About Balladeste
"...defies easy definition, is it folk, is it Indian classical, is it contemporary minimalism or is it a mixture? ...very very special indeed" BBC Radio 3 - InTune
Balladeste is a long standing string duo collaboration between violinist Preetha Narayanan and cellist Tara Franks - an ever evolving musical partnership and friendship forged over more than a decade. Balladeste have developed a unique way of writing, weaving in and out of each other’s voices as performer-composers, exploring the versatility and sound potential of just two string instruments. Balladeste creates a musical narrative that is both ancient yet contemporary, devotional whilst pastoral, writing original compositions that are vibrant, experimental, melodic and contemplative in quality - Songs without words with contemporary alt-folk twist.
Drawing on influences as far ranging as the singular melodies of visionary Hildegard of Bingham, the modal minimalism of Arvo Pärt, harmonic palette of Purcell via the minimalism of Philip Glass, Balladeste's musical breadth is equally akin to the likes of Caroline Shaw and Liam Byrne as the Madras String quartet and Silk Road Ensemble.
‘Narayanan’s and Franks’s collaboration is pure magic… Beyond Breath is musically speaking, by far their greatest achievement to date. There is nothing remotely quite like it’ BackSeat Mafi
Since self-releasing their 2nd album Beyond Breath (2021), their partnership has gone from strength to strength. Highlights include broadcasts and interviews on BBC Radio 4 Woman’s Hour, BBC Radio 3 In Tune, Night Tracks, and Breakfast with Elizabeth Alker, Soho Radio, NTS, Dutch National Radio, and BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week theme music. Their original work has received critical acclaim (Songlines 4**** & Folk Radio ‘Pick of the Month’) and they have performed nationally and internationally at festivals/venues including, El Chopo Mexico City, Isole Che Parlano Sardinia, CCB Lisbon, Barbican, Art Night UK, Brighton Festival, Cafe Oto to Wilderness & Medicine Festivals.
Balladeste have released 4 albums of original music to date and two collaboration EPs including an exciting recent release with singer-songwriter Ana Silvera - Difficult Loves (2026) and Beyond Breath re-work EP featuring the work of revered artists from the contemporary & jazz music scene; Alexandra Hamilton-Ayres, Midori Hirano, The Vernon Spring & Anna Phoebe.
Always striving to evolve their joint musical language both on and off stage, in 2023 Balladeste released Conversations in Ritual - a new departure for the duo, an entirely improvised musical journey recorded live at Snape Maltings, Suffolk with support from Britten Pears Arts & Help Musicians UK.
As a duo they enjoy experimenting with varied performance sets from fully improvised gigs to sets that incorporate a collection of repertoire from their 3 albums to date.
Their forthcoming album Imprints is set to be released in November 2026.
BEYOND PRFORMANCE…
As highly experienced creative facilitators Tara and Preetha are advocates for sharing their innovative creative practice with musicians of all ages and experiences. As a duo they have a particular interest in working with young string players from diverse backgrounds to promote embodied musicianship skills, new approaches to string playing, ways into improvisation and group composition. They have worked with organisations incl; KACES, South Korea, AYM Britten Peers Arts, Music Masters, SoundsCreative Projects, Dartington Arts, Saffron Waldon Hall, Orchestras for All, and are currently devising a course for aspiring string players wanting to broaden their skills, musicianship and connection to their instrument through improvisation, voice, body and yoga.