Doors 7.30, music 8pm

Balladeste - a long term collaboration between Preetha Narayanan (violin) and Tara Franks (cello) launch their new album Imprints with a captivating immersive in-the-round performance, joined by some very special guests.

Richly textured instrumental music shaped by contemporary classical, Indian classical, baroque and folk, Balladeste's fourth album Imprints is a work of quiet but striking intimacy built out of a practice they call "playing by listening": a decade-long practice of improvising with each other. What emerges is a post-classical record of tender beauty - one where listening isn't just a creative act, but in an attention-deficit economy, a subversive one too.

“Balladeste’s music is cinematic, meditative, intrepid. ...haunting compositions that transcend the limitations of two instruments”- Songlines 2026

Described as “...an extraordinary and beautiful listening experience” (KLOF), Balladeste have released three albums of original music to date and two collaboration EPs including an exciting recent release with singer-songwriter Ana Silvera - Difficult Loves (2026) and Beyond Breath re-work EP featuring the work of revered artists from the contemporary & jazz music scene; Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres, Midori Hirano, The Vernon Spring & Anna Phoebe.

For this performance Tara and Preetha will be joined by guest artists:

Fred Thomas - viella, percussion, bass

‍Tullis Rennie - electronics

‍Debasmita Bhattacharya - sarod

‍Lucine Musaelian - viola da gamba

The night will open with a set from Gabriel Prokofiev - renowned London-based composer, producer, DJ and founder of Nonclassical. Composing music that both embraces and challenges western classical traditions, Gabriel has emerged at the forefront of a new approach to classical music in the UK at the beginning of the 21st century.

www.balladeste.co.uk  @balladeste