5 pm - Classical Vocal Ensemble
Featuring Doyel Ghosh, Aakhi Roy, Anhiti Naskar, Srijita Guha, Piyali Chatterjee,
DebadritaMukherjee and Hemantika Mukherjee
Directed by Smt. Rajyasree Ghosh
Debjit Patitundi - Tabla
6 pm - Sitar recital
Shubho Chakraborty - sitar
Debjit Patitundi -Tabla
7 pm - Vocal recital
Brajeshwar Mukherjee - vocal
Samir Chatterjee - Tabla
Anirban Chakraborty - Harmonium
Subho Chakraborty
Sitarist Subho Chakraborty belongs to the Maihar-Seniya Gharana of Hindustani Classical Music. He has been enchanting music lovers and connoisseurs with the magical felicity of his recitals throughout years. The unique mellow tone, Gayaki Ang (closely following the Khayal style of vocal music), cogent and contemplation improvisation of the Ragas have earned him a lot appreciation from distinguished audiences across India as well as abroad. Aside from his career as a classical musician, Subho is quite well known as a composer and accompanist in film and popular music.
Born with the musical legacy of his mother, Smt. Anju Chakraborty, a noted Dhrupad singer, and brought up in the enriched versatile musical milieu of his family, Subho started learning sitar at a very tender age under the tutelage of Shree Prafulla Kumar Parbat, a disciple of several maestros of instrumental music from a variety of gharanas. Later he continued his taalim under the sagacious guidance of the eminent sitar maestro, Shree Debiprasad Chatterjee, and still later has been blessed with the efficacious tutoring of the doyen, Shree Partha Chatterjee, thus both his teachers being prodigies of the Maihar-Seniya Gharana and disciples of the stalwart, Pt. Nikhil Banerjee.
Subho received the first prize in the senior Group of the Dover Lane Music Conference, Kolkata, in 1989. Besides his impressive renditions in Chhandayan Music Circle (Kolkata), Youth Guild & Cultural Department of the USSR Consulate General (Kolkata), Kal-Ke-Kalakar Sangeet Sammelan (Mumbai), Dover Lane Music Conference [Periodical], Jhankar Music Circle, West Bengal State Music Academy (Young Talent), Subho has been highly applauded for his notable performances at the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (Kolkata & Pune), India Habitat Centre (New Delhi), Bhowanipur Sangeet Sammilani for a number of times. He has conquered the hearts of numerous listeners and music critics in many concerts in cities like Bengaluru, Guwahati, Kanpur, Agra, Ranchi, Gurgaon and so on. He has represented Indian Classical Music in Japan through a series of solo concerts and lecture-demonstrations. Subho has toured Bangladesh also for a series of performances and recordings with eminent music directors.
Subho is an empaneled artist of the ICCR, New Delhi. He performs regularly on the All India Radio and Doordarshan, Kolkata. His recitals are broadcast regularly in London too. His accolades include the Suramani Award conferred on him by the Sur Sangeet Samsad, Mumbai and Sangeet Shiromoni Award received at the International Dance & Music Festival, 2014. His audio albums on Raga Bhairav and Bhairavi and Yaman and Mishra Kafi are available in USA and India, respectively. Subho has documented his concept and review on the background music of the renowned film director Ritwik Ghatak. He has participated in discourses at numerous music conferences, such as the Dover Lane Music Conference, West Bengal State Music Academy, Indo-Japanese Meet Festival, Russian Festival for Young Talents. He is attached with reputed training colleges and music institutions in Kolkata. He is also an examiner of the Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata and the Vishwa Bharati University, Shantiniketan.
Brajeswar Mukherjee
Brajeswar Mukherjee is a well known Hindustani Classical vocalist from Kolkata, India. A disciple of the eminent vocalist Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty since an early age, Brajeswar has earned popularity with lovers of Indian classical music all over the world through his radio programs, live performances and published albums.
Brajeswar Mukherjee is a recipient of many awards and honours, including ‘Dhananjay Smriti Puraskar’ from Calcutta University, Shrutinandan Puraskar from Shrutinandan Institute and ‘Gaan Vardhan’ from Pune. Currently a Musician Tutor and Junior Guru at ITC SRA, Kolkata, Brajeswar is a B-High Grade regular artist of All India Radio, Kolkata.
Brajeswar was born in the small village of Borsul in the Burdwan district of West Bengal, India. Fortunate to have born in a musical family, he started training in Indian classical music from the tender age of four from his father Shri Bankim Mukherjee, a noted ‘Jatra Pala’ singer. For the next few years, he honed his musical skills learning from Shri Asit Roy and Shri Hara Kumar Chatterjee of his hometown. The greatest moment in his music education arrived when Brajeswar, all of ten years of age, was accepted by the celebrated vocalist Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty as his disciple in the true Gurukul tradition.
As an inmate in Gurujee’s (as Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty is called by his student with loving respect) house, Brajeswar trained in the scientific ‘Shrutinandan’ system of learning, devised by Pt. Chakraborty himself. After a few years of hard training, Brajeswar started guiding the young disciples at Shrutinandan, even while fine tuning his own musical expertise. Another milestone in his musical journey came in 2010, when was selected in the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (SRA) as a grade A scholar. He currently a musician tutor at ITC SRA, where he continues to train under Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty.
Brajeswar has given solo performances at popular events such as ITC SRA Mangaldeep Sammelan, Legends of India, Kolkata, Sankar Darabar at Nanded, Nadam - organised by Tabla maestro Pt. Kumar Bose at Kolkata and the Dharwad Music Festival. He has performed at prestigious institutes such as NCPA Mumbai, India Habitat Center and Rajya Sangeet Academy.
Brajeswar also gave solo performances in USA, UK, Greece and Bangladesh. Since 2003, Brajeswar Mukerjee has been accompanying his guru Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty on harmonium or as vocal support in concerts all over the world. He has sung with legendary artists such as Dr. Balmuralikrishnan. Brajeswar is also a popular artist with overseas audiences, having given many enthralling performance in cities like USA, UK, Greece and Bangladesh, London, New Orleans and Charlotte. He is a B-High grade artist of All India Radio and has many radio renditions to his name.
Brajeswar Mukerjee has been the recipient of many awards and accolades for his mastery of Hindustani Classical Vocal. He has been awarded the ‘Dhananjay Smriti Puraskar’ from Calcutta University, ‘Shrutinandan Puraskar’ from Pt. Ajay Chakraborty’s Shrutinandan Institute, ‘Gaan Vardhan’ from Pune and has secured National Scholarship from Govt. of India
Samir Chatterjee
Samir Chatterjee is a virtuoso Tabla player from India. He travels widely across the world throughout the year performing in numerous festivals as a soloist or with other outstanding musicians from both Indian and non-Indian musical traditions. Samir performed at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, Norway in 2007. He also performed a few times at the United Nations General Assembly. His compositions are widely acclaimed as well as his writings. Samir is a firm believer in the transforming effect of music on the society and all aspects of his work reflects this conviction.
Samir began his studies early with Pandit Bankim Ghosh, Pt. Balaram Mukherjee, Pt. Rathin Dhar and Mohammad Salim. His later formation as a musician occurred under the guidance of Pt. Amalesh Chatterjee (since 1966) and Pt. Shyamal Bose (since 1984). All of Samir's teachers have been from the Farrukhabad Gharana (school) of Tabla-playing, which he now represents.
Samir is rated ‘A’ as an artiste of Indian national radio and television. He can be heard on numerous recordings featuring as soloist, accompanying many of India's greatest musicians and in collaboration with western musicians of outstanding caliber. In concert Samir has accompanied many of India's greatest musicians including Pt. Ravi Shankar, Ud. Vilayat Khan, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Jasraj, Pt. Nikhil Banerjee, Pt. V.G. Jog, Pt . Shivkumar Sharma, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, M. S. Gopalakrishnan, Ud. Amjad Ali Khan, Ud. Salamat Ali Khan, Smt. Lakshmi Shankar, Ud. Aashis Khan, Dr. L. Subramanium, Ud. Shujat Khan, Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty, Ud. Rashid Khan, Pt. Tejendra N. Mazumdar, Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya, to name only a few.
Samir Chatterjee lives in the New York-New Jersey area, and has been a catalyst in the fusion of Indian and Non-Indian music, in his own creations and others as well. He performs with Pauline Oliveros, William Parker, Branford Marsalis, Ravi Coltrane, Dave Douglas, Steve Gorn, Glen Velez, Boby Sanabria, Ben Verdery, Dance Theater of Harlem, Boston Philharmonic, Minnesota Orchestra, Ethos Percussion group, Da Capo Chamber Orchestra, Boston Musica Viva and other jazz, classical and avant guard musicians and ensembles. He is member of jazz trio SYNC with Ned Rothenberg and Jerome Harris and quintet Inner Diaspora together with Mark Feldman and Eric Friedlander. He also collaborates with Sufi-Rock singer Salman Ahmad of Junoon from Pakistan. He is also the composer and director of Indo-Flame and Nacho Nacho - both blends of Indian and Flamenco dance and music, Chhand-Anand - a world percussion ensemble and Dawn to Dusk and Beyond – on the effect of music on humans and nature. He performs with Sanjay Mishra on his CD "Blue Incantation" featuring Jerry Garcia as guest artist.
Samir Chatterjee has been teaching for the last 35 years and many of his students are established performers. He is the Founder-Director of CHHANDAYAN, an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving Indian music and culture. He has authored a comprehensive 654-page book entitled ‘A Study of Tabla’ and a guide book to Indian music titled ‘Music of India’. He is on the faculty at Yale University, Manhattan School of Music, University of Pittsburgh, New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and University of Bridgeport in CT. He also contributes to several newspapers and periodicals. He won gold medal for his proficiency in a musical examination and has two master degrees, in English and History.
Since June, 2008 Samir has been working relentlessly towards the musical revival of Afghanistan. He has made several trips to the country working with different levels of the society and administration and within a very short period of time he has been able to make a remarkable difference in the cultural life of the country.
Debjit Patitundi
Debjit Patitudi started learning tabla at the age of three from his father Shri Amal Patitundi, a senior disciple of Pandit Sankha Chatterjee. Debjit continued to nurture his passion diligently under the guidance of Pandit Sankha Chatterjee for several years and thereafter he is continuing his lessons from the Tabla Maestro Pandit Subhankar Banerjee.
In 2015 Debjit performed in Spain as part of a tour conducted by The Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India (I.C.C.R.). He also performed in the Prestigious Tirupati Festival, Music concert organized by Sangeet Research Academy, I.T.C. Mumbai in 2005 and 2010. He is a regular artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan. He has earned his reputation both as a soloist and an accompanist.
Debjit is the recipient of The President Gold Medal Award from the Government of India for securing First position in the category of tabla in the All India Radio Competition in 2009. He was awarded by the State Academy Award by the Government of West Bengal in 2003. He also received Pandit Nikhil Ghosh Award from I.T.C Mumbai in 2010 and Pandit Prasun Banerjee Award, Kolkata.
Anirban Chakrabarty
Anirban Chakrabarty hails from a family of Musicians. His father, Amal Chakrabarty is a dedicated vocalist. From his very childhood Anirban was initiated to Hindustani Classical Music by his father. He is a post graduate in music with first class from the Rabindra Bharati University. Although he is a good vocalist, his keen interest in playing Harmonium have driven him under the tutelage of Pandit Manas Chakraborty, the doyen of Kotali Gharana to master himself in the gayaki of Kotali style. He has also keen interest in composing music in lighter forms. The guidance of the Master Musician has already shaped him in well organized Harmonium player, and hoping him to be a musician of high repute in future.
Anirban has to his credit a number of brilliant performances as a harmonium accompanist throughout the country with both upcoming and reputed musicians. Anirban has accompanied musicians of repute like Pandit Manas Chakraborty, Pandit Dinanath Mishra, Pandit Arun Bhaduri, Smt. Kankana Banerjee, Gaan Saraswati Shreela Bandopadhyay, Pandit Madhup Mudgal, Sri. Sarathi Chatterjee, Smt. Ruchira Panda, Sri. Subhasish Mukherjee, Smt. Raka Mukherjee, Sri. Ratan Mohan Sharma and many more.
He is also a regular artist of several television channels. Besides, he is equally adept in playing table, keyboard, guitar and also worked as an arranger for several light music album. Recently popular commercial artists like Indrani Sen, Manomay Bhattacharya, Shampa Kundu, Shubhankar Bhaskar, Sahaj Ma have jointly made album of Modern Bengali Songs and devotional Songs composed and arranged by Anirban. Recently an album of Poetry and songs of TAGORE of Sri Tarun Chakrabarty has been released, arranged by Anirban. Now Anirban is also working as the Lecturer of Music in ‘Vivekananda Teachers Training Institute’ and also as the General Secretary of ‘Sur Sanchayan Sangeet Vidyalaya’, an institute to uphold the diploma courses of various forms of Indian music. Anirban to his credit has accompanied on harmonium with both upcoming and veteran musicians in all major music festivals of our country. He has also visited UK and USA as a harmonium accompanist with Ruchira Panda and earned accolades both from music lovers and connoisseurs.
Vocal Ensemble:
Doyel Ghosh recently graduated from the Rabindra Bharati University with excellent score in Rabindra Sangeet. She has been studying classical music and several types of Bengali song from the renowned preceptor Smt. Rajyasree Ghosh. Doyel has performed in Bangladesh and also performed at Rabindra Sadan in 'Kobi Pokhkho' organized by West Bengal State Music Academy. She received the Sri Sri Kanak Maa Memorial Scholarship. She is grateful to be a part of Chhandayan.
Aakhi Roy is in the Master of Arts program in Rabindra Sangeet department at the Rabindra Bharati university. She recently passed the National Eligibility Test examinationand got the Junior Research fellowship award. She is a student of Smt. Rajyasree Ghosh.
Anhiti Naskar began her training in classical singing and raga-based Bengali songs from Prof. Rajyashree Ghosh in 2008. During this journey she has significantly developed her musical skills. She has also won the first prize at Nikhil Banga Bhajan Competition held by Amibodh Society. She is also awarded a two years scholarship from the same organisation. Presently she is doing her graduation in music from Bengal Music College under the University of Calcutta.
Srijita Guha is an Electronics and Communication Engineering student. She has been undergoing extensive training in classical singing under the guidance from Smt. Rajyasree Ghosh for the past ten years. Shestarted her Musical training at the age of four under the guidance of her father Sri Avijit Guha.
Since childhood she stood first in various Musical Competitions. She was a regular performer in various children's programs conducted by All India Radio, Kolkata. She has also performed in different cultural programs. She aspires to excel in the field of music.
Piyali Chatterjee started learning classical singing in her childhood under guidance of Shri Shubhomoy Bhattacharya. Now she is taking advance training from Smt. Rajyasree Ghosh. She stood 3rd in Khayal competition at the West Bengal State Music Academy. She passed M.Ain music from the Rabindra Bharati University.
Debadrita Mukherjee is twenty years old. She has under graduate degree, specialised in chemistry. She is learning singing from Smt Rajyasree Ghosh.
Hemantika Mukherjee is a student of 10th grade and is learning classical singing for 10 years under the guidance of Smt. Rajyasree Ghosh. She has already won a few awards at different school events. She has also won the 4th position at a competition arranged by Kajalrekha music foundation.