Phantom Theater presents a musical collaboration featuring cello, banjo, and tabla in a series of performances on August 28, 29, and 30, 2025. This trio brings together three distinct musical traditions in unique arrangements.
The ensemble features bluegrass banjo master Dr. Greg Liszt from the band Crooked Still, renowned tabla virtuoso Upasak Mukherjee, and classically-trained cellist Miranda Henne, creating a sonic palette that spans continents and centuries.
“These three instruments together create a sound that is simultaneously ancient and contemporary, familiar and revolutionary,” explained Henne.
Their program will include reimagined Western classical masterpieces, Indian classical compositions, British pop classics including Beatles songs, traditional American fiddle tunes, bluegrass standards, and original compositions written by the trio during their 10-day residency at Phantom Theater and inspired by the beauty of the area and the theater's unique artistic environment.
"The sound of these three instruments is a sound I have dreamed of for over a decade," explained Henne. "You will not hear this music anywhere else in the entire world but in Warren, Vermont. We wrote, together, an original arrangement of Bach's Sonata No. 3 in C major for banjo, cello, and tabla. We are doing that for all the music on our program – taking a Beatles tune or traditional American fiddle tune and reimagining it for our unique instrumentation."
The collaboration draws inspiration from the groundbreaking work of Zakir Hussain, Edgar Meyer, and Béla Fleck, particularly their acclaimed album "Melody of Rhythm." However, this trio forges entirely new territory, creating original arrangements that showcase the remarkable range possible when combining the deeply expressive tones of cello, the vocal and rhythmic complexity of the Indian classical tabla, and the driving, danceable energy of banjo.
The trio's approach involves deep musical conversation – mimicking each other's phrases, blending their different cultural backgrounds, then emerging with their distinct voices to create something entirely new. The result is music that bridges Western classical, Indian classical, and American folk traditions in ways never before attempted.
This residency and performance series represents the kind of innovative, boundary-crossing artistry that has defined Phantom Theater's four decades of cultural contribution to Vermont's artistic landscape.
Performances take place on August 28, 29, and 30 at 8pm. Advanced ticket purchase is strongly recommended. Tickets are available at www.theaterengine.com/companies/1.
