Baithak at York St. — Arjun K. Verma (Sitar), Eman Hashimi (Tabla)
Join us for a baithak with Arjun K. Verma on sitar, with Eman Hashimi on tabla, followed by a reception and Q&A with the artists.
Baithaks — literally “seat” or “place to sit” — are informal Indian classical music performances in intimate living-room type spaces, providing an up-close experience with the musicians and their instruments, that is both seen and felt.
Buy tickets to reserve your preferred seating choice. Walk-ins at door subject to availability.
The space will be open 4pm onwards with non-alcoholic cocktails and tea for sale. Music starts at 8pm.
About Arjun K. Verma
Arjun K. Verma is an Indian-American sitarist and composer. Beginning with his father, Roop Verma, and continuing with the legendary Ali Akbar Khan and his son Alam Khan, Arjun’s meticulous training has imbued him with a rich musicality that encompasses both the profound majesty and the exhilaration of North Indian classical music.
Hailed by the New York Times as a “fine sitarist,” Arjun shares the jewels of his cultural heritage in a manner that is fresh, modern, and relevant, while maintaining a high standard of traditional integrity.
Arjun has performed at international venues including the United Nations, the Fillmore, Prague Castle, and on the NBC TV network, collaborating with a diverse host of musicians including the London Symphony Orchestra, Swapan Chaudhuri, Alam Khan, Bob Weir (Grateful Dead), the St. Louis Symphony, and GRAMMY-winning pianist and arranger John Beasley.
Arjun’s performance repertoire has stretched the limits of the sitar as an instrument, and his recording and composing work has applied Indian classical music effectively for TV, opera, and documentary film.
Arjun is the recipient of a Mosaic America commissioning grant (2020), a Creative Work Fund grant (2018—Haas Foundation), and a Shenson Fellowship (2007—San Francisco Foundation).
About Eman Hashimi
Eman Hashimi, one of today’s most sought-after Afghan percussionists, is widely recognized as the future of Afghan tabla. Born into the celebrated Hashimi musical family of Kabul’s historic Kharabat quarter, he is the son of legendary maestro Ustad Toryalai Hashimi, a pioneer of Afghan tabla.
A child prodigy, Eman gave his first concert at age nine alongside his father, later studying under the world-renowned Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, with whom he became one of the youngest tabla players to perform in duet. His artistry bridges Afghan classical and folk traditions with the Punjab Gharana style of tabla, creating a sound that is both deeply rooted and globally resonant.
Eman has performed at the Kennedy Center, San Francisco World Music Festival, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, and beyond, collaborating across genres from Afghan and Indian classical music to jazz, folk, and world traditions. He also serves as founder and Director of Percussion at PACA (Preservation of Afghan Cultural Arts), where he is dedicated to preserving and promoting Afghanistan’s musical heritage at a time when music is banned in its homeland.
About York Street Collective
York Street Collective is celebrating the creativity and collaboration of the Mission and broader Bay Area through a 4-month long popup powered by Square and SF New Deal. We will run a community gathering space featuring quirky non-alc cocktails & coffee, curated artwork & designed goods, local small biz products and near-nightly events.