A concert featuring two music maestros from different continents will celebrate 210 years of India’s oldest museum.

Italian saxophonist Gianni Denitto and Indian percussionist Bickram Ghosh will perform at the central courtyard of the majestic Indian Museum on Friday.

One World, the concert, will reflect the museum’s evolution as an inclusive cultural centre, an administrator said.

The concert is a collaboration between the Indian Museum, which functions under the Union ministry of culture, and the Basu Foundation, a not-for-profit, philanthropic organisation that “supports innovation, experimentation and potential in the arts”.

The event is supported by the Italian Embassy Cultural Centre and the Italian consulate general in Calcutta.

Denitto’s website says he “graduated at the Music Conservatory of Turin (Italy) with top honors in classical music and jazz”.

Denitto has played in international festivals like Eurovision 2022 and the Perth Jazz Festival, it said.

Ghosh said in a video message: “I am collaborating with the brilliant Gianni Denitto from Italy. He is one of the greatest musicians.... I am very happy to be a part of it.”

Abhishek Basu, trustee of the Basu Foundation and the organiser, said: “One World which brings together two formidable musical forces.... The duo will present a fresh set of compositions that took shape through months of collaboration. The compositions will reflect on the idea that geographical and cultural diversity can be seamlessly bridged through the power of music”.

The musuem, a treasure trove of rare artefacts, turned 200 in 2014.

Manmohan Singh, the then Prime Minister, and chief minister Mamata Banerjee were part of the bicentenary celebrations.

The museum is trying to reach out to a wider audience, hosting exhibitions themed on a range of subjects, from India’s rural heritage to Japanese dolls.

“Museums are changing. They are trying to become more inclusive cultural spaces. A collaboration between an Italian and Indian musician is a step in that direction,” said Sayan Bhattacharya, deputy director of the museum.

The concert will feature Suresh Vaidyanathan on the ghatam, Abhisek Malick on the sitar, Anay Gadgil on the keyboards and Pranav Dath on the drums.