Sitar - Abhishek Mallick
Tabla - Samir Chatterjee
Unfortunately we have cancelled all performances until further notice because of the Coronavirus epidemic.
Abhisek Mallick
The Sitar is a world in itself….. a world of not just strings, but of transcending heights and unfathomable depths. Exploring this realm of infinity is something that Abhisek has made the mission of his life. Initiated into tabla at the tender age of four years, Abhisek stepped into the domain of sitar when he was seven. Under the strict tutelage of Pandit Shyamal Chattopadhyay, who is the disciple of the Late Ustad Md. Dabir Khan (the last descendant of Mian Tansen) and the legendary maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, his musical skills blossomed, helping him evolve as one of the most promising sitarists of this generation. Abhisek has also been fortunate to have received taalim from another maestro, Pandit Manilal Nag of Bishnupur Gharana. At present he is continuing his taalim under Pandit Shyamal Chattopadhyay. He gave his first public performance at the age of 8 and has been a regular artiste of All India Radio since he was ten.
Abhisek has proved his musical acumen by receiving the prestigious “President’s Award” from the Government of India, after achieving the first position in All India Radio (Hindustani Classical Instrumental) Music Competition in Sitar in 2003. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture , Govt. of India , has conferred upon him the senior National Scholarship of 2003, in the field of Hindustani Classical Music (Instrumental). He is also the recipient of the Award in the year 2003 from I.T.C. Sangeet Research Academy organised by the “International Foundation for Fine Arts”, Mumbai. His musical career is etched with numerous other awards --- “The Rajya Sangeet Academy Award”, “Pandit Ravi Kichloo Award”, “Salt Lake Cultural Association Award”, being some of them. His musical recitals have been widely acclaimed by critics and he has received many positive press reviews from notable dailies and magazines like ---“Anandabazaar Patrika”, “The Hindustan Times”, “The Telegraph”, “The Statesman”, “ Pratidin”, “ Sananda” and the like.
He has accompanied his Guruji at many reputed classical conferences in and around Kolkata. He has also performed at various concerts of eminence across India.
Abhisek is presently a graded artist of All India Radio, and Doordarshan and other media channels. Through his recitals, he has moved audiences not only at home, but also at several venues across Europe and America. For the last two years, he has been residing in USA and touring extensively on account of his concerts. Academically, he is also a B. Tech ( Electrical).
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, Pt. Manilal Nag, Ud. Ali Ahmed Hussain, Ud. Aashis Khan, Dr. L. Subramanium, U Srinivas, Ud. Naseeruddin Sami, Smt. Veena Sahashrabuddhe, Ud. Shujat Khan, Ud. Saheed Parvez, Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty, Ud. Nishat Khan, Ud. Rashid Khan, Pt. Tejendra N. Mazumdar, Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya, Smt. Arti Anklekar, Smt. Kaushiki Chakraborty, 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, Joshua Bell, Yoko Ono Lenon, David Liebman, Oliver Lake, Dave Douglas, Ned Rothenberg, Mark Dresser, Mark Feldman, Jerome Harris, Eric Friedlander, Steve Gorn, Glen Velez, Boby Sanabria, Jin Hi Kim, Min Xiao-Fen, 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 also collaborates with Sufi-Rock singer Salman Ahmad of Junoon from Pakistan. He is the composer and director of Indo-Flame – a blend of Indian and Flamenco dance and music, Chhand-Anand - a world percussion ensemble, RabiThakur – a ballet on the life of Tagore, Meghadootam – a feature program of music and dance on an ancient Indian poem, 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, a guide book to Indian music titled Music of India and Those Forty Days, a journal of an austere practice regimen. He is on the faculty at Manhattan School of Music, University of Pittsburgh and New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. He also taught at the Yale University, Columbia University, New York University and Princeton University, among many other major institutions in the USA, Europe and India. 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.