Kasturi Bandopadhyay - Vocal

Supratik Sengupta - Sitar

Tejas Tope - Tabla

You are invited to an evening classical Indian concert at the home of Asish Sinha in the Pittsburgh area. Tickets are $25 each. For directions and to purchase tickets, contact Asish Sinha at 412-580-1023 or Nidrita Mitra Sinha at 412-676-5922.

Kasturi Bandopadhyay

Kasturi is the daughter of Internationally Renowned Tabla Maestro Pandit Ananda Gopal Bandopadhyay of the Benaras Gharana. She was initiated into music by her mother Smt.Rekha Bandopadhyay at the age of four. After that she started taking talim from Vidushi Smt.Subhra Guha. She was also fortunate enough to receive talim for a couple of years under the Legendary Guru Pandit K.G.Ginde. After his sudden demise, she studied with Pandit Arun Bhaduri in Khayal and at the same time started learning Thumri and Dadra from Vidushi Smt.Purnima Chaudhuri. After getting a Scholarship at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, she also started learning Upa-Shastriya Sangeet from Vidushi Smt.Girija Devi under whom she is continuing her talim till today.

From her early childhood,it has been noticed that Kasturi is highly talented and has an excellent sense in Music. Gifted with a flexible and melodious voice, she has charmed audiences wherever she has performed. She has proved her versatility in Khayal, Thumri, Dadra,and Light Music.

Kasturi has performed in front of Great Legendary Exponents Of Hindusthani Classical Music such as the Late Pt.Kishan Maharaj, Ustad Zakir Hussain, the Late Ustad Sultan Khan, Pt.Bhimsen Joshi, Pt.Ajoy Chakraborty, andUstad Rashid Khan.

Kasturi always keeps an eye on the Purity of a Raga and the development of Gayaki. She especially excels in Thumri, Dadra and other forms of Upa-Shastriya Sangeet.

Supratik Sengupta

Supratik Sengupta was born in 1981 into a family of musicians in Kolkata. He got his early training from his father Sri. Kuber Sen Gupta. He began his formal training under Sri. Biswanath Das and Pt. Debaprasad Chakraborty. After that he was under the guidance of Sangeetacharya Late Ajoy Sinha Roy and Dr. Pradeep Chakraborty. Supratik joined the ITC Sangeet Research Academy (ITC SRA) in the year 2002 and became a musician/scholar under the tutelage of Padmabhushan Pandit Buddhadeb Das Gupta and Partha Pratim Chatterjee, the Guru of the instrumental division of the Academy. After leaving ITC SRA he is now taking talim from Padmabhushan Pandit Buddhadeb Das Gupta.

Achievements:- Supratik stood first in many prestigious music competitions such as “The Dover Lane Music Competition, “Swar Prabhat Talent Search Contest” and West Bengal State Music Competition. He also stood First in the performances conducted by "Bharatiya Sanskriti Parishad". He was conferred the Best Instrumentalist Prize from “The Dover Lane Music Conference”, Prasun Banerjee Memorial Award and Pandit Gokul Nag Memorial Award from “The Salt Lake Music Festival”. Supratik proved himself as the National Scholar of CCRT (Center for Cultural Resources & Training) of New Delhi. He was also the holder of National Scholarship of "Ministry Of Tourism & Culture, Govt. Of India”. He is an A Grade Artist of All India Radio and Television.

Supratik toured Paris, Germany successfully with ITC SRA. He participated in many major Music Conferences all over India conducted by ITC SRA. He is visiting in different countries of Europe and Bangladesh regularly for concert. Recently he has visited China.

He fortunate to give performance in several concerts accompanied by renowned tabla players like Pandit Ananda Gopal Bandopadhyay, Pandit Samar Saha and Pandit Gopal Mishra. Recently he got the opportunity of participating in the concert organised by “SPIC MACAY” at Rajasthan.

Tejas Tope

Tejas Tope is an aspiring young Indian percussionist who comes from Long Island New York. Tejas has been learning tabla from Pt. Samir Chatterjee for over 15 years. Additionally, since 2011, Tejas has been attending classes in the Summer with Ustad Zakir Hussain. At Zakirji's invitation, Tejas performed a tabla solo at the Barsi of Ustad Alla Rakha on February 3, 2018 at Shanmukhananda Hall in Mumbai.

Tejas Tope has also been learning Pakhawaj from Pandit Mohan Shyam Sharma for the last 5 years. He has also had the opportunity to study with Pandit Manik Munde and Shri Pratap Awad.

At the ages of 7, 12, and 14, with the blessings of his Guru, he participated in one of USA’s highly acclaimed 5th, 10th, and 14th Annual All Night Concerts (May 2004, May 2009, May 2012) held in New York City, organized by Chhandayan (www.tabla.org). In the 2004 and 2009 events he participated in the Tablaphilia ensembles. Tejas accompanied Shri. Samarth Nagarkar on tabla at the 13th All Night Concert held in New York City, organized by Chhandayan in May 2012 and shared the stage with some of the legends in Hindustani Classical music.

Tejas received First prize in the instrumental category from 2005-2011 at the annual Vedic Heritage’s Holi Youth Talent Competition held in Hempstead, Long Island, NY. In the summer of 2006, he played at the 6th Marathi European Sammelan in Almelo, Netherlands, at the 13th BMM Convention in Seattle (June 2007), and 15th BMM Convention in Chicago (July 2011). In October 2007, Tejas had his Rangamanch Pravesh and presented tabla solo as a part of Chhandayan Concert Series. Tejas received first prize in the Swardhara Competition held by Marathi Vishwa of New Jersey in 2010 and 2012. Tejas is recipient of Chhandayan’s most prestigious Jyotsna Award in the student category in 2011.

At the age of 11, he recorded his compositions in a CD album entitled “Guru-Arpita – A Dedication to Pt. Samir Chatterjee” as a token of his affection, respect, and gratitude to his Guru. The CD album contains fifty-six compositions presented in structured tabla solo format in six taals. A booklet of his compositions accompanies the CD album.

In 2011, Tejas was invited to play tabla solo for the fall concert series at the Rocky Point Schools. From the sale of his CDs, he raised and donated over $500 to the Rocky Point Friends of Music. Tejas serves as a volunteer at the All Night Concerts held in NYC each year and has raised funds over $500 from the sale of his CD for Chhandayan.

At the annual Crescendo competition held in Atlanta, GA in September 2012 , Tejas won the 1st Prize in the under 15 tabla category. He also won the Mega Finals Round (shared this award with Nisha Kulkarni of Phoenix AZ) at the same competition. Recording and release of a complete CD album by Swarganga was the prize. The album has been recorded in Atlanta, GA, with blessings of Shri Chaitanya Kunte accompanying him on harmonium.

In addition to playing tabla solo in various venues in USA and abroad, Tejas has accompanied his Guru Pt. Samir Chatterjee (tabla solo), Pt. Ramesh Mishra (sarangi), Pt. Steve Gorn (flute), Samarth Nagarkar (vocal), Kunal Gunjal (santoor), Qais Essar (rabab), Padmashree Pt. Satish Vyas (santoor), Padmashree Pta. Rita Ganuli (vocal), Shakir Khan (sitar), Kedar Naphade (harmonium solo), Pta. Lalita Dantale-Kurulkar (vocal), Chaitanya Kunte (harmonium), Manoj Govindraj (vocal), Rucha Muley-Jambhekar (vocal), Paromita Das (vocal), and his sister, Priyanka Topé (vocal, www.priyankatope.com), and several other musicians over the past several years. Tejas attended 2 workshops conducted by Ud. Shahid Parvez in 2012 and 2013. In 2012 and 2013, he was invited by Phoenix Gharana and Swarganga to play tabla solo and accompany all participants in vocal and instrumental categories of all ages in their respective prestigious annual competitions. In 2013 Tejas accompanied students of Shri Manoj Govindraj at Guru Pournima held by AIM School of Music, Edison NJ, and kathak dance students of Guru Archana Joglekar at their rangamancha-pradarshan. Tejas also regularly accompanies accomplished singers in semi-classical and folk vocal and instrumental art forms, such as bhajans, ghazals, thumris, chaitis, laavnis, bhavgeets, natyasangeet, etc.

As a part of his self-study, during 2012 and 2013, he has learned several compositions published by Pt. Arvind Mulgoankar in his books, CDs, and DVDs, over 2 year of self-study he has compiled about 1-hour solo using the traditional format of tabla solo, and has recorded it his new album Space Within Beats.

With blessings of Pt. Ramesh Mishra accompanying him on Sarangi, during the summer of 2013, Tejas recorded 2 tabla and pakhawaj solo albums entitled Inner Rhythm and Space Within Beats. He has also recorded a self-composed 10.5-matra taal which he has named “Ardhadhik Dashanan” (half plus 10-headed Ravana). Tejas accompanied Shri Manoj Govindraj in album entitled Swar-Ras (classical vocal), and Baad-E-Naubahaar (Ghazals). He also accompanied Smt. Rucha Muley Jambhekar in album entitled Bhav-Rang.

Hindustani Vocal
Vocal - Nishant Panicker
Tabla - Asish Sinha
Harmonium - Neelesh Nadkarni

Bharatnatyam
Dance Janhavi Gangisetti

The Pittsburgh Chapter of Chhandayan invites you to join us for performances of Hindustani Vocal music and South Indian Dance. The performance will be streamed online.

Nishant Panicker

Nishant Panicker was initiated into Hindustani classical music at the age of six. After initial training under Shri Anant Heggar Hegde, he received vocal lessons and early inspiration from the sarod maestro Pandit Rajeev Taranath. By the time he was nine, Nishant was already imbibing the art of raga elaboration and taan creation. When Taranathji moved to Mysore, he entrusted Nishant to Vidushi Lalith J. Rao, doyenne of the Agra-Atrauli Gharana. With Lalithji’s caring, encouraging and astute guidance over the past fourteen years, Nishant has blossomed into a delightful performer with confidence and skill in raga vistaar, layakari and bol banaav, in line with the Agra tradition.

At 18, Nishant was among the youngest in the country to have received the prestigious NCPA

Hindustani Vocal Scholarship 2016-17, awarded to outstanding vocal musicians 18 to 30 years old. He was one of the top 16 Hindustani vocal finalists in the All-India competition Naad Bhed 2013 -14 for under 26. Nishant has won many inter-school and state-level music competitions and received the Rotary Young Achievers’ Award from Rotary Club, Bangalore in 2015. With several solo and group performances with Guru Lalith J Rao under his belt, his first studio recording was released in 2013 in an Audio CD “The Legacy Continues” as part of an album titled An Agra Gharana Heritage Collection. He has contributed to the recording of several compositions of Padma Bhushan Ustad Khadim Hussain Khan for an archival project hosted on the website www.namansajanpiya.com. He has also contributed to several recordings of prakars of Kedar and Kanhadas for an NCPA archival project.

Nishant is one of the students covered under HSBC's Support A Guru scheme by NCPA Mumbai since the year 2019. Nishant is also an avid Kathak dancer, with over twelve years of training, He graduated with a B.Sc. in Biology from Azim Premji University, Bangalore in 2020 and is currently pursuing his PhD in Systems Biology from the University of Pittsburgh.

Janhavi Gangisetti

Janhavi Gangisetti is studying global business and finance at Fordham University. She developed a great passion for dance at a tender age and has always been an enthusiast for this beautiful art form. She started learning Bharatnatyam dance under the tutelage of Guru Srimati Nandini Mandal when she was 5yrs old. Janhavi has attended Bharatanatyam master classes under Guru Sri.Kalamadalam Venkitt, Padma Vibhushan Dr. Sonal Mansingh, and also attended dance workshops by various other renowned dancers. She completed her Bharatanatyam Arangetram in 2019 and now continues her journey to enhance her knowledge of Bharatanatyam and learn other dance forms.

Asish Sinha

Asish Sinha is a student of Pt. Samir Chatterjee of the Farrukabad gharana. He is the coordinator for the Pittsburgh chapter of Chhandayan music school. He is also a founder of the Saptak Music School where he teaches tabla and promotes Indian music among the younger generations. He accompanies many US and international visiting artists on a regular basis. Asish is a Metallurgical Engineer by profession but he has a great love for tabla.

Neelesh Nadkarni

Neelesh Nadkarni was initiated into Hindustani vocal music in Bahrain at a young age by Shri Vasant Marathe. Subsequently, Neelesh self-learnt to perform on the harmonium under his mother's guidance. Neelesh refined his style of accompaniment and solo performances under Pandit Sudhakar Deoley in Bahrain and, under Pandit Rambhau Bijapure in Belgaum, Karnataka. He has accompanied many classical vocal artists in US and India.

Vocal Concert

Ayan Rivu Sinha -Vocal
Asish Sinha - Tabla
Neelesh Nadkarni - Harmonium

Saptak Vocal Ensemble of Pittsburgh

Join us for an evening of Indian Classical Vocal music headlined by Ayan Rivu Sinha.

Ayan Rivu Sinha

Ayan Rivu Sinha is a disciple of Padma Shri Honored Pandita Tripti Mukherjee-ji and Pandit Rattan Mohan Sharma-ji at the Pandit Jasraj Institute of Music (PJIM) USA. Ayan was initiated into Hindustani Classical Music by his mother, Smt. Nidrita Mitra-Sinha at the age of 5, and has been learning Hindustani Classical vocal from PJIM since the age of 9. He has been fortunate to receive special guidance from his Bade Guruji, Sangeet Martand Padma Vibhusan Pandit Jasraj-ji on several occasions and he continues to receive blessings from him. Ayan was born and brought up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He has completed his undergraduate BS degree in Nutritional Biochemistry from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Currently, he is pursuing his medical degree at Virginia College of Osteopathic medicine (VCOM) in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Ayan has performed in different cities in US. He has performed in Mewati Sangeet Parv in New Jersey and was the opening act for his Bade Guruji Sangeet Martand Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj-ji. He has performed for Chhandayan, NY, Shreyomaya, Canada, NA Bengali Conference at NY, and Kalibari in Chicago. Ayan has received Mewati Deepak and Pradeept awards from PJIM, NY. He has also won first prize in Classical Vocal competition at PJIM, NY.

Asish Sinha

Asish Sinha is a student of Pt. Samir Chatterjee of the Farrukabad gharana. He is the coordinator for the Pittsburgh chapter of Chhandayan music school. He is also a founder of the Saptak Music School where he teaches tabla and promotes Indian music among the younger generations. He accompanies many US and international visiting artists on a regular basis. Asish is a Metallurgical Engineer by profession but he has a great love for tabla.

Neelesh Nadkarni

Neelesh Nadkarni was initiated into Hindustani vocal music in Bahrain at a young age by Shri Vasant Marathe. Subsequently, Neelesh self-learnt to perform on the harmonium under his mother's guidance. Neelesh refined his style of accompaniment and solo performances under Pandit Sudhakar Deoley in Bahrain and, under Pandit Rambhau Bijapure in Belgaum, Karnataka. He has accompanied many classical vocal artists in US and India.

Saptak Music School

The Saptak Music School is an Indian Music School based in Pittsburgh, PA where Hindustani classical vocal and Tabla lessons are offered by Nidrita Mitra-Sinha and Asish Sinha. The mission of Saptak Music School is to promote and disseminate Indian music and its rich cultural heritage in the USA.

Join us for two performances presented by our Pennsylvania chapter:

Performance 1:
Hindustani Vocal - Kalawati (Carmen Dumitrescu)
Tabla - Ashish Sinha
Harmonium - Ayan Rivu Sinha

Performance 2:
Bharatnatyam Dance - Paushaly Sau

Kalawati

Carmen Silvia Dumitrescu, lovingly called Kalawati, discovered and grew into the depth of Indian classical music once she came across the spirituality of India, through Sahaja Yoga meditation. She was nurtured into music from a tender age, when she started learning western classical violin in Romania.

A double-graduate of the Bucharest University (Faculty of Foreign Languages, Hindi specialization ) and Prayag Sangeet Samiti (BA & MA in Hindustani classical music), Carmen was awarded Sangeet Suvarna Mani, Sangeet Shiromani Award and Sangeet Ratna Sammann, and is recognized as one of the first Indian classical vocalists of foreign origins.

Her first performance happened at the age of 7, at the Christmas celebration of her music school. At the age of 13, once she started meditating, by the Grace of H.H. Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, she developed a special sensitivity for the ancient music of India, and was truly fascinated by its depth, beauty and magic.

A few years later she had the great fortune to participate in an art summer camp in Romania, where she joined the Indian classical music workshops of vocal and violin. Shortly her talent was noticed by the teachers, who encouraged her in pursuing this great music. It was then when she decided to dedicate herself to it, as she that classical music of India was all contained within her, and she just needed to find a way to express it.

In the years to follow, she attended international workshops of Indian classical music in Italy, Cabella, from 2006-2009.

In 2007 she received the Indian name “Kalawati”, which indeed bestowed the blessings of Shri Saraswati on her. 2009 marks an important moment in her musical journey, as she was awarded the ICCR scholarship for Indian classical music. Carmen spent the next 10 years of her life living with and learning Hindustani classical vocal in New Delhi, under able guidance of her music Guru, the Patiala Gharana vocalist Smt. Mahua Mukherjee, in the ancient Guru-Shishya Parampara tradition.

During her ongoing musical journey, through her dedication and hard work, Carmen has imbibed the depth of the Indian classical music, being therefore one of the first musicians of non-Indian origins who've proved having the caliber and asset to explore and bring forward the Hindustani classical vocal music as a performer.

Ashish Sinha

Asish Sinha is a student of Pt. Samir Chatterjee of the Farrukabad gharana. He is the coordinator for the Pittsburgh chapter of Chhandayan music school. He has accompanied many famous artists from India. He is also a founder of the Saptak Music School where he teaches tabla and promotes Indian music among the younger generations. He accompanies many US and international visiting artists on a regular basis. Asish is a Metallurgical Engineer by profession but he has a great love for tabla.

Ayan Rivu Sinha

Ayan Rivu Sinha is a disciple of Padma Shri Honored Pandita Tripti Mukherjee-ji and Pandit Rattan Mohan Sharma-ji at the Pandit Jasraj Institute of Music (PJIM) in the USA. Ayan was initiated into Hindustani Classical Music by his mother, Smt. Nidrita Mitra-Sinha at the age of 5, and has been learning Hindustani Classical vocal from PJIM since the age of 9. He has been fortunate to receive special guidance from his Bade Guruji, Sangeet Martand Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj-ji on several occasions and he continues to receive blessings from him. Ayan was born and brought up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He has completed his high school education in Pittsburgh. Currently, he is at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, completing his senior year with a BS in Nutritional Biochemistry and a minor in Chemistry.

Additionally, Ayan has studied Tabla for a few years from Chhandayan under the guidance of Pt Samir Chatterjee-ji. Also, Ayan has studied Piano for 6 years from the Carnegie Mellon University Music Department.

Paushaly Sau

Paushaly is a final-year student at the University of Pittsburgh studying Biology and History. She has been studying Bharatanatyam for the past fifteen years, and she completed her Arangetram in 2017 under the tutelage of her Guru Smt. Nandini Mandal. Paushaly has also trained in Rabindranritya, Navanritya, and Loknritya styles under her Guru. Additionally, Paushaly has also trained in Manipuri and Navanritya styles under Guru Sanjib Bhattacharya. As a student and assistant teacher at Nandanik Dance Academy, based in Pittsburgh, PA, she has participated in numerous dance programs such as Dance for Cure, India Day at the Cathedral of Learning, Vilaya, and the Dhirana Gala. Furthermore, Paushaly has performed in dance dramas such as Chandalika, Shyama, and Card Country. Paushaly is also a member of the University of Pittsburgh’s premier classical dance competitive team, Pitt Nrityamala.

Vocal - Kishan Patel

Kuchipudi Dance - Anika Nath Roy

This concert is a presentation of the Pennsylvania chapter of Chhandayan, featuring Kishan Patel on classical vocal and Anika Debnath on classical dance.

Kishan Patel

Kishan Patel was born and raised in Portland, OR, Kishan has been learning music since he was 6 years old. He received his initial training under Portland’s Dr. Nisha Joshi, who trained him in not just Hindustani Vocal and Bhajans, but also taught him to play Tabla, Harmonium, and Sitar as well. After studying with Dr. Nisha Joshi for about 12 years, he began studying under the tutelage of his current guru, Shri Arijit Mahalanabis.

After his first year of college, Kishan took a break to pursue his passion further. He moved in with his guru, and
began training in the Gurukul system. During this time, Kishan has been training to learn the intricacies of
Hindustani music through the intensive training of various genres of Hindustani music – Dhrupad/Dhamar, Khayal, Thumri, and Tappa.

Under Arijitji’s guidance, Kishan has also been groomed as an accomplished accompanist on Tabla and
Harmonium, and has also taken up a guided study of the Santiniketan Esraj. He has had the fortune of accompanying some of India’s finest musicians including Smt. Aditi Kaikini Upadhya, Sandipan Samajpati, Mitali Banerjee Bhaumik, Samir Chatterjee, Satish Vyas, Arnab Chakrabarty, Ruchira Panda, Ranjani Ramachandran, and many others. Kishan has also had the fortune of training under Gurus Smt. Aditi Kaikini Upadhya, Shri Sachin Pimple, Vidwan Poovalur Srinivasan, and Dr. Lewis Norfleet.

Anika Nath Roy

Anika Nath Roy has been learning Bharatanatyam for several years. She started her first dance training at the tender age of 3 and a half under Smt. Nandini Mandal. Anika has been learning Bharatanatyam under the tutelage of Smt. Jaya Mani and completed her Arangetram in June 2013. She has also been learning Kuchipudi under the guidance of Dr. Kamala Reddy since the age of 5 and a half. Anika has performed in several Kuchipudi dance ballets around the nation, such as Rukmini Kalyanam, Ashta Lakshmi, Sri Padmavathi Srinivasa Kataaksham, Chandralika, and others. She has participated in various summer dance workshops for both
Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi styles. She has also participated in the North American Bengali Conference (NABC) as well as other local festivals. Anika has performed in various cultural events for Bengali Association of Pittsburgh (BAP) for many years. Along with dance, she has learned Tagore songs for more than 10 years under the tutelage of renowned singer Smt. Banani Ghosh.

Born and brought up in Pittsburgh, Anika has continued her passion for dance throughout college. She was a dancer and choreographer on Pitt Nrityamala, University of Pittsburgh’s Indian Classical Dance Team. The team performed at various competitions throughout the country. As the lead role in the team’s piece, Anika and the team won 1 st place at Tu Bhi Nachle and Viewers’ Choice Award at Laasya. Additionally, Anika has been an active board member of Dhirana, University of Pittsburgh’s Premiere Indian Classical Dance Competition, which aims to help the Birmingham Free Clinic of Pittsburgh. At the University of Pittsburgh, Anika is currently pursuing her Doctorate of Pharmacy Degree.

Hindustani Vocal - Ayan Rivu Sinha

Bharatnatyam - Roosha Mandal

This on-line concert is a presentation of the Pittsburgh Chapter of Chhandayan.

Admission Free:

Ayan Rivu Sinha

Ayan Rivu Sinha, 21, is a disciple of Padma Shri Honored Pandita Tripti Mukherjee-ji and Pandit Rattan Mohan Sharma-ji at the Pandit Jasraj Institute of Music (PJIM) in the USA. Ayan was initiated into Hindustani Classical Music by his mother, Smt. Nidrita Mitra-Sinha at the age of 5, and has been learning Hindustani Classical vocal from PJIM since the age of 9. He has been fortunate to receive special guidance from his Bade Guruji, Sangeet Martand Padma Vibhushan Pandit Jasraj-ji on several occasions and he continues to receive blessings from him. Ayan was born and brought up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He has completed his high school education in Pittsburgh. Currently, he is at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, completing his senior year with a BS in Nutritional Biochemistry and a minor in Chemistry.

In 2016 Ayan won first prize in his category in a classical vocal competition organized by PJIM and was awarded the prize by Sangeet Martand Padma Vibhushan Pt. Jasrajji. In 2015, Ayan received the Mewati Pradeept Award from PJIM for his commencement in his musical journey. Ayan has completed Praveshita and Prabudhha exam levels from PJIM, with the highest honors.

Ayan has given multiple virtual performances in 2020, which were shown around the world.

Roosha Mandal

Roosha Mandal has been training in Bharatanatyam for the past 16 years and Navanritya for the past 10 years at the Nandanik Dance Academy. As an instructor from 8 years ago she has blossomed into a regular instructor teaching the junior and senior levels for the last 6 years. In India, Roosha attended master classes in Kathakali and Mohiniattam as well as Bharatanatyam under Gurus Kalamandalam Venkitt and Preetha Venkitt of Calcutta. In addition, she has completed workshops under Guru Dr. Sonal Mansingh in Abhinaya (expressions), Guru Darshana Javeri in Manipuri, Pavitra Bhat in Bharatanatyam. She is currently under tutelage of Kalakshetra Amarnath Ghosh in Bharatanatyam, and Sri Sanjib Bhattacharya in Manipuri. Roosha also underwent rigorous training in jazz-lyrical, modern, ballet and hip-hop dance at the Thomas Studio of Performing Arts and The Academy of Dance by Lori for several years and performed these dance forms in annual recitals. In 2012-13, she completed an intensive apprenticeship program at Kelly-Strayhorn Theater in contemporary dance with renowned travelling companies. Over the years, Roosha travelled with Nandanik Dance Academy and Troupe to perform in different corners of the USA. She played key roles in the Nandanik dance Troupe's productions including the VILAYA festival in 2018-2019. She has performed in the Bicentennial of Pittsburgh, Three-Rivers Regatta, Chinese Dragon Boat Festival, Western PA School for the Blind, Phipps Conservatory, Bayer International, Pittsburgh International Folk Festival, India Day, Bengali Association of Pittsburgh, and at numerous schools and colleges in the Greater Pittsburgh area through the World Affairs Council. She also taught Indian dance to children in a summer camp at the Thelma Lovett YMCA in Pittsburgh. Roosha graduated in the Sciences and Humanities Scholar program and a recipient of the Jack G. Buncher Memorial Presidential Scholarship from the the Carnegie Mellon University, and has an avid interest in poetry writing. Roosha received the Pauline B. Adamson Award for Excellence in Writing awarded by CMU University Press. She currently works with National Heath Core and is associated with various social service organizations in the Greater Pittsburgh region.

Kathak Dance - Antara Datta
Sitar - Michael Griska
Tabla Solo - Vikram Mukherjee

This is a Chhandayan Baithak Concert presented by the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania chapter of Chhandayan.

Note - new date - this concert was originally scheduled for October 24.

Admission Free

Antara Dutta

Antara Datta started learning Kathak at the tender age of five from Srimati Laxmi Bannerjee in Kolkata, India. She holds a double diploma in Kathak from the Bangiya Sangeet Parishad in Kolkata and the Prayag Sangeet Samiti in Allahabad, India. She received advanced training in the Lucknow gharana of Kathak from "Sringar Mani" Srimati Anuradha Nag (a senior disciple of Pandit Birju Maharaj and the artistic director of the Tarangini School of dance, San Jose, California). To hone her skills further Antara Datta also receives training from Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj and Vidushi Saswati Sen, during her annual trips to India at Kalashram, New Delhi. In addition, she regularly visits Mahagami (a dance Gurukul in Aurangabad, India) to receive intensive training from Guru Parwati Dutta.

Antara is the artistic director of Anga Kala Kathak Academy, which has branches in the Pacific Northwest, North East and Central Ohio and also in Pittsburgh, PA. She held an adjunct faculty position of Kathak at the Cornish College of Arts in Seattle, Washington in Fall 2010 and then at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio in Winter, 2014 and also taught master classes at University of Akron, OH in February 2017.

Antara believes that learning Indian classical dance is a lifelong experience. She relentlessly strives for perfection. She has attended numerous workshop by the legendary Guru Pandit Birju Maharaj. To gain better control on laya she took laykari lessons from the tabla virtuoso Pandit Samir Chaterjee and currently undergoing training under Pandit Divyang Vakil. Antara Data has performed extensively in different parts of the USA, as well as India. The list includes solo and group performances in Cleveland(Ohio) ,Columbus(Ohio), Canton(Ohio), Pittsburgh(Pennsylvania), Seattle (Washington), Tacoma (Washington), Olympia (Washington), Chicago (Illinois), Grays Lake (Illinois) and Houston (Texas). She and her students have been regular performers at the Northwest Folk Life Festival in Seattle as well as the Asian Festival and the India Fest in Cleveland. In July 2012, she performed solo Kathak with live music at the Triguna Sen Auditorium in Kolkata, India. In 2016 she performed at the Madison Square Garden, New York, USA with Pandit Birju Maharaji’s Company. In 2017, she performed at the International Dance Festival (BharathNriytasav) atVishakhapatnam, India.In 2019 she performed at the Kalpashree festival(Hyderabad, India), Bharat Sanskriti Utsab (Kolkata, India) and Naadamand Nrityalaya (New Delhi, India). Her innovative choreography has brought together seemingly unrelated dance-forms (such as Kathak and Tap Dance, Kathak and Flamenco, or Kathak and Ballet in beautiful jugalbandi’s, captivating audiences across cultures.

Michael Griska

Michael Griska performs and teaches North Indian Classical Music better known as Hindustani Music on the sitar and surbahar.  He is a disciple of world-renowned sarod player, K. Sridhar.  Michael is currently residing in the Pittsburgh area giving concerts, lectures, and lessons. 

Some of his experiences include: playing the tanpura and keeping tala for his Guruji at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. and at the 2012 Stockholm Sangeet Conference in Stockholm, Sweden - performing sitar and surbahar at K. Sridhar concerts in various cities in North Carolina - performing sitar and surbahar at numerous house concerts and temples in India, Israel, Denmark, France, Sweden, and U.K. - performing for Indian weddings at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and William Penn Omni in Pittsburgh PA, at Duke University in Durham NC, and in the Biltmore House in Asheville NC.   

Despite all these achievements, Michael’s greatest accomplishment has been learning the rare and dying art of Javari (bridge filing), as this has allowed him to maintain his own instruments and provide the overtones that are the emotional essence of Hindustani Music, the Shruti. 

Vikram Mukherjee

Vikram Mukherjee is a tabla player and student at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience and Chemistry as well as a certificate in the Philosophy of Medicine, with hopes of becoming a physician. Outside of academics he is a founding member and vice-president of Pitt Sangeet and a research assistant at the Children’s Hospital of Lawrenceville. Having been exposed to both Indian and Western music by his parents from a young age, he has had training in violin, drum- set and tabla. Initially, his first exposure to tabla came from Shri John Protopapas at the age of 8 and thereafter continued his tutelage under the mentorship and love of Pt. Samir Chatterjee. He hopes to continue embellishing the wisdom and knowledge of his Guru’s as well as represent Indian classical music for the new generation.

Sitar - Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan
Tabla - Samir Chatterjee

Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan

Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan is widely recognized as one of the greatest sitar players of the world. The recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Government of India's Padma Shri and the Sangeet Natak Academy Award, Shahid Parvez Khan regularly tours across India, Europe, North America, Asia and Australia, enthralling audiences everywhere.

Shahid Parvez’s music is both novel and evolving. His unique tone and astute artistic sense have become his hallmark as a respected performer and composer. The power of his music emanates from the highly charged sound he conjures on stage. He emphasizes the unique capabilities of this sitar itself while drawing upon numerous musical influences easily recognizable to a knowing ear. He has achieved success in not only preserving tradition, but also pushing its boundaries to even greater heights of aesthetic beauty.

Shahid Parvez Khan represents the seventh generation of the sitar’s first family, the Etawah Gharana. A very young Shahid Parvez was initiated into the rich traditions of the Gharana by his father and guru, Ustad Aziz Khan - the famous musician and son of legendary sitar and surbahar virtuoso Ustad Waheed Khan. His family has produced the most revered and influential figures in Hindustani Classical Music including Ustad Sahabdad Khan, Ustad Imdad Khan, Ustad Enayet Khan, and Ustad Vilayat Khan.

Samir Chatterjee

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.

Vocal - Vidushi Shruti Sadolikar
Tabla - Amod Dandavate
Harmonium - Neelesh Nadkarni

The concert will be followed by a sumptuous dinner.

Admission:
Sponsors $50
Adult $30
Students, Children 10-16 $15

For more information, please call : 412 580 1023 / 908 892 9215 / 646 281 4062

You may also purchase tickets by clicking on the link below

Vidushi Shruti Sadolikar

Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar is a ‘Top Grade’ artist of Akashwani (All India Radio) and Doordarshan (TV).  She was initiated into music and groomed by her father, Pt. Wamanrao Sadolikar, a disciple of Pt. Vishnu Digambar Paluskar and Ustad Alladiya Khan (Founder of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana) and his son Ustad Bhurji Khan.  Shrutiji trained for 12 years under Ustad Gullubhai Jasdanwala, renowned for his repository of rare compositions and complex ragas of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana. Shrutiji continued to learn from Ustad Bhurji Khan’s son, Ustad Azizuddin Khan, till his demise in August 2011.

Shrutiji is a graduate of Mumbai University. She received the Sangeet Visharad from Akhila Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal with distinction and did her Master’s degree in Music from SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai, with Distinction, winning the Bhaskarbua Bakhale Prize.  She is presently the Vice Chancellor of Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University, Lucknow.  Shruti is a much sought after concert artist and sis well known as a scholar musician.

Shrutiji has received a large number of prizes and awards which include the Raj Hans Puraskar, 2017; ‘Icons of Maharashtra’, Mumbai; the Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan Award, for her contribution to the Education Sector; the Jewel of Ruia Award from her alma mater, the Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai; the Swarayogini Prabha Atre Award, 2013; the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Music, 2011; The Sangeet Shiromani Award by Kashi Sangeet Samaj, Banaras, 2008; The Shanmukha Sangeet Shiromani Award by Shanmukhanand Sangeet Sabha, Mumbai, 2002. Shrutiji was awarded the Gopinath Savkar Prize, Talpade Memorial Prize and Pendharkar Prize for best production, best direction and best music direction for the play ‘Sangeet Tulsidas’ in 2001. She received the prestigious Dagar Gharana Sanman, from the Maharana Mewar Foundation, Udaipur, 1998.

SCHOLARSHIPS
Shrutiji’s achievements include The Bhulabhai Memorial Institute Scholarship, 1975; Kesarbai Kerkar Scholarship (National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai), 1976-78; The Homi Bhabha Fellowship (National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai), 1994-96.

ASSIGNMENTS

1. She has been a visiting professor at the Rotterdam Conservatorium in Netherlands.
2. Shrutiji was a Guru at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata;
3. She was a visiting professor at the Department of Music, SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai;
4. She was a professor at the Department of Music, University of Mumbai.
5.  Shrutiji is a guide for many research students for their PhD in Music.
6. She has delivered lecture-demonstrations on various aspects of Indian Classical Music in many schools and universities in India;
7. She has also toured for delivering lectures on music in the UK, USA, Canada, France, Switzerland, Scotland, Germany, Mauritius, UAE, Muscat, Kuwait, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Australia, etc.
8. Shrutiji has and still continues to produce research based thematic programs on various aspects of Indian culture and music.
9. She has been contributing to various research journals and magazines by way of written articles on various subjects regarding Indian Classical Music and Performing Arts.
10.  Her educational CD, ‘The Raga Guide’, was produced and marketed by Nimbus Records, UK.
11.  She has been recorded by prestigious record companies in and out of India.
12.  As a tribute to her father, Shrutiji revived the musical play SANGEET TULSIDAS after 60 years (Pt. Wamanraoji had played the protagonist in the play in 1930).
13.  As producer-music director- coordinator, Shrutiji presented the Marathi musical play SANGEET SAMSHAY KALLOL at the WORLD MUSIC THEATRE FESTIVAL in Netherlands, April 1999.

Amod Dandawate

Amod Dandawate has been primarily trained in the Farrukhabad style of Tabla playing. He was born and brought up in Hyderabad, India, and later migrated to the USA. He was initiated into Tabla by his father Dr. Vasantrao Dandawate, a disciple of the legendary Maestro Ustad Amir Hussain Khan. He started playing Tabla at a very young age but seriously pursued the art form only after completing his Bachelors degree in Engineering. At that point, he received initial guidance and encouragement from Shafaat Khan while performing as an accompanist and then spent some time taking lessons from Ustad Zakir Hussain. Having settled in New Jersey he has been receiving advanced training, since 2001, as a disciple of Pt. Samir Chatterjee, a well known Maestro of the Farrukhabad gharana (http://www.tabla.org).

Besides performing solo Tabla, Amod has accompanied several eminent artists and keeps a busy performance schedule. Amod also hold a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering.

Neelesh Nadkarni

Neelesh Nadkarni was initiated into vocal music by Shri Vasant Marathe of Pune in Bahrain, and self-trained on the harmonium under guidance of his mother, Smt. Sucheta Nadkarni. Neelesh then trained under Pandit Sudhakar Deoley in Bahrain, and briefly under Pandit Rambhau Bijapure in Belgaum, Karnataka. Neelesh has performed on the harmonium and accompanied various artists in Bahrain, India, USA and Canada. Neelesh is a physician and scientist on faculty at UPMC and University of Pittsburgh.

Sarode - Tejendra Narayan Majumdar
Vocal - Manasi Majumdar
Tabla - Samir Chatterjee
Harmonium - Neelesh Nadkarni

Schedule

Welcome address

First Half:
Vidushi Manasi Majumdar - Vocal
Samir Chatterjee - Tabla
Neelesh Nadkarni - Harmonium

Intermission - 15 mts

Second Half:
Tejendra Narayan Majumdar - Sarode
Samir Chatterjee - Tabla

Tejendra Narayan Majumdar

One of the best-known and undoubtedly one of the busiest Sarode maestros of the world, Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, has long achieved that order of excellence and universal acclaim, which ensures him to be one of the foremost icons of Indian Classical Music throughout the globe.

Training:
Early initiation into music by his grandfather, Late Bibhuti Ranjan Majumdar and later his father, Late Ranjan Majumdar, nurtured Tejendra's considerable talent. Tejendra was accepted by the Sarod Maestro Late Ustad Bahadur Khan as his disciple. Vocal and rhythm training under Late Pandit Amaresh Chowdhury and Sri Anil Palit further ensured a holistic musical development in him. Eighteen years of intensive study under Late Ustad Bahadur Khan matured his talent into a true genius.
After the untimely demise of his guru, he studied under Late Sri Ajay Sinha Roy. He was then accepted as a disciple by none other than Late Swara Samrat Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. He continued to learn from the Legend until his demise.

Recognition:
Recognition came as early as in 1981, when he stood first in the All India Radio Music Competition and was awarded the President's Gold Medal and the Pandit D.V. Paluskar Award. Thenceforth, he did not have to look backwards and has performed and gained recognition in 4 continents. Quite obviously, he is also a Top Grade artist of A.I.R and Doordarshan. This year, the Government of West Bengal has awarded him Banga Bhushan as well as Sangeet Mahasamman, the highest award for music in West Bengal.

Style:
One of the best equipped musicians to carry on the great Senia Maihar mantle, Tejendra combines the intellectual density and technical virtuosity of his gharana, with an extraordinary tone, touch and an ambient melody which transcends any qualification. Tejendra's repertoire combines elements from the Dhrupad, Tantrakari as well as Gayaki styles of music. Above all, he has, in abundant measure, that indescribable ability to take the listeners along with him - the rare quality that is the hallmark of a genius.

Social Contributions:
1. Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar was invited to perform for the 50thIndependence Day Celebration of India in New York, USA, at World Trade Centre (the historic Twin Towers) on 15thAugust, 1997
2. After the Kargil War in 1999, he had organized a Relief-Fund-Raising concert in which various maestros of Indian Classical Music had taken part, and had donated the full amount of INR 1 Lakh raised due to the concert towards their relief
3. Just after the Nepal earthquake, a few months back, he had participated in Nepal Earthquake Relief-Fund-Raising concert in Nashville, USA

Classical Concerts:
Most of his time is, however, taken up in touring the country and abroad, presenting innumerable concerts, workshops, lecture demonstrations, doing recordings and taking up teaching assignments.
In 2009, he was invited by none other than Bharat Ratna Late Pandit Ravi Shankar to perform at the Hollywood Bowl, Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA.

Accompanying Artistes:
Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar has been accompanied by a wide range of Tabla maestros right from Pandit Kishen Maharaj, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Shankar Ghosh, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, Pandit Kumar Bose, Pandit Anindo Chatterje, Pandit Sanjay Mukherjee, Ustad Sabir Khan to Pandit Subhankar Banerjee, Pandit Yogesh Samsi, Pandit Bickram Ghosh and Pandit Tanmoy Bose.

Classical Collaborations:
His trio and duet renditions with Vocal maestros Ustad Rashid Khan and Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty, his duet renditions with Sitar maestros such as Ustad Shahid Pervez, Ustad Shujaat Hussain Khan, Pandit Kushal Das have been widely acclaimed and are highly appreciated throughout the globe. He has not stopped himself from collaborating with Carnatic maestros like Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Ganesh Rajagopalan, Mysore Manjunath, N. Ravikiran and Shashank Subramanyam.

World Music Concerts:
Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar is also well known for his World Music endeavours. He has collaborated to present World Music with names such as Sivamani, Trilok Gurtu, Louis Banks, George Brooks and Ganesh Rajagopalan.

Compositions:
Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar's brilliance and popularity as a classical artiste has not dimmed his interest in composing, arranging and experimenting in other areas of music. From composing the background score of meaningful films to musical ballets - Tejendra is always ready to take on any musical challenge. He has composed the music for Bengali films like ‘Sajarur Kaata’, ‘Shongshoy’ and ‘Hononkal’ of Saibal Mitra, ‘Tollylights’ of Arjun Chakraborty, and a number of Telefilms. He has also composed and arranged music for different singers like Ghulam Ali, Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty, Ustad Rashid Khan, Haimanti Shukla, Arati Mukherjee, etc.

One of his composed and arranged music albums “SOUL CALL- OM NAMOH NARAYANAY” had been nominated for the 2010 GRAMMY AWARDS!

Manasai Majumdar

Manasi Majumdar came from a family with a musical heritage. She started her initial training from her father late Manoranjan Ray Chowdhury who was disciple of Suren Banerjee, who was the maestro musician of Vishnupur Gharana. Later she took lessons from Bijonbala Ghosh Dastidar, Nihar Ranjan Banerjee, Uma De and Late Amaresh Chowdhury. In her teens, she appeared in many prestigious concerts in India , and stood first in Khayal in All India Radio Music Competetion in 1981. Last seven years she has been taking lessons of light classical from Padmabhushan Smt. Girija Devi, the doyen of Benares gharana. She has participated in almost all major music festivals in India. She is a regular broadcaster of Radio and Television. She also did masters in Music from Rabindra Bharati University with 1st class and ranked 1st.

Her repertoire in khayal gayaki which comprises the basic elements of Dhrupad and khayal has given her a special position and also got critics' applause.

She has been teaching in vocal department in Bengal Music College of University of Calcutta as a senior lecturer, and now she is there as acting Principal. She had participated in various music festivals and concerts in USA and Canada, participated in South Asian studies department of University of Toronto and had got the rare previledge to sing in front of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, the Greatest Instrumentalist of the World, and got inspirtaion and applause from him in San Rafael, California. Very soon her thumri cd is coming out globally.

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.    

Chatterjee began his studies early with Pt. 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 of India. 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 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. Nasiruddin Saami, Ud. Shujat Khan, Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty, Ud. Nishat Khan, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Pta. Veena Sahashrabuddhe, 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, Joshua Bell, 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. 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 four decades and many of his students are established performers. He is the Founding President 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 guidebook to Indian music titled ‘Music of India’ and ‘Those Forty Days’, a journal of an austere practice regimen he undertook during the summer of 2016. He is on the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music, University of Pittsburgh and New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. 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. He is the recipient of several awards such as the Sunshine Award, Jadu Bhatta Award and Acharya Varistha Award.
 

Neelesh Nadkarni

Dr. Neelesh Nadkarni was initiated into vocal music by Shri Vasant Marathe of Pune in Bahrain, and self-trained on the harmonium under guidance of his mother, Smt. Sucheta Nadkarni.  Neelesh then trained under Pandit Sudhakar Deoley in Bahrain, and briefly under Pandit Rambhau Bijapure in Belgaum, Karnataka. Neelesh has performed on the harmonium and accompanied various artists in Bahrain, India, USA and Canada. Neelesh is a physician and scientist on faculty at UPMC and University of Pittsburgh.
 

Sponsored in part by the Asian Studies Center and the Department of Music, University of Pittsburgh.

Vocal - Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande
Tabla - Suryaksha Deshpande
Harmonium - Kedar Naphade

The main performance will be preceded by a tabla solo by
Vikram Jeet Mukherjee

Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande

Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, an outstanding vocalist of the famed “Jaipur-Atrauli” Khayal Gayaki tradition, represents the new generation of veterans worthy of wearing the mantle of the old masters.
Born in a musical family, Ashwini completed “Sangeet Visharad” of the “Gandharva Mahavidyalaya” at the young age of 16 and won the President’s Gold Medal at the All India Radio Music Competition in 1977. After grasping the rudiments of Hindustani Classical music under the late Pt. Narayanrao Datar, she began imbibing all the traditional aspects of stylized Jaipur Gayaki under the strict tutelage of her mother, mentor and Guru, Smt. Manik Bhide.
Thoroughly grounded in the Jaipur Atrauli Khayal Gayaki tradition, Ashwini has developed into an artiste of immense public acclaim earning high praise from discerning critics and music lovers all over the globe. Ashwini’s musicianship is characterized by a blend of tonal sweetness coupled with vitality and emotion and raga structure-architecture. Her raga delineation shows an unerring grasp over the grammar of the raga yet maintaining a soulfulness in her singing. Through this she has succeeded in building up her own loyal audience. She yearns to explore the pathos of rare and complex (“achchop”) ragas characteristic of her Gharana. In this effort she has received invaluable guidance from her Guru the late Pt. Ratnakar Pai, a senior stalwart of the Gharana. This, and of course, her mother’s unstinted support, added to her own mature introspection lead Ashwini to new horizons of the ever-expanding terrain of Hindustani Classical Music.
Although a classicist by temperament and training, Ashwini is equally at ease with lighter varieties like Thumri-Dadra and Bhajans/Abhangs. Add to this, her fluency in Sanskrit enriches her repertoire further by inclusion of stotras/stutis. Ashwini has added to her devotional repertoire by scoring the music herself of many of her devotional presentations.
Ashwini’s debut recording album was released in 1985 by HMV and several more have followed thereafter under various banners including Rhythm House, Times Music, Sony Music, Music Today, Navras Records and Universal Music among others.
In October 2004 Ashwini published a book "Ragarachananjali" of her self-composed bandishes. The book has received rave reviews all over the music world and the effort has been lauded for its musical creativity and artistic presentation. Continuing her creative effort she has followed up with "Ragarachananjali 2", her second book of bandishes in October 2010.
Ashwini has traveled extensively all over the globe participating in various prestigious music conferences and Sangeet Sammelans. Her live concerts have been acclaimed for the sheer presentation delight, as much as for the aesthetic and musical quality. A 'top grade' artiste of Akashwani and Doordarshan, Ashwini has featured in several national programmes and AIR Sangeet Sammelans.
As a teacher of competence, Ashwini devotes quality time to her promising disciples assuring continuity of the rich tradition of the Jaipur Gayaki. Ashwini has regularly participated in lecture-demonstrations on Hindustani Classical Music in various schools, colleges and sangeet sabhas and contributes to the enlightenment of the unexposed audiences in India and abroad.
Ashwini's contribution to Hindustani classical vocal music has been acknowledged by way of awards and citations. In June 2015, she was declared the recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademy Award for 2014. She was the first female Hindustani vocalist to have been decorated with the prestigious "Rashtriya Kumar Gandharva Samman" in 2005 by the Government of Madhya Pradesh. She was a recipient of the Government of Maharashtra “Sanskritik Puraskar” for 2011 and the Sahyadri Doordarshan “Sangeet Ratna” Puraskar for 2010. She was awarded the first “Ganatapaswini Mogubai Kurdikar Samman” in 2014 and the Bangalore Kidney Foundation’s “Pandit Mallikarjun Mansoor Award” in 2013. She was honoured with the "Pandit Jasraj Gaurav Puraskar" on the occasion of the 75th birthday celebrations of the Maestro.
Ashwini, who is currently stationed in Mumbai, finally chose music as her first love forsaking a career in Biochemistry but not before completing her doctorate at the esteemed Bhabha Atomic Research Centre/ University of Mumbai.

Suryaksha Deshpande

Suryaksha Deshpande is fortunate enough to have a good Literary and Musical heritage. His father Shri. Prakash Deshpande is a retired Professor of English and an eminent writer and critic in Marathi and his mother Prof. Hema Deshpande herself is a vocalist. disciple of Pt. Babanrao Haldankar (veteran of Agra Gharana).

He has taken tremendous efforts in balancing his academic career and Tabla training. 1977 born Science Graduate, Suryaksha is a disciple of renowed scholar and performer Pt. Arvind Mulgaonkar of Farrukhabad Gharana (senior disciple of Ustad Amir Hussain Khan Sahab). He has also received training of "Delhi Baaz" from Pt. Sudhir Mainkar - a great Musicologist - disciple of Inam Ali Khan Sahab of Delhi Gharana. He has achieved excellence in competitions held by reputed organizations through out the country & was also felicitated with the prestigious Pt. V.D.Paluskar Award.

He has secured First Rank all over India in Tabla Alankar (Masters Degree) Exam held by Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. He is also a recipient of the prestigious National scholarship awarded by the Dept. of Culture. Govt. of India

He is an 'A' Grade artiste of All India Radio and Doordarshan.

He is a recipient of the Fellowship for Junior Artist by The Dept. of Culture, India.

He has accompanied many great artist like Padmabhushan Dr. N. Rajam (Violin), Padmashree Pt. D.K. Datar (Violin), Padmashree Pt. Satish Vyas (santoor), Pt. Brij Narayan (Sarod), Pt. Ulhas Bapat (Santoor), Smt. Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande (vocal), Shri. Jayateerth Mevundi (vocal), in India and abroad. He has performed with South Indian musicians like Shri. Sriram Parshuram (vocal), Shri. Sridhar Parthsarathy (Mridangam) etc. He has also played in many Talwadya Kachaheri concerts. He conceived the concept of Tabla and Dholaki (a folk percussion) being played together for the first time on stage with his Gurubhai Krishna Musalye-Ghotkar.

He had an opportunity to accompany Ghazal maestro U. Ghulam Ali in New Jersey.

He has successfully conducted many workshops & lecture demonstrations.

A blend of the Traditional Tabla of Farrukabaad Gharana, the expansion process of Delhi Gharana and influence of Laghu is clearly observed in his Tabla. A thoughtful and robust solo, a balanced accompaniment to Vocal Music and an appropriate accompaniment to instrumental music are some of his specialties.

Suryaksha is the owner and founder of Anubhooti school of Indian Classical Music.

Kedar Naphade

Born on January 10, 1972, Kedar Naphade received preliminary training in Hindustani Classical Music from his grandfather, Shri Dadasaheb Naphade and from Shri Arvind Gajendragadkar.

Since he was 10 years of age, Kedar has had the great good fortune of training under the loving and expert guidance of Pt. Tulsidas Borkar, one of the topmost harmonium players in India today. Under his nurturing guidance, Kedar has imbibed the unique style of solo harmonium performance developed by Pt. Borkarji’s guru, Madhukar Pednekar or P. Madhukar.  P. Madhukar was a genius with tremendous mastery over the instrument that is to date unsurpassed. His glorious tradition, which utilizes the strengths of the harmonium to the extreme, is presented to the connoisseur today by his stalwart disciples like Pt. Tulsidas Borkar and Pt. Anant Kemkar and the next generation of disciples consisting of Sudhir Nayak, Seema Mestri-Shirodkar, Kedar Naphade and others.   

Kedar has also had the privilege of training under Smt. Padmavati Shaligram-Gokhale, a veteran singer of the Atrauli-Jaipur gharana. She played a pivotal role in his musical development and sowed in him the seed that developed into a passionate love for the vocal art form. As such, Kedar’s music derives inspiration from the stylistic genius and dexterous wizardry of P. Madhukar as well as the character of the traditional Hindustani vocal art form, especially of the Gwalior  and Jaipur gharanas. In addition to classical music, Kedar also plays the semi-classical forms of Marathi Natyasangeet (Stage Music), Bhajans, Thumri, Dhun etc.

Kedar has performed harmonium solo and has accompanied vocalists at numerous concerts in India, Europe and in the U.S. including prestigious festivals and venues such as the Alladiya Khan Smruti Samaroha, Dadar Matunga Cultural Center, Lincoln Center, Symphony Space etc. He has accompanied artists of high caliber such as his guru Smt. Padmavati Shaligram-Gokhale, Pt. Phiroz Dastur, Pt. Jasraj, Smt. Veena Sahasrabuddhe, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Smt. Laxmi Shankar and others. Kedar continues to train from Pt. Tulsidas Borkar and maintains an active concert schedule in the U.S.

Vikram Mukherjee

Vikram Mukherjee is a tabla player and student at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  He is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in Neuroscience and Chemistry as well as a certificate in the Philosophy of Medicine, with hopes of becoming a physician. Outside of academics he is a founding member and vice-president of Pitt Sangeet and a research assistant at the Children’s Hospital of Lawrenceville.  Having been exposed to both Indian and Western music by his parents from a young age, he has had training in violin, drum- set and tabla. Initially, his first exposure to tabla came from Shri John Protopapas at the age of 8 and thereafter continued his tutelage under the mentorship and love of Pt. Samir Chatterjee.  He hopes to continue embellishing the wisdom and knowledge of his Guru’s as well as represent Indian classical music for the new generation.  

For this performance he would like to give special thanks to his parents, Dr. Satyajit Mukherjee and Mrs. Asha Makam for their continued encouragement and support as well as his Guru Pt. Samir Chatterjee.

Sarode - Atish Mukhopadhyay

Tabla - Tejas Tope

Atish Mukhopadhyay

Atish Mukhopadhyay is a highly talented sarode player and Musician with extensive experience in entertaining live audiences and teaching.  He has been studying with the affectionate guidance of his guru Ustad Aashish Khan Sahab since 1991 and also studied with the late Mrs. Aameena Perera who was the daugher of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan Sahab.  He is now considered to be a direct representative of the Maihar Senia Gharana of Baba Allauddin Khan of North Indian Classical Instrumental Music and is one of the leading torch bearers of this tradition in his generation.

Atish has performed around the world at many concerts and conferences. He also is a talented composer, having developed the music for several albums. He is also involved with several World Music projects As a teacher, he has participated in many workshops and demonstrations and taught students in India, the U.S.A., and Russia.

He is an empaneled music teacher for both Instrumental and Vocal music at the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) of the Ministry of External Affairs of the Government of India.  He is currently on tour on behalf of the Government of India.

Tejas Tope

Tejas Tope has been learning tabla from his Guru Pt. Samir Chatterjee since the age of five.  At the ages of 7 and 12, with the blessings of his Guru, he participated in three tabla ensembles at the 5th and 10th and 16th Annual All Night Concerts held in New York City, organized by Chhandayan (www.tabla.org).   He has also accompanied Samarth Nagarkar at Chhandayan All-night concert.

Tejas received First prize in the instrumental category in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 at the annual Vedic Heritage’s Holi Youth Talent Competition held in Hempstead, Long Island, NY.   In the summer of 2006, he played at the 6th Marathi European Sammelan in Almelo, Netherlands, at the 13th BMM Convention in Seattle (June 2007), and 15th BMM Convention in Chicago (July 2011). In October 2007, Tejas had his Rangamanch Pravesh and presented tabla solo as a part of Chhandayan Concert Series. Tejas received first prize in the Swardhara Competition held by Marathi Vishwain 2010.  Tejas received Chhandayan’s prestigious Jyotsna Award in the student category in 2011.  
      
At the age of 11, he recorded his compositions in a CD album entitled ‘Guru-Arpita – A Dedication to Pt. Samir Chatterjee’ as a token of his affection, respect, and gratitude to his Guru.  The CD album contains fifty-six compositions presented in structured tabla solo format in six taals.  A booklet of his compositions accompanies the CD album.
 
Tejas has been performing across the U.S. and India for the past several years. In addition to playing tabla solo in various venues in USA and abroad, Tejas has accompanied Pta. Mita Nag (sitar), Pt. Steve Gorn (flute), Kunal Gunjal (santoor), Kedar Naphade (harmonium), Samarth Nagarkar (vocal), Pta. Lalita Dantale-Kurulkar (vocal) over the past several years.  His recently toured India, where he was featured as a soloist and accompanist and won appreciation from all.  He is a Junior at NYU Stern, studying Finance.

Directions from Pittsburg to:   Samar & Mala Saha Residence
            410 Lorenzo Lane, IRWIN, PA 15642

* Take PA Turnpike – Rt. 76 East towards Harrisburg

* Drive to Exit 67 – Rt 30/ Irwin/Greensburg

* Pay toll, stay on right and follow Route 30 East – Greensburg

* At the first light, turn right onto Arona Road (BP gas station on the right corner across the light).

* Go through 4-Way stop sign. Take second left onto DaVinci Drive (Bronze Renaissance Development sign at the corner). Take another left (100 feet) onto Renaissance Drive.

* Go uphill. At the top of the hill make right onto Lorenzo Lane. The house (#410) is a French Provincial and is located on the cul-de-sac.

Sahnai - Hassan Haider

Tabla - Samir Chatterjee

Hassan Haider

Hassan Haider is an acknowledged Sahnai player. His family hails from Allahabad, and he was born in Kolkata (Calcutta) on April 6th 1985. His father Ud. Ali Ahmed Hussain was a famous Sahnai maestro. His family has been representing this art form for generations.

Hassan Haider received his training in Benaras and Senia Gharanas from his father. He also learned from Pt. Arvind Parikh, the famous sitar maestro from school of Ud. Imdad Khan, Ud. Enayat Khan and Ud. Vilayat Khan. Hassan’s great grandfather Ud. Wazir Ali Khan was a musician of distinction. He was the first musician to ever perform the Shahnai at the Buckingham Palace in London, England in 1910 and was awarded by Pt. Motilal Nehru, the father of India’s first Prime Minister Jawharlal Nehru.

Even at this young age, Hassan Haider has already performed at many important music festivals, venues and occasions in India, such as The Autumn Festival of Dance and Music in celebration of India’s 50th year of independence, Dover Lane Music Festival in Kolkata, Harballav Festival in Jalandhar, Uttarpara Sangeet Chakra in West Bengal, Sri Ram Shankarlal Festival in Delhi, Ud. Alauddin Khan Academy in Bhopal, Sangeet Natak Academy in Pune, only to name a few. All of his performances have been well reviewed in newspapers and magazines.

He had toured and performed with his father in several countries outside India. Those include the USA, Canada, U.K., France, Switzerland and Belgium. He is regularly featured on Indian radio and television.

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 Chatterjee 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.

North Indian Vocal - Pdt. Sanjoy Banerjee

Tabla - Pdt. Samir Chatterjee

Harmonium - Nilesh Nadkarni

Pandit Sanjoy Banerjee

Raga is a Sanskrit word which means an act of coloring. In musical terms it represents feeling of emotions. One of the unique characteristics of Indian music is the assignment of definite times of the day and night for performing Raga melodies.

Through his soulful presentation and improvisations, combined with mastery over sargams, taans, and renditions of Khayal, Pt. Sanjoy Banerjee explores the evening ragas, the melodic beauty and majestic splendor of which evoke deep emotions within his listeners.

Pt. Sanjoy Banerjee is one of the finest vocalists of international repute from India and a distinguished exponent of the Kirana Gharana of North Indian Vocal Classical Music. Sanjoyji was a scholar at ITC Sangeet Research Academy under the able guidance of Late Pt. A.T. Kanan and Sangeet Bidushi Late Malabika Kanan, who considered him as their successor to their musical heritage.  With his sonorous and unwavering voice he has enthralled audiences at home and abroad, performing extensively in the UK, Germany, Bangladesh, Canada, USA and within India including at Sur Singar, Swai Gandharva, Sangeet Piysi, Ustad Faiz Khan Sangeet Sammelan.

He has received many awards and honors including Surmani Award from Sur Sringar Samsad, Mumbai, National Scholarship from Ministry of Human Resource and Development, Government of India and Junior Fellowship from Department of Culture, Govt of India. In addition, Sanjoy Banerjee is a successful Guru teaching at his own institution - Kolkata Suromurchhana in India, and at Chhandayan Center of Indian Music, New York, producing students who have already earned appreciation.

Pandit 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 atterjee began his studies early with Pt. 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 of India. 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 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. Nasiruddin Saami, Ud. Shujat Khan, Pt. Ajoy Chakraborty, Ud. Nishat Khan, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Pta. Veena Sahashrabuddhe, 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, Joshua Bell, 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. 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.

Directions to 410 Lorenzo Lane Irwin PA 15642 (from Pittsburgh)

• Take PA turnpike Rt.76E towards Harrisburg

• Drive to Exit 67 - Rt 30/Irwin/Greensburg

• After paying toll, stay to right and follow Rt. 30 East - Greensburg

• At the first light, turn right onto Arona Road (BP gas station on the right corner across the light).

• Go through the 4-Way stop sign

• Take the second left onto DaVinci Drive (Bronze Renaissance Development sign at the corner).

• Go 100 feet and take another left onto Renaissance Drive

• Go uphill. At the top of the hill make a right onto Lorenzo Lane.

• 410 Lorenzo lane is a French Provincial in the cul-de-sac.