Zakir Hussain, the world’s foremost master of the Indian tabla, is returning to Vancouver with a a new collaboration – Celtic Connections. The concert takes place on March 21 at 8PM at the Chan Centre at UBC.

Hailed a “national treasure” in India, he has made a staggering contribution to world music, collaborating with top artists as diverse as YoYo Ma, Bela Fleck and George Harrison. The tabla prodigy has received numerous honours, including multiple GRAMMY awards and the prestigious US National Heritage Fellowship.

Hussain’s latest project is the result of a commission received for Glasgow’s annual Celtic music festival while he was in residency with the Scotland Council of the Arts. Assembling musicians from both Celtic and Indian traditions, Hussain created a 90-minute show that was received with outstanding praise and later requested by the UK Council of the Arts to appear at the London 2012 pre-Olympic performances.

In its first tour of North America, Celtic Connections brings together an all-star ensemble, including Ireland’s famed John Joe Kelly on bodhrán, fiddle player Charlie McKerron of Scotland’s Capercaillie fame; award-winning bansuri (Indian bamboo flute) player Rakesh Chaurasia; one of Scotland’s most distinctive pipers Fraser Fifield; Dublin-based guitarist Tony Byrne; highly sought Scottish fiddle player Patsy Reid; distinguished Indian violinist Ganesh Rajagopalan; and renowned French flautist Jean- Michel Veillon.

For more information go to www.chancentre.com.