Sikkil C. Gurucharan & Patrick Dexter | Indian & Irish Musical Traditions
About this Event
An Evening of Indian & Irish Musical Traditions
Thursday, 17 September 2026
All Hallows Chapel, Dublin City University
Drumcondra, Dublin 9
An exceptional evening of Indian and Irish music comes to the beautiful All Hallows Chapel at Dublin City University, bringing together two distinctive musical voices: internationally acclaimed Carnatic vocalist Kalaimamani Sikkil C. Gurucharan and celebrated Irish cellist Patrick Dexter.
At the heart of the evening is a full Carnatic classical recital by Sikkil C. Gurucharan, one of the leading vocalists of his generation, accompanied by Sruthi Ravali on violin and Sri Somasundara Desigar on mridangam.
The programme will also feature a special performance by Patrick Dexter, whose deeply expressive cello playing draws together the classical tradition, Irish melody, the landscapes of the west of Ireland and his own contemporary musical voice.
Set within the intimate Gothic surroundings of All Hallows Chapel, the concert offers audiences an opportunity to experience two great musical traditions within a single evening — each retaining its own identity, depth and artistic language.
Featured Artists
Kalaimamani Sikkil C. Gurucharan — Carnatic Vocal
Principal Headliner
Sikkil C. Gurucharan is one of today's foremost exponents of Indian Classical Carnatic music, admired for a rich, resonant voice, musical sensitivity and an approach that combines deep respect for tradition with an openness to creative exploration.
His musical foundation was shaped under Vaigal Sri S. Gnanaskandan and subsequently through the guidance of Sri B. Krishnamurthy. He has attained the prestigious TOP Grade recognition from All India Radio, the highest artist grading awarded by the broadcaster.
Gurucharan has received some of India's distinguished honours for the performing arts, including the Kalaimamani, conferred by the Government of Tamil Nadu in 2020, and the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. He has also received honours including Isai Peroli and Shanmukha Sironmani and was recognised by India Today among its 35 Game Changers Under 35.
His artistic career extends far beyond the traditional concert stage. As a recipient of the Nehru-Fulbright Excellence Award, he was an artist in residence at the University of California, Davis, and has been associated with academic and cultural programmes in the United States, including Florida International University.
A committed collaborator, Gurucharan has developed acclaimed projects with pianist Anil Srinivasan, exploring the meeting point between Carnatic voice and the piano. He was also part of the landmark collaborative album Miles from India, featuring artists including John McLaughlin, U. Srinivas and Louis Banks, which received a Grammy nomination for Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
His work encompasses traditional Carnatic concerts, recordings, interdisciplinary projects, education and cinema, including appearances in Rajiv Menon's Sarvam Thaala Mayam and the anthology Putham Pudhu Kaalai.
Through all these explorations, Gurucharan remains firmly rooted in the grammar, improvisational depth and expressive beauty of Carnatic music.
Patrick Dexter — Cello
Featured Artist
Irish cellist Patrick Dexter has captivated audiences in Ireland and around the world with an intensely personal musical language in which classical cello, Irish traditional melody, contemporary influences and the natural landscape meet.
Originally from Dublin, Patrick began learning cello at the age of seven and later made his home in the west of Ireland. His performances from outside his stone cottage in County Mayo reached an international audience of millions, introducing listeners around the world to the remarkable emotional range of the cello.
Rather than confining the instrument to a single genre, Patrick explores territory between classical music and Irish folk traditions, alongside his own compositions and arrangements. His performances are characterised by intimacy and storytelling, with the landscapes and sounds of Ireland forming an important part of his artistic world.
His concert work has developed from those celebrated outdoor performances into an acclaimed live musical experience, exploring themes of home, nature, memory, joy and melancholy through the resonant voice of the cello.
Sruthi Ravali — Violin
Accompanying Sikkil C. Gurucharan
Dublin-based Indian classical musician Sruthi Ravali accompanies Sikkil C. Gurucharan on Carnatic violin.
Born into a family of musicians in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, Sruthi began her musical training at the age of three under her mother, Smt. Manda Sudharani. Alongside her vocal training, she studied Carnatic violin for more than a decade under the late Sri Ivaturi Vijayeswara Rao, establishing a strong foundation in the instrumental tradition.
She has continued her musical development under distinguished musicians including Vidwan R. K. Shriramkumar and Vidwan T. M. Krishna and is an A-Grade artist of All India Radio.
Sruthi was the recipient of the prestigious Naad-Bhed – The Mystery of Sound award presented by SPIC MACAY and Doordarshan in 2013. Her performance career has included appearances at the Cleveland Tyagaraja Aradhana, Madras Music Academy programmes, Rama Seva Mandali, Parthasarathy Swami Sabha, Brahma Gana Sabha, Naada Inbam and other major Carnatic platforms.
Her experience as both vocalist and violinist gives her accompaniment a particularly responsive quality, allowing her to engage closely with the melodic improvisation and musical dialogue at the heart of a Carnatic concert.
Sri Somasundara Desigar — Mridangam
Accompanying Sikkil C. Gurucharan
Sri Somasundara Desigar is one of Europe's established Carnatic percussionists and an accomplished exponent of the mridangam, the principal percussion instrument of the Carnatic concert tradition.
He began his training under the late Sri A. S. Ramanathan at the Ramanathan Academy in Sri Lanka before undertaking advanced training under legendary mridangam maestro Guru Karaikudi R. Mani.
His performance career has included prestigious concert platforms in India such as The Music Academy, Chennai, and Krishna Gana Sabha, alongside extensive appearances in Europe, Australia and Canada.
Based in the United Kingdom, he has played an important role in the development of Carnatic percussion education in Europe and serves as Head of Percussion at OFAAL. In addition to his career as a performing artist, he has trained generations of students who now participate actively in the British Carnatic music community.
His rhythmic command, experience and sensitivity as an accompanist bring both structure and spontaneous dialogue to the Carnatic ensemble.
AN EVENING OF INDIAN AND IRISH MUSICAL TRADITIONS
Carnatic music is one of the world’s great classical traditions, built around the sophisticated systems of raga, or melodic framework, and tala, or rhythmic organisation.
A Carnatic concert combines composed repertoire with extensive improvisation. Each performance therefore develops uniquely in the moment through the interaction between vocalist, violinist and percussionist.
Alongside this tradition, Patrick Dexter presents another musical world through the cello, shaped by classical technique, Irish melody, contemporary composition and the landscape of Ireland.
The programme invites audiences to experience these traditions both for what makes them distinctive and for the musical sensibilities they share: melody, improvisation, expression, attentive listening and communication between performer and audience.
For those already familiar with Indian classical or Irish music, the evening offers an opportunity to hear outstanding musicians in the intimate setting of All Hallows Chapel.
For those encountering Carnatic music for the first time, no previous knowledge of Indian classical music is required.
Agenda
🕑: 06:15 PM - 06:30 PM
Introduction
🕑: 06:30 PM - 06:50 PM
Patrick Dexter
Host: Patrick Dexter
🕑: 06:50 PM - 07:20 PM
Indian-Irish Music Collab
🕑: 07:20 PM - 07:30 PM
Break
🕑: 07:30 PM - 08:45 PM
Carnatic Vocals
Host: Vid Sikkil Gurucharan
🕑: 08:45 PM - 09:00 PM
Closing Ceremony
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
EUR 0.00 to EUR 70.69
