A RARE opportunity to hear the magical, ancient sound of the Santoor been offered in Bradford on June 16.

Kala Sangam will welcome Ustad Kiranpal Singh, one of the leading masters of the Santoor in the UK and Europe.

A spokesman said: “Originating from the Jammu and Kashmir regions of Northern India, the Santoor produces a sound that has to be heard to be believed.

“Small, lightweight mallets held between finger and thumb are used to play the metal strings on a hollow wooden box, producing beautiful melodies that sound like no other instrument.”

Born in Tanzania, Ustad Kiranpal Singh learnt how to play Santoor in Mumbai, India.

One of a select few senior and leading disciples of Shri Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma, he now lives in London and plays regular concerts all over the globe.

Accompanying Singh on tabla for this recital of Indian Ragas and Talas will be Surdarshan ‘Sunny’ Chana.

One of the UK’s most exciting up and coming tabla players, Sunny began learning tabla from the Grandmaster of the Punjab Gharana, Ajit Singh Matlashi, before going on to learn from Ustad Gurmeet Singh Virdee.

The spokesman added: “If you’ve never experienced any South Asian music before, Bradford’s intercultural arts centre Kala Sangam is the perfect setting, with regular audiences a mix of first-time attenders and those with a lifelong love for the arts.

“The evening also features an in-depth post-show discussion where you can find out more about this fascinating instrument and ask those burning questions you may have in a friendly, relaxed environment.”

Call 01274 303340 or kalasangam.org/santoorrecital to book tickets.