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Note the 10AM EST start time chosen to accommodate audiences in India
We invite you to join some accomplished Indian Music Artists for a discussion of the relationship between Indian Vocal and Instrumental Music
Abhik Mukherjee - Sitar
Partha Bose - Sitar
Samarth Nagarkar - Vocal
Abhik Mukherjee is a Kolkata-born sitar player of the Etawah-Imdadkhani gharana. He was initiated to sitar at the age of six by his father, Sri Tarit Mukherjee, and Sri Bimal Chatterjee, while simultaneously receiving vocal instruction from Sri Kaylan Bose. He has since taken talim from Pandit Arvind Parikh and Pandit Kashinath Mukherjee, themselves disciples of the legendary Ustad Vilayat Khan. He is a gold medalist in musicology from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, and has also received a scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, India.
Abhik’s first public performance was at the age of nine at the Governor’s House, Kolkata. He has since performed in ten countries on four continents. Some memorable concerts include performances for the inauguration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial (Washington D.C.); at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City); at the Indian Habitat Center (Delhi); on Doordarshan (Kolkata); and a summer tour of Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. Abhik currently lives in New York City and is a founding member of Brooklyn Raga Massive, an Indian classical music artists’ collective.
Partha Bose is acknowledged as a rising star in the world of classical Indian music. Initiated to the Sitar at age 6, Partha went through intensive training in the truest traditions of Guru Shishya Parampara under the tutelage of Pandit Monoj Shankar of the Maihar Gharana. In academic pursuits too he showed flashes of talent and graduated in Economics from Presidency College, University of Calcutta. The young virtuoso first broadcast over All India Radio at the age of 11 and began performing in music festivals
and on television in his teens. Gradually the promising youngster blossomed into a mature musician – lauded by connoisseurs all over India as a leading instrumentalist of his generation, representing an imaginative synthesis of the musical heritage of Ravi Shankar and Nikhil Banerjee, coloured by his own creativity. Sterling performances
at prestigious venues in India, including Dover Lane Music Conference (Calcutta), India International Center (New Delhi), Maha Mrityunjay Mahotsav (Varanasi), further established Partha's reputation. Partha had the rare privilege of performing at the residence of Pandit Bhimsen Joshi, Pandit Kishen Maharaj and Shrimati Girija Devi and being blessed by these living legends. International recognition followed, as audiences
in USA, Canada, Germany, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, UK, Austria, Italy, Holland, Madagaskar and Bangladesh were overwhelmed by Partha's unique blend of tradition and imagination and also his uncanny ability to communicate with listeners anywhere in the world.
The academic elite in some of the reputed universities of USA, Canada and Europe were witness to Partha's articulate expression in workshops and lecture demonstrations. Partha Bose was honoured by the Government of India when he was invited to lead a cultural delegation to African countries on the historic occasion of Golden Jubilee Celebrations of India's Independence.
Samarth Nagarkar is known for his captivating performances of authentic, traditionally rich approach towards raga- exposition and gayaki. He is described by critics as one of today’s foremost torchbearers
of Indian classical vocal traditions.
After years of rigorous training under Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, Samarth graduated as Grade A scholar of the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata in 2009. Prior to this, he trained under Pt. Dinkar Kaikini in Mumbai. By virtue of this intense and extensive guru-shishya parampara training Samarth’s performance repertoire encompasses styles, ragas and compositions of three prominent gharanas – Gwalior, Agra and Jaipur.
Samarth has performed in several noted venues and concert platforms in India and the USA such as the ITC Sangeet Sammelan, Bangalore, Devnandan Ubhayakar Yuva Sangeet Utsav, Bangalore, Habitat Center, Delhi, N.C.P.A., Mumbai, The Ali Akbar College of Music, California, Basant Bahar, California and
Universities such as Stanford, Indiana, UT Southwestern, UPenn and PSU.
The most notable of the awards and accolades Samarth has received is the President’s Award for 1st prize in the All India Radio National Music Competition, 2000. The Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India awarded him a Fellowship in 2009.
A former head of K. K. Kapoor Sangeet Research Academy, Lucknow, Samarth is also known for his articulate and informative lecture-demonstrations and interactive workshops on Indian Music.
Currently based in New York Samarth is performing all over North America. He is only the faculty of reputed institutions such as Chhandayan Center for Indian Music.
This event is partially sponsored by:
This seminar will explore the cross-cultural influences of Western and Indian musical traditions. Speakers will include Jonathan Kay (saxophone), Alexander Naylor (guitar) and Anupam Shobhakar (Sarod).
Jonathan Kay is a virtuoso multi-woodwind instrumentalist that has created a respected name for himself in the thriving music scenes of Toronto, Canada and Kolkata, India. Being involved in many different circles of performing musicians, Jonathan offers a creative and unique voice in a diverse range of musical situations. Jonathan started studying and performing on the tenor saxophones at the age of 11, and naturally cultured the ability to express himself on many other members of the woodwind family including flute, bansuri (Indian classical flute), dizi (ancient Chinese flute), clarinet, bass clarinet, soprano, alto and baritone saxes.
Throughout Jonathan’s musical life he has been fortunate to learn and perform with some of the world’s greatest western musicians including, Pat LaBarbera, Kenny Garrett, Seamus Blake, Lenny Pickett, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Dave Douglas, Ingrid Jensen, Paquito D’Riviera, Phil Woods, Greg Osby, Mark Dresser, Vijay Iyer, Steve Gorn, Phil Dywer, David Mott, Mike Murley and family member Alastair Kay.
Indian Classical Raga Music
In 2006 Jonathan traveled to Kolkata, India in search of understanding the concepts of Indian Classical Raga music. It was at this time that Jonathan was initiated into the traditional Guru-Shishya Parampara training under Guru Pandit Shantanu Bhattacharyya, one of India’s premier Classical vocalists. In 2009, he returned to India understanding of the importance of immersing himself in the tradition and lifestyle of Hindusthani Raga Music. By sincerely devoting himself to intensive riyaz (practice) and focusing on the spiritual nature of Raga music the subtle nuances of each Raga began to express themselves through his western soprano and tenor saxophones, as well bansuri and dilruba. In his pursuit of Nada Brahma and the study of Raga Consciousness, Jonathan is exploring higher ideals of creativity and expression and its purest application to his western musically. His dedicated Sadhana has already helped him emerge as an innovative contributor to the evolution of Raga music performance. It is his rendering of Ragas in their entirety on saxophone, in both the vocal and instrumental styles, that has innovated saxophone techniques and created a style of playing the saxophone hitherto un-attempted. His research and development have produced the first non-tempered saxophone designed to more accurately express the subtle shruti’s (mirco-tones) of the Ragas.
Jonathan’s travels in India he has performed many concerts playing Raga music and Indo-Jazz. He has been blessed to learn from and collaborate with some of India’s greatest maestros including Ajoy Chakrabarty, Rashid Khan, Bickram Ghosh, Tejendra Majumdar, Dhruba Ghosh, Subhankar Banerjee, Nityanand Haldipur, Ronu Majumdar and Ranajit Sengupta.
Indo-Jazz
Jonathan is culturing a deep understanding of Eastern philosophy and music, and aims to unify the fabrics of both Eastern and Western music and culture in a harmonious and innovative expression. His research includes composition and performance in a variety of large and small ensembles with the use of eastern and western instruments.
Alongside brother Andrew Kay and bassist Justin Gray, the trio formed “Monsoon”, a collective of creative musicians bonded by their joint vision of an innovative East-West synthesis. Monsoon has received international acclaim over their 6 years together has featured many wonderful guest artists including their guru, Pandit Shantanu Bhattacharyya, Ingred Jensen, George Koller and Alastair Kay.
Jonathan has also played saxophone and bansuri with some of the world’s best Indo-Fusion artists including world music pioneer Bickram Ghosh’s “Rhythmscape” and “Across Boarders”, Tejendra Majumdar, Subhankar Banerjee and Rashid Khan’s “Nsemble”, Ronu Majumdar Shubhen Chatterjee’s “Karma”, and Ravi Naimpally’s “Tasa”.
Western and Creative Jazz Music
Internationally recognized for his musicianship at age 17, Jonathan has emerged as a creative and innovative artist. His beautiful tone and melodic approach has proven him to be mature and sophisticated musician. Jonathan has had extensive experience traveling and playing many forms of music but focuses on the pursuit of his own creative voice through creative modern jazz and Indo-jazz. He composes music for a variety of ensembles and always strives to push the creativity and artistry of contemporary music while respecting and relating to the traditions of the past masters.
For many years Jonathan and his modern jazz band “The Peddlers” were featured on a weekly basis at clubs all over Toronto. He utilized this opportunity to internalize and expand his jazz vocabulary, maturing him into the exceptional jazz saxophonist and bandleader he is today. Alongside his brother Andrew, Jonathan co-founded “Kayos Theory”, a cordless “Coltrane” inspired quartet that explores more contemporary and worldly approaches to composition and expression.
Since relocating to New York City, native son Xander Naylor has become increasingly known in experimental circles for ear-opening forays with his eponymous, free-jazz trio. On his solo debut, Notes, the son of noted Vermont secessionist Thomas Naylor applies a similarly unchained approach, fleshing out humble, cyclical instrumental sketches with both caution and whimsy. The result, while even less accessible than his previous trio work, is nonetheless fascinating, and it reveals a genuinely independent and curious mind.
Anupam Shobhakar, is an Indian musician, composer, instrumentalist, record producer, and classically trained sarodist currently living in Brooklyn, New York. He has released three World Fusion albums, and one classical Indian music album. He has performed live around the world at various venues and for charitable causes. Shobhakar's track "Water" made it to the first round of the Grammy Awards.
This event is sponsored in part by:
Explore the concepts of Improvisation with renowned Jazz Musicians Ned Rothenberg, Ken Wessel, sitarist Dr. Drubesh Chandra Regmi, and Indian Flute player Jay Gandhi
Ned Rothenberg composes and performs on saxophones, clarinets, flute and shakuhachi (an end blown Japanese bamboo flute). He has been internationally acclaimed for his solo music which he has presented for over 30 years in hundreds of concerts throughout North and South America, Europe, Japan and Australia. He has lead the ensembles Double Band, Power Lines and Sync, his current assemblage with Jerome Harris, acoustic guitar & acoustic bass guitar and Samir Chaterjee, tabla. Current and past collaborators include Evan Parker, Marc Ribot, Sainkho Namchylak, Masahiko Sato, Samm Bennett, Kazu Uchihashi, Paul Dresher and John Zorn. He has lived and worked in New York City since 1978.
Rothenberg's musical interests are numerous and his work varies widely in its sonic, emotive and stylistic profiles. A strong underlying element of his instrumental voice is the extension of the woodwind language to incorporate polyphony and accurate microtonal organization through the manipulation of multiphonics, circular breathing, and overtone control, using his horns not only in a normal melodic role but also as rhythmic and harmonic engines in both solo and ensemble contexts. As a composer he can move from the contemporary classical setting of his Quintet for Clarinet and Strings to "Jazz-funk in cubist perspective, dizzying, yet visceral" (Jon Pareles, NY Times re Double Band) to music that is "intense, slightly melancholic, rhapsodic without being sentimental” (Edward Rothstein, NY Times referring to his solo work). His concentration on expanded sonic language is directed towards wider possibilities of musical communication, never at technical novelty as an end in itself.
Rothenberg's frequent international travels have included a 6-month residency in Japan during which he performed throughout the country and studied shakuhachi with two of the foremost masters of the instrument,Goro Yamaguchi and Katsuya Yokoyama. In the 1990s he spent 5 years touring Europe, Russia, Japan and the U.S. in duo with the spectacular Tuvan vocalist Sainkho Namchylak. More recently, he has twice been in residence in Lyon, France at the performance laboratory Les Subsistances, creating music for a performance piece about Rimbaud realized by director Lukas Hemleb, and collaborating with dancer/choreographer Wally Cardona. His most recent solo tour concentrated on performances in live acoustic environments, with concerts in churches and galleries throughout Germany, Austria and Italy and superb sonic environments like Bremen's Sendesaal, where he performed in utter darkness. These are just a few examples; international touring continues each year playing festivals, theatres and clubs as a leader or collaborator.
Rothenberg records extensively. He has 6 releases on John Zorn's TZADIK label. The latest is a solo clarinet cd, World of Odd Harmonics. Inner Diaspora features Sync along with 2 pre-eminent improvising string virtuosi, Mark Feldman and Erik Friedlander. Through the music and in his liner notes, Rothenberg responds to the complexities of his Jewish heritage. A new book of music for this group will be written for premier and recording in April, 2014. The Lumina Recordings, is a retrospective reissue of Rothenberg's solo recordings from 1981-85 with vastly improved sound and detailed documentation. Quintet for Clarinet and Strings, Ghost Stories and Ryu Nashi are all chamber music recordings on TZADIK’s Composer Series. The initial release of Rothenberg's own label, Animul, was Intervals, a 2 cd set of solo music for alto saxophone, bass clarinet, clarinet and shakuhachi. This was followed by R.U.B. with Percussionist/DJ/ Samm Bennett and guitarist Kazuhisa Uchihashi. Next came Sync's 2nd cd, Harbinger. Following was The Fell Clutch, a jam band for big-eared listeners with Tony Buck, drums, and Stomu Takeishi, fretless bass, Rothenberg and special guest, Dave Tronzo, on electric slide guitar. Also on ANIMUL is a live duo recording with Rothenberg and Evan Parker. In addition, selected recordings include:, Sync's Port of Entry (Intuition), a solo CD, The Crux (Leo), Double Band's Parting, Overlays and Real & Imagined Time(Moers Music), Amulet, the duo with Sainkho Namchylak (Leo), and a studio collaboration co-composed with Paul Dresher, Opposites Attract (New World). Also on New World is Power Lines, picked by the New York Times as one of the 10 best cds of 1995.
Born in 1956 in Boston, Rothenberg graduated from Oberlin College and studied at Oberlin Conservatory, Berklee School of Music, privately with Les Scott (saxophone & clarinet), and George Coleman (jazz improvisation). However, his trademark solo technique is self-taught. He has received grants and commissions from the New York Foundation for the Arts, New York State Arts Council, Mary Flagler Cary Trust, Lila Wallace Foundation, Chamber Music America, Asian Cultural Council, Roulette, Jerome Foundation, Meet the Composer, Japan Society and ASCAP. He has given workshops and masterclasses worldwide, at institutions including Berklee School of Music, Oberlin Conservatory, New School/Mannes School of Music, University of California, San Diego, Stanford University, Rotterdam Conservatory, Australian Institute of Music, Princeton University, University de Sao Paulo, and the Auroville International Community in Auroville, India.
Ken Wessel is a versatile, sensitive and soulful guitarist and composer. A vital and personal voice on the jazz guitar, Wessel has been involved in projects playing jazz, ranging from straight-ahead to free music. Ken is also very interested in creating and investigating points of intersection between jazz and Indian music and has performed and recorded with musicians from various parts of the globe. He has performed in 27 countries at major jazz festivals, concert halls and in radio and television appearances.
Wessel worked with revolutionary jazz artist Ornette Coleman for over 12 years (1988-2000), touring the world as a member of Prime Time, Ornette’s groundbreaking ensemble. Ken can be heard on Ornette Coleman’s critically acclaimed Polygram/Verve CD, Tone Dialing. Performing “Skies of America,” Ornette Coleman’s seminal work for symphony orchestra and jazz ensemble, Ken has appeared with Kurt Masur and the New York Philharmonic and London’s Philharmonia Orchestra. Ken can also be heard on Steely Dan frontman, Donald Fagen’s album, Morph the Cat as a featured guitar soloist. He has worked with artists from different shades of the jazz spectrum, including John Abercrombie, David Liebman, Gloria Lynne, Arthur and Red Prysock, Karl Berger, Steve Gorn, Adam Rudolph, Hamid Drake, Steve Turre and Johnny Hartmann.
Ken has a strong interest in world music, particulary with North Indian music, and he has performed with Debashish Bhattacharya, Karaikudi Mani, V.M. Bhatt, Samir Chatterjee and others. Wessel co-leads a trio with jazz tabla master Badal Roy and bassist Stomu Takeishi. Their CD, Daybreak, was included in JAZZIZ magazine’s Top 10 Critic’s Picks of 1998. They have performed together extensively throughout North America. In 1995, Ken and Badal toured India and the U.S. with their composition, “Testimony,” which was commissioned by the Battery Dance Company. As a U.S. Jazz Ambassador, Ken has toured South Asia and South America, visiting India, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Bengladesh and Venezuela in 2002-03.
He is an active composer (he has received numerous “Meet the Composer” grants) and his original music has an organic and evocative quality. Wessel recently released Weights & Measures on Nonotes Records, which features Joel Frahm (sax), Brad Jones (bass) and Kenny Wollesen (drums. Hisearlier trio recording, Jawboning (CIMP), with bassist, Ken Filiano and drummer, Lou Grassi investigates the boundaries between freedom and structure.
A dedicated jazz educator, Ken currently teaches at Long Island University (Brooklyn campus) and at CCNY. He has given clinics and Master classes at numerous institutions in the U.S. and overseas, including Yale University, Manhattan School of Music, ISCMS Festival, Istanbul, Turkey, the Jazz Education Network Conference, Atlanta, Ga, Mahaidol University in Thailand, the Music Academy in Oslo, Norway, and Columbia University.
Dhrubesh is an exponent of the sitar from an illustrious musical family of Nepal. His great grandfather Dev C Regmi is credited for pioneering sitar in Nepal. His grandfather Krishna C Regmi was the recipient of coveted Indra Rajya Laxmi Award for his contribution to the Nepali music. The musical environment at home inculcated a deep interest of music in Dhrubesh’s mind and heart. Under the tutelage of his father Prof Satish C Regmi, he honed his skills as he grew up and he subsequently joined the music school Gandharva Mahavidhyalaya in India and subsequently Delhi University.
Dhrubesh feels himself very fortunate to have had lessons from the likes of Prof Anil Dhar and Pandit Binay Chandra Maudgalya (Bhaiji) in Delhi. Most importantly, he systematically studied sitar with the legendary maestro Pt. Uma Shankar Mishra in accordance with guru-shishya (master-disciple) tradition. Dhrubesh became the first musician to hold PhD degree in music in Nepal. He was awarded Doctor of Philosophy from Delhi University for his dissertation titled "History of music in Nepal with special reference to classical music during the Rana period."
Dhrubesh, is an Associate Professor at Padma Kanya Multiple Campus, Tribhuvan University and is now a respected name in the field of music in Nepal. He is also a recipient of various prestigious awards and prizes. He has been also appointed "Goodwill Ambassador for Nepal Tourism Year 2011" by the Nepal Tourism Board of Nepal Government. Dhrubesh is one of the founding members of popular Classical and Nepali folk musical group Sukarma. He has travelled many parts of the world and published more than 13 audio visual Compact discs. Recently, as a Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Dhrubesh also completed his Post Doctorate and Artistic work on the theme of “Music for Peace and Harmony” at The Graduate Centre of the City University of New York.
A truly outstanding disciple of the world renowned bansuri maestro, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Jay initially trained in vocal music under Smt. Kum Kum Sanyal and later bansuri under Pt. Ronu Majumdar, Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao and Pt. Raghunath Seth. Inspired to gain deeper knowledge of both the gayaki ang (vocal style) as well as the tantrakari ang (stringed instrument style), Jay has also taken guidance from Pt Vidyadhar Vyas (vocal) and Pt. Nayan Ghosh (sitar, tabla). He is truly blessed to have been studying under the living legend of the bansuri, Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, at Brindavan Gurukul in Mumbai since 2006.
His musical pursuits are not limited to that of the Indian sub-continent; he has great love for the music of the African diaspora and America's classical music – Jazz, as well. In 2004, he completed an Individual Major in Jazz Performance at Oberlin College/Conservatory of Music (Ohio), studying privately under such Jazz luminaries as the saxophonist Gary Bartz and trumpetist Marcus Belgrave. He has since collaborated extensively with many noted Jazz musicians including composer/Jazz pianist Courtney Bryan and trumpetist Lech Wierzynski.
A recipient of the prestigious American Institute of Indian Studies Senior Performing Arts Fellowship, Jay has already been invited to perform across the globe, enthralling audiences in India, Europe, Africa, the Middle East and North America. He is currently based out of New York City and is very active as both a teacher and performer and also as a founding member of Brooklyn Raga Massive, an increasingly prominent Indian Classical artists collective.
This seminar is sponsored in part by:
2016 marked the Birth Centenary of two of the most influential Indian musicians of the 20th century, Ustad Bismillah Khan and M.S. Subbulakshmi. You are invited to attend a seminar on their life and work. The seminar will be divided into 3 sessions.
Ustad Bismillah Khan (21 March 1916 – 21 August 2006) (born as Amiruddin Khan), often referred to by the honorific title Ustad, was an Indian musician credited with popularizing the sahnai, a subcontinental wind instrument of the oboe class. While the sahnai had long held importance as a folk instrument played primarily during traditional ceremonies, Bismillah Khan is credited with elevating its status and bringing it to the concert stage. He was awarded India's highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, in 2001, becoming the third classical musician after M. S. Subbulakshmi and Ravi Shankar to be accorded this distinction.
Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (16 September 1916 – 11 December 2004), also known as M.S., was a Carnatic vocalist. She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honor. She is the first Indian musician to receive the Ramon Magsaysay award, often considered Asia's Nobel Prize, in 1974 with the citation reading "Exacting purists acknowledge Srimati M. S. Subbulakshmi as the leading exponent of classical and semi-classical songs in the Carnatic tradition of South India."
Speakers: Dr. V. K. Viswanathan and Selvi Viswanathan, Kushal Das, Ramdas Palsule, Kiranavali Vidyasankar
Speakers: Selvaganesh, Hidayat Khan, Kamini Dandapani, Roger Lipson
Speakers: Arati Ankalekar–Tikekar, Vani Sateesh, M. K. Ramasubramanian, Nirmala Ramasubramanian, Ned Rothenberg
This program is partially sponsored by the:
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