Patel Professorship: Zakir Hussain

The 2014 Gordhan L. and Virginia B. "Jinx" Patel Distinguished Visiting Professor in Indian Musical Arts in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music brings what may be the world's best tabla player to campus on April 2:

Widely regarded as a founding figure in the modern world music movement, Hussain is a two-time Grammy winner and recipient of the National Heritage Fellowship of the National Endowment for the Arts, America's highest honor for traditional and folk artists.

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Born to tabla performer Ustad Allarakha in 1951, Hussain was considered a prodigy and by age 12 was already performing on tour. He arrived in the U.S. in 1970, quickly gaining attention as one of the best tabla players in the world. Hussain's 1991 album "Planet Drum," co-created with Grateful Dead member Mickey Hart, won the first ever Grammy Award for Best World Music Album. Throughout his career, Hussain has collaborated with a variety of artists including George Harrison, Yo-Yo Ma, Van Morrison, Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Joe Henderson, Airto Moreira, Billy Cobham, Pharoah Sanders, Mark Morris, Rennie Harris and the Kodo drummers.

Hussain holds numerous awards from his native India and, in 2009, France's Ministry of Culture and Communication named him a member in the Order of Arts and Letters. That same year, he presented four critically acclaimed sold-out concerts at New York City's Carnegie Hall. Christoph Eschenbach and the National Symphony Orchestra premiered Hussain's "Concerto for Four Soloists" in March 2011 at the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.

Great friends of UGA, the Patels are endeared on campus for a variety of reasons, not the least of which has been the rich tradition already established int he short history of the Patel Professorship. Again, in what city the size of ours would one be availd of the cultural opportunities that we have? If you are a fan of the tabla, you already know not to miss this concert.

Image: Zakir Hussain (Credit: Jim McGuire)