Nu Deco ft. Arooj Aftab & Varijashree Venugopal

A genre-crossing orchestral program brings global voices to the Miami Beach Bandshell, featuring acclaimed vocalists Arooj Aftab and Varijashree Venugopal alongside Nu Deco Ensemble.

Part of Nu Deco Ensemble’s ongoing exploration of contemporary orchestral performance, the evening centers on a world-music-inflected program that moves fluidly across classical, global and modern traditions. Pakistani American composer and vocalist Arooj Aftab, known for her Grammy-winning work that blends Urdu poetry with jazz, minimalism and experimental pop, appears alongside Bangalore-based vocalist Varijashree Venugopal, a Grammy-nominated artist whose virtuosic command of Carnatic music techniques has made her a sought-after collaborator across genres.

The program also includes a newly commissioned work by Michael League of Snarky Puppy, an orchestral reimagining of music by The Beach Boys and Steve Reich’s The Four Sections, a landmark minimalist composition that emphasizes rhythm, texture and gradual transformation. Together, the selections highlight Nu Deco’s signature approach: treating the orchestra as a living, flexible instrument capable of bridging musical cultures and eras.

Founded in Miami in 2015 by conductor Jacomo Bairos and composer Sam Hyken, Nu Deco Ensemble has gained national recognition for collaborations with artists ranging from Jacob Collier and Ben Folds to Stephen Marley and Macy Gray, while maintaining a strong commitment to education and community engagement across South Florida.