosity, which lies at the heart of Hindustani music.