The beat goes on

Antonia Minnecola remembers her late husband and tabla maestro Zakir Hussain’s warmth, wanderlust and unwavering passion for music

- 

Ustad Zakir Hussain’s immense contribution to music will be celebrated across various events at the NCPA, beginning today. This evening has a special tribute concert titled ‘Forever Friends’ at the Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, featuring Hussain’s brother Taufiq Qureishi, Shakti band members Shankar Mahadevan, guitarist John McLaughlin, V Selvaganesh and Ganesh Rajagopalan, who will offer a musical tribute to Zakir Hussain, a day before his first death anniversary.

Present at the concert will be Hussain’s wife Italian-American Antonia Minnecola, their daughters Anisa and Isabella, family, friends and over 50 global artists.

In an exclusive interview, Antonia Minnecola pours her heart out about her husband Zakir Hussain, their family life, and his legacy.

Excerpts from the interview:

As a kathak dancer, teacher and also as his manager, what specific quality of Zakir’s musicianship did you see in him? His spontaneity being in the moment. He had a favorite saying, “practice a lot, learn a lot, be a student, be a student, be a student. And then when you get on stage, forget everything you know and be there”.