Gurdain Rayatt

Gurdain Rayatt is one of Europe’s finest young tabla players. Though UK-based, his style incorporates a vast expanse of ideas from the Punjab, Benares and Farukhabad gharanas. He trained under his father Harkirat and grandfather Bhai Gurmeet Singh Virdee, in whose memory Darbar was founded. He went on to take further instruction from Pandit Shankar Ghosh and his son Bickram, and moved to Kolkata for a year to refine his style.

Today he has a busy and varied schedule, accompanying UK-visiting artists including Ustad Shahid Parvez and playing with fusion groups such as Kefaya and Michael Messer’s Mitra. Other projects include frequent BBC appearances and working with the UK Philharmonia Orchestra. Gurdain also also has two bachelor’s degrees, in English with Film and Music with Composition. Still young, his career goes from strength to strength.

Gurdain’s association with the Darbar Festival is profound, reflecting his family’s legacy. He has delivered solo performances and accompanied various artists over the years. Notably, in 2025, he performed alongside sarangi maestro Momin Khan. In 2024, he collaborated with sarod virtuoso Debasmita Bhattacharya. His performances at the festival continue to honor his family’s rich musical heritage.

“As you go on stage everything is an influence…this stage has had so many maestros perform on it, there’s a certain energy about it – the size of the stage, the lighting, where the audience is, whether they are in darkness or light, how you’re feeling on the day…”

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