Salisbury International Arts Festival: 22 May - 6 June 2009 Box office: Mon-Fri 10am-2pm 87 Crane St, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP1 2PU Telephone 0845 241 9651 www.salisburyfestival.co.uk

The Salisbury International Festival launches seven wonderful highlight events as trailblazers to the 2009 Festival, that runs from 22 May to 6 June. This year's cultural theme of India in all its colourful and vibrant glory will weave through the programme with world class contemporary and traditional arts events featuring musician Kuljit Bhamra, journalist and author Yasmin Alibhai Brown who will talk about 'The Settler's Cookbook' and a film programme showing contemporary Indian classics like Devdas, Slumdog Millionaire, Monsoon Wedding, Pather Panchali and Asif Kapadia's 'The Warrior'.

Andy Sheppard and Kuljit Bhamra
Arts Centre
Thursday 28 May 8pm

Andy Sheppard is one of Britain's most important jazz musicians and Kuljit Bhamra's background in classical tabla and bhangra will be merged to create a sound-scape inspired by and featuring sounds from the 5 rivers of Kuljit's Punjab (which means 5 rivers) and Andy's Wiltshire. Commissioned by the Festival.

Kuljit Bhamra is perhaps the most influential musician in the British Asian music scene, having recorded over 2000 songs to date. Composer, producer, tabla player and pioneer of the Bhangra phenomenon. Kuljit has worked both independently and collaboratively on film scores for over 15 years, producing soundtracks for award winning films like Bend it like Beckham.

Yasmin Alibhai-Brown: The Settler's Cookbook
Salisbury Arts Centre
Thursday 28 May 11:30
Tickets: £7.50

Experience this story of food and cultural fusion from one of Britain's most high-profile and vocal immigrants.The warm, personal memoir is a mouth-watering exploration of the author's East African Indian roots through the shared experience of cooking. Yasmin Alibhai-Brown is a leading commentator on race, multiculturalism and human rights, writing for the Independent and Guardian and appearing regularly on television and radio.

Confluences - Seven Elements
Wilton Church
Monday 1 June, 7.30pm

Seven Elements is the fourth and final year of the Confluences journey and weaves the themes of China, Europe and India together into two new works composed by Alec Roth with Vikram Seth's texts. Tenor James Gilchrist and violinist Philippe Honoré will perform these pieces alongside Schubert's sparkling songs and the glorious The Shepherd on the Rock.

Visit the Salisbury International Festival website for full programme.