Sahana Banerjee - Sitar
Dibyarka Chatterjee - Tabla

Come join us at the Chhandayan Center for an evening concert of Sitar Music. The performance will also be streamed live.

Sahana Banerjee

Sahana Banerjee is one of the leading female sitar players of India belonging to Rampur Senia Gharana. Sahana was born in a family of rich musical heritage and was readily recognized as a child prodigy at an early age of four. Her father Prof. Santhosh Banerjee, a celebrated Sitar & Surbahar player of India and former Head of the Department of Instrumental Music of Rabindra Bharati University, in Calcutta. Prof. Banerjee was a disciple of famous Veenkar Ustad Md. Dabir Khan of Rampur Senia Gharana whose family lineage traces back to Mian Tansen himself. Sahana has also received extensive training on vocal music from her illustrious mother Mrs. Chhabi Banerjee, daughter of Sangeetacharya Kashinath Chattopadhyay of Rampur Sahaswan Gharana.

Sahana’s unique presentation reflects the traditional Veenkar Dhrupad Style of Rampur Senia Gharana maintaining the purity of Raga along with her own aesthetical blends of Gayaki. She is a recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar, (National Award) awarded by Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi. She is a Grade ‘A’ artist of All India Radio and National Television and has been giving recitals since 1995. Sahana is an empaneled artist of SPICMACAY, an organization for the preservation and promotion of India music and has given several concerts in different cities of India.

In 1990, she won the Pandit Nikhil Banerjee Challenge Trophy at the Dover Lane Music Conference and was conferred the Best Instrumentalist award. Apart from India, Sahana has extensively performed for prestigious festivals and Concerts in Europe, UK, USA, Australia, Middle East, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh & Morocco. Some of the major performaces are like Darbar Festival (London), Theatre De la Ville (Paris), Mawazine festival (Morocco), LearnQuest Festival (Boston), Bozar Fest (Belgium), Elb Philharmonie (Hamburg), Welthaus (Germany) …etc. Sahana has also performed in many occidental music festivals in collaboration with famous musicians of Europe, some of which were broadcasted by National Radios of France, Venice, Swiss Romande & Radio Klara (Belgium).

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is the son and disciple of Pandit Samir Chatterjee, and as such represents the Farrukhabad Gharana of tabla playing. He spent his childhood in India where he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashvani Kolkata (National Radio - Kolkata Station). Upon moving to New York City with his family he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing and touring with maestros like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan to name only a few. He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem, the Battery Dance Co., and with fusion musicians/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar amongst others. Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Classical Music, and in this he has received guidance from some of the most respected musicologists in India. As a guest lecturer Dibyarka regularly conducts classes and workshops at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music, Ithaca College etc. He has been teaching tabla extensively in the NY & NJ area for more than a decade now, and is affiliated with many of the institutions that promote Indian Classical Music and Dance.

Sitar - Abhisek Mallick

Tabla - Dibyarka Chatterjee

Come join us at the Chhandayan Center for an evening of Sitar music performed by Abhisek Mallick, accompanied by Dibyarka Chatterjee. The performance will also be streamed online

Abhisek Mallick

The Sitar is a world in itself….. a world of not just strings, but of transcending heights and unfathomable depths. Exploring this realm of infinity is something that Abhisek has made the mission of his life. Initiated into ‘tabla’ from the tender age of four years, Abhisek stepped into the domain of sitar when he was seven. Under the strict tutelage of Pandit Shyamal Chattopadhyay, who is the disciple of the Late Ustad Md. Dabir Khan (the last descendant of Mian Tansen) and the legendary maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, his musical skills blossomed into refinement helping him evolve as one of the potential sitarist of this generation. Abhisek has also been fortunate to have received taalim from another maestro, Pandit Manilal Nag of Bishnupur Gharana. At present he is continuing his taalim under Pandit Shyamal Chattopadhyay. He gave his first public performance at the young age of 8 and has been a regular artiste of All India Radio since he was ten.

Abhisek has proved his musical acumen by receiving the prestigious “President’s Award” from the Government of India, after achieving the first position in All India Radio ( Hindustani Classical Instrumental) Music Competition in Sitar in 2003. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture , Govt. of India , has conferred upon him the senior National Scholarship for 2003, in the field of Hindustani Classical Music ( Instrumental). He is also the recipient of the Award in the year 2003 from I.T.C. Sangeet Research Academy organised by the “ International Foundation for Fine Arts”, Mumbai. His musical career is etched with numerous other awards --- “ The Rajya Sangeet Academy Award”, “Pandit Ravi Kichloo Award”, “Salt Lake Cultural Association Award”, being some of them. His musical recitals have been widely acclaimed by critics and he has bagged numerous press reviews from notable dailies and magazines like ---“ Anandabazaar Patrika”, “ The Hindustan Times”, “The Telegraph”, “The Statesman”, “ Pratidin”, “ Sananda” and the like.

He has accompanied his Guruji at many reputed classical conferences in and around Kolkata. He has also performed at various concerts of eminence across India.
Abhisek is presently a graded artist of All India Radio, and Doordarshan and other media channels. Through his recitals, he has moved audiences not only at home, but also at several venues across Europe and America. For the last two years, he has been residing in USA and touring extensively on account of his concerts. Academically, he is also a B. Tech (Electrical).

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is a young and promising tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana. His natural inclination towards tabla became evident shortly after his birth, and at the age of five he was initiated by his illustrious father Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Since then he has been going through the rigorous discipline of lesson and practice.

Dibyarka was born in Kolkata (and spent the first 10 years of his life there), where he was already performing for the All India Radio as a child prodigy. Shortly afterwards, he moved to the U.S. with his family, he was recognized for his talent by music lovers and tabla enthusiasts and started performing with his father and in group performances composed and directed by him. He has also performed with the Dance Theater of Harlem, NYC, with the Battery Dance Co. in “Songs of Tagore”, with Janaki Patrick in “Ka-Tap”, with Pt. Jasraj, Smt. Lakshmi Shankar, Ud. Shujaat Khan, Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta, Pt. Ramesh Mishra, Ud. Mashkoor Ali Khan, Smt. Shubhra Guha, Sri Partha Bose, Smt. Tripti Mukherjee, Steve Gorn, and others. He has been collaborating with fusion musicians like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Gary Lucas, Najma Akhtar, and others. He has performed in some prestigious venues like the Chhandayan All Night Concert, Indian Consulate (NYC), City Center (NYC), Lincoln Center (NYC), Place des Arts (Montreal), etc.

Supriyo Dutta - Hindustani Vocal
Dibyarka Chatterjee - Tabla
Anirban Chakraborty - Harmonium

We invite everyone to enjoy a Friday evening of Hindustani music at the Writer’s Center in Bethesda Maryland. Tickets are $25.

Supriyo Dutta

Supriyo Dutta is a young Maestro of Hindustani Vocal Classical music. He trained under some of the finest and legendary icons of Indian classical music namely , Pandit Ramkrishna Basu (Indore gharana) and Padmashri & Sangeet Natak Academy Ratna awardee Pandit Vijay Kichlu, and Vidushi Subhra Guha.

He has performed extensively in Indian subcontinent and throughout the world including tours and concerts in Australia, Italy, Germany, France, and the U.S. He has received many awards and accolades and is also an empaneled artist of the ICCR ( Indian Council for Cultural Relations).

In addition to performing , he has directed many documentaries related to Hindustani classical music and regularly holds highly regarded training classes and workshops at the school and university level. In addition to voice training, instrumentalists and performers join his workshops and classes on comparative study of basics of Occidental music and Indian classical music. He has also released many recordings.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is the son and disciple of Pandit Samir Chatterjee, and as such represents the Farrukhabad Gharana of tabla playing. He spent his childhood in India where he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashvani Kolkata (National Radio - Kolkata Station). Upon moving to New York City with his family he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing and touring with maestros like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan to name only a few. He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem, the Battery Dance Co., and with fusion musicians/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar amongst others. Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Classical Music, and in this he has received guidance from some of the most respected musicologists in India. As a guest lecturer Dibyarka regularly conducts classes and workshops at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music, Ithaca College etc. He has been teaching tabla extensively in the NY & NJ area for more than a decade now, and is affiliated with many of the institutions that promote Indian Classical Music and Dance.

Anirban Chakrabarty

Anirban Chakrabarty hails from a family of Musicians. His father, Amal Chakrabarty is a dedicated vocalist. From his very childhood Anirban was initiated to Hindustani Classical Music by his father. He is a postgraduate in music with first class from the Rabindra Bharati University. Although he is a good vocalist, his keen interest in playing Harmonium have driven him under the tutelage of Pandit Manas Chakraborty, the doyen of Kotali Gharana to master himself in the gayaki of Kotali style. He has also keen interest in composing music in lighter forms. The guidance of the Master Musician has already shaped him in well-organized Harmonium player and hoping him to be a musician of high repute in future.  

Anirban has to his credit a number of brilliant performances as a harmonium accompanist throughout the country with both upcoming and reputed musicians. Anirban has accompanied musicians of repute like Pandit Manas Chakraborty, Pandit Dinanath Mishra, Pandit Arun Bhaduri, Smt. Kankana Banerjee, Gaan Saraswati Shreela Bandopadhyay, Pandit Madhup Mudgal, Sri. Sarathi Chatterjee, Smt. Ruchira Panda, Sri. Subhasish Mukherjee, Smt. Raka Mukherjee, Sri. Ratan Mohan Sharma and many more. 

He is also a regular artist of several television channels. Besides, he is equally adept in playing table, keyboard, guitar and also worked as an arranger for several light music album. Recently popular commercial artists like Indrani Sen, Manomay Bhattacharya, Shampa Kundu, Shubhankar Bhaskar, Sahaj Ma have jointly made album of Modern Bengali Songs and devotional Songs composed and arranged by Anirban.  Recently an album of Poetry and songs of TAGORE of Sri Tarun Chakrabarty has been released, arranged by Anirban. Now Anirban is also working as the Lecturer of Music in ‘Vivekananda Teachers Training Institute’ and also as the General Secretary of ‘Sur Sanchayan Sangeet Vidyalaya’, an institute to uphold the diploma courses of various forms of Indian music. Anirban to his credit has accompanied on harmonium with both upcoming and veteran musicians in all major music festivals of our country. He has also visited UK and USA as a harmonium accompanist with Ruchira Panda and earned accolades both from music lovers and connoisseurs.

Abhik Mukherjee - Sitar

Dibyarka Chatterjee - Tabla

Come join us at the Chhandayan Center for an evening sitar concert featuring Abhik and Shouvik Mukherjee accompanied by Dibyarka Chatterjee. The concert will also be streamed live online.

Abhik Mukherjee

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.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is a young and promising tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana. His natural inclination towards tabla became evident shortly after his birth, and at the age of five he was initiated by his illustrious father Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Since then he has been going through the rigorous discipline of lesson and practice. 

Dibyarka was born in Kolkata (and spent the first 10 years of his life there), where he was already performing for the All India Radio as a child prodigy. Shortly afterwards, he moved to the U.S. with his family, he was recognized for his talent by music lovers and tabla enthusiasts and started performing with his father and in group performances composed and directed by him. He has also performed with the Dance Theater of Harlem, NYC, with the Battery Dance Co. in “Songs of Tagore”, with Janaki Patrick in “Ka-Tap”, with Pt. Jasraj, Smt. Lakshmi Shankar, Ud. Shujaat Khan, Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta, Pt. Ramesh Mishra, Ud. Mashkoor Ali Khan,  Smt. Shubhra Guha, Sri Partha Bose, Smt. Tripti Mukherjee, Steve Gorn, and others. He has been collaborating with fusion musicians like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Gary Lucas, Najma Akhtar, and others. He has performed in some prestigious venues like the Chhandayan All Night Concert, Indian Consulate (NYC), City Center (NYC), Lincoln Center (NYC), Place des Arts (Montreal), etc.

Sitar - Abhik Mukherjee

Tabla - Dibyarka Chatterjee

Join us for an in-person Sitar Performance by Sitarist Abhik Mukherjee. This performance will also be streamed on-line.

Abhik Mukherjee

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.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is the son and disciple of Pandit Samir Chatterjee, and as such represents the Farrukhabad Gharana of tabla playing. He spent his childhood in India where he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashvani Kolkata (National Radio - Kolkata Station). Upon moving to New York City with his family he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing and touring with maestros like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan to name only a few. He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem, the Battery Dance Co., and with fusion musicians/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar amongst others. Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Classical Music, and in this he has received guidance from some of the most respected musicologists in India. As a guest lecturer Dibyarka regularly conducts classes and workshops at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music, Ithaca College etc. He has been teaching tabla extensively in the NY & NJ area for more than a decade now, and is affiliated with many of the institutions that promote Indian Classical Music and Dance.

This Chhandayan Baithak Concert is a presentation by the New Jersey chapter of Chhandayan.

Featured Performance:
Tabla Solo - Dibyarka Chatterjee
,with Manav Khurana (also Tabla)
This will be preceded by a student performance
Sitar - Galen Passen
Tabla - Dibyarka Chatterjee

Admission Free

Note that this concert will be available for streaming not only at the time of the performance but for several weeks after, so you can view it if you miss the initial showing.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is the son and disciple of Pandit Samir Chatterjee, and as such represents the Farrukhabad Gharana of tabla playing. He spent his childhood in India where he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashvani Kolkata (National Radio - Kolkata Station). Upon moving to New York City with his family he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing and touring with maestros like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan to name only a few. He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem, the Battery Dance Co., and with fusion musicians/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar amongst others. Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Classical Music, and in this he has received guidance from some of the most respected musicologists in India. As a guest lecturer Dibyarka regularly conducts classes and workshops at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music, Ithaca College etc. He has been teaching tabla extensively in the NY & NJ area for more than a decade now, and is affiliated with many of the institutions that promote Indian Classical Music and Dance.

Galen Passen

Galen Passen is a sitarist, composer, and visual artist based in Brooklyn, NYC. His devotion to training within the traditional formats of hindustani music have provided him with respect and love for the ever unfolding wisdom of sound. He lived in New Delhi between 2009 and 2017 where he received training from Dr. Gopal Krishan Shahji. Since returning to New York he now continues training under masterful sitar exponent, Abhik Mukherjee

Besides hindustani music he performs experimental compositions, And regularly collaborates with various music forms and artistic mediums. He has had the privilege to work with the Pittsburgh Opera, Brooklyn Raga Massive, and now the Chhandayan Center for Indian Music. He was awarded an Individual Artist Grant from The Saratoga Arts Council which he used to conceive and launch Folk Song, an emergent ensemble inspired by the forms of hindustani and Irish Trad.

Manav Khurana

Manav Khurana is 16 years old and has been learning tabla for the past 4 years. His initial training was under the guidance of Shri Raj Kumar Gandharva, and he subsequently learned from Sabir Hussain of the Punjab Gharana. For the past 2 years he has been studying with Shri Dibyarka Chatterjee of the Farrukhabad Gharana, who is the son and disciple of Pandit Samir Chatterjee.

Hansaveena - Barun Kumar Pal
Vocal - Sanghamitra Chatterjee
Tabla - Samir Chatterjee
Tabla - Dibyarka Chatterjee

This Chhandayan Baithak Concert, presented by the Kolkata chapter of Chhandayan, will feature the unique twilight Raga Purvi-Kalyan. It will feature Barun Kumar Pal on Hansaveena, a senior disciple of Ravi Shankar. Apart from the main performance, there will also be an introductory demonstration of the raga with a song based on it performed by Smt. Sanghamitra Chatterjee. Tabla accompaniments will be provided by Dibyarka and Samir Chatterjee.

Admission - Free

Pt. Barun Kumar Pal

Pandit Barun Kumar Pal is admired all over the globe as a solo player, composer, dedicated Guru and a musician who renders his music from his soul in a spiritual level.

“He is an outstanding Hansaveena artist of the north Indian classical music”
– Pandit Ravi Shankar

Pt. Barun Kumar Pal is one of the most reputed and prominent artists of India. He is one of the foremost disciples of Bharat Ratna Pt. Ravi Shankar. Pt. Barun Kumar Pal is recognized as the pioneer in introducing the Hawaiian slide guitar to the world of Indian classical music. His distinctive playing style, many years of research in creating a powerful connection between the slide guitar and Indian Classical Music has led to the invention of a revolutionary sound which aesthetically incorporates the blend of the Veena, Sitar and Sarod.

Pt. Barun Pal shared a very special and spiritual bond with his revered guru Pt. Ravi Shankar for more than 35 yrs. Pt. Ravi Shankar cherished and recognized Barunji’s dedication and commitment towards his teachings and sentiments, following which Pt. Ravi Shankar entrusted the responsibility of the Ravi Shankar Institute of Music and Performing Arts (RIMPA), New Delhi, into the hands of Barunji, to carry forward the tradition of the Maihar gharana.

Since 1983, Pt. Barun Kumar Pal has been travelling extensively all over the world giving solo performances, music workshops, lecture demonstrations and Radio-TV interviews. Amongst the major concerts he has performed are WOMAD fest in London, Bath Festival, Pt. Ravi Shankar’s Parampara Festival in San Diego, SPIC Macay (StanFord, U.S.A.), I.I.T. Annual Fest,Ali Akbar Music College summer Festivals, Chhandayan whole night concert,Doverlane Music Festival, Haridas Sangeet Samaroha,Tansen Sangeet Sammelan, SIFAS Festival of Indian Music and Dance in Singapore. He has been awarded with several National Broadcasts of All India Radio -Doordarshan Sangeet Sammelans. He has released numerous cassettes, LP’s and CD’s worldwide. His concerts are preserved by the British National Archives. Barunji is the recipient of several honors and awards such as “Sangeet Prabhakar”, “Sangeet Ratna”, “Kal ke Kalakar”, “Allauddin Sangeet Ratna”, “Abhinav Kalakar”, “Vadya Ratan” to name a few.

Pt. Barun Kumar Pal’s contributions as a composer, music director and conductor in Indian classical music for A.I.R, Doordarshan, DD-7, and National Youth Festival are well known. He is also popularly known for having produced “Raga Symphony” and “Millennium Symphony”, and numerous choirs with young talents, with over 75 presentations including those of the Vienna Children’s Choir and the Choir of RIMPA.

Sanghamitra Chatterjee

Sanghamitra Chatterjee is one of the leading vocalists of India in the fields of light and light classical music. Gifted with a sweet and melodious voice Sanghamitra has chosen light music as her domain; this includes Adhunik (Bengali modern song), Rabindrasangeet(songs of Tagore), Nazrulgeet (songs of Nazrul), songs of Atul Prasad Sen, folk songs, Hindi Bhajans, film songs, Geet, Ghazals, etc..

She had her lessons in classical music from Pdt. Usharanjan Mukherjee and Sri Dashu Mukherjee. In light music her training has been under Sri Jatileshwar Mukherjee, Sri Ajoy Das,Sri Prasanta Chowdhury, Sri Nikhil Chatterjee and others. She is an upgraded artist of All India Radio and Indian Television. Her proficiency in Tagore songs has earned her a diploma, 'Sangit Sudhakar'.

Sanghamitra's singing is characterized by high aesthetic quality and technical brilliance. She does sensible scanning of the lyric with her original touches of embellishment to it. She adds a new dimension to the emotional contents of the songs through her highly sensitive presentation. Her voice is gifted with a quality that it touches you even before realize it. Much of her musical sensibilities have developed under the guidance of her illustrious husband, Samir Chatterjee, the famous Tabla maestro and musicologist.

Sanghamitra has performed as an individual as well as a group musician with Chhandayan, the Battery Dance Co. of NY, Kathak Ensemble of NY and at important venues like the Smithsonian Institute, Columbia University, American Museum of Natural History both in New York and Washington, Lotus Fine Arts Center, Kansas University,Poland, Bahamas, the whole of India and Sri Lanka. She also has featured in a CD with Jerry Garcia as the guest artist.

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.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is a young Tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana, and is the son and disciple of Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Having grown up in a musical environment, his natural inclination towards Tabla became apparent early in his childhood. At the age of five he was initiated by his father into the ancient system of pedagogy called the guru-shishya parampara (master-disciple tradition).

Dibyarka was born in Kolkata, where even in his childhood he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashbani Kolkata's Children's Section (National Radio - Kolkata Station). At the age of ten he moved to New York City with his family; since then he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing with renowned musicians like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan, Pta. Joya Biswas, Utd. Mashkoor Ali Khan, Pdt. Ramesh Mishra, Pta. Shubhra Guha, Pta. Tripti Mukherjee, Pdt. Suman Ghosh to name only a few.

He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem (in 'South African Suite'), the Battery Dance Co. (in “Songs of Tagore”), and with fusion musician/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, John McDowell (on the award-winning documentary “A Son’s Sacrifice”), Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar (on their collaborative album "Rishte") etc. He has composed music for, and performed in, two off-Broadway theatrical productions (Nuraldeen's Lifetime & Lee/gendary). He has also performed in many prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, the United Nations General Assembly, Lincoln Center & Asia Society in NYC, Place des Arts (Montreal), the Google Amphitheater (Palo Alto), Salt Lake Music Conference (Kolkata, India), Pratishruti Festival (Bhopal, India) etc. He has also appeared on numerous radio shows such as The Leonard Lopate Show and New Sounds on NPR, Raag Aur Taal on WKCR etc.

Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits are mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Music. As a guest lecturer, Dibyarka has conducted classes and lecture demonstrations at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music etc. He also teaches Tabla classes regularly at various institutions and locations in NY & NJ.

Sitar - Abhishek Mallick

Tabla - Dibyarka Chatterjee

Unfortunately we have cancelled all performances until further notice because of the Coronavirus epidemic.

Abhishek Mallick

The Sitar is a world in itself….. a world of not just strings, but of transcending heights and unfathomable depths. Exploring this realm of infinity is something that Abhisek has made the mission of his life. Initiated into tabla at the tender age of four years, Abhisek stepped into the domain of sitar when he was seven. Under the strict tutelage of Pandit Shyamal Chattopadhyay, who is the disciple of the Late Ustad Md. Dabir Khan (the last descendant of Mian Tansen) and the legendary maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar, his musical skills blossomed, helping him evolve as one of the most promising sitarists of this generation. Abhisek has also been fortunate to have received taalim from another maestro, Pandit Manilal Nag of Bishnupur Gharana. At present he is continuing his taalim under Pandit Shyamal Chattopadhyay. He gave his first public performance at the age of 8 and has been a regular artiste of All India Radio since he was ten.

Abhisek has proved his musical acumen by receiving the prestigious “President’s Award” from the Government of India, after achieving the first position in All India Radio (Hindustani Classical Instrumental) Music Competition in Sitar in 2003. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture , Govt. of India , has conferred upon him the senior National Scholarship of 2003, in the field of Hindustani Classical Music (Instrumental). He is also the recipient of the Award in the year 2003 from I.T.C. Sangeet Research Academy organised by the “International Foundation for Fine Arts”, Mumbai. His musical career is etched with numerous other awards --- “The Rajya Sangeet Academy Award”, “Pandit Ravi Kichloo Award”, “Salt Lake Cultural Association Award”, being some of them. His musical recitals have been widely acclaimed by critics and he has received many positive press reviews from notable dailies and magazines like ---“Anandabazaar Patrika”, “The Hindustan Times”, “The Telegraph”, “The Statesman”, “ Pratidin”, “ Sananda” and the like.

He has accompanied his Guruji at many reputed classical conferences in and around Kolkata. He has also performed at various concerts of eminence across India.

Abhisek is presently a graded artist of All India Radio, and Doordarshan and other media channels. Through his recitals, he has moved audiences not only at home, but also at several venues across Europe and America. For the last two years, he has been residing in USA and touring extensively on account of his concerts. Academically, he is also a B. Tech ( Electrical).

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is a young Tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana, and is the son and disciple of Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Having grown up in a musical environment, his natural inclination towards Tabla became apparent early in his childhood. At the age of five he was initiated by his father into the ancient system of pedagogy called the guru-shishya parampara (master-disciple tradition).

Dibyarka was born in Kolkata, where even in his childhood he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashbani Kolkata's Children's Section (National Radio - Kolkata Station). At the age of ten he moved to New York City with his family; since then he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing with renowned musicians like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan, Pta. Joya Biswas, Utd. Mashkoor Ali Khan, Pdt. Ramesh Mishra, Pta. Shubhra Guha, Pta. Tripti Mukherjee, Pdt. Suman Ghosh to name only a few.

He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem (in 'South African Suite'), the Battery Dance Co. (in “Songs of Tagore”), and with fusion musician/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, John McDowell (on the award-winning documentary “A Son’s Sacrifice”), Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar (on their collaborative album "Rishte") etc. He has composed music for, and performed in, two off-Broadway theatrical productions (Nuraldeen's Lifetime & Lee/gendary). He has also performed in many prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, the United Nations General Assembly, Lincoln Center & Asia Society in NYC, Place des Arts (Montreal), the Google Amphitheater (Palo Alto), Salt Lake Music Conference (Kolkata, India), Pratishruti Festival (Bhopal, India) etc. He has also appeared on numerous radio shows such as The Leonard Lopate Show and New Sounds on NPR, Raag Aur Taal on WKCR etc.

Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits are mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Music. As a guest lecturer, Dibyarka has conducted classes and lecture demonstrations at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music etc. He also teaches Tabla classes regularly at various institutions and locations in NY & NJ.

Sanghamitra Chatterjee - Vocal
Dibyarka Chatterjee - Tabla
Xander Naylor - Guitar
Manoj Baruah - Violin

The Baithak concert series is dedicated to the fond memories of Mr. Chandrakant Rao.

Sanghamitra Chatterjee

Sanghamitra Chatterjee is one of the leading vocalists of India in the fields of light and light classical music. Gifted with a sweet and melodious voice Sanghamitra has chosen light music as her domain; this includes Adhunik (Bengali modern song), Rabindrasangeet(songs of Tagore), Nazrulgeet (songs of Nazrul), songs of Atul Prasad Sen, folk songs, Hindi Bhajans, film songs, Geet, Ghazals, etc..

She had her lessons in classical music from Pdt. Usharanjan Mukherjee and Sri Dashu Mukherjee. In light music her training has been under Sri Jatileshwar Mukherjee, Sri Ajoy Das,Sri Prasanta Chowdhury, Sri Nikhil Chatterjee and others. She is an upgraded artist of All India Radio and Indian Television. Her proficiency in Tagore songs has earned her a diploma, 'Sangit Sudhakar'.

Sanghamitra's singing is characterized by high aesthetic quality and technical brilliance. She does sensible scanning of the lyric with her original touches of embellishment to it. She adds a new dimension to the emotional contents of the songs through her highly sensitive presentation. Her voice is gifted with a quality that it touches you even before realize it. Much of her musical sensibilities have developed under the guidance of her illustrious husband, Samir Chatterjee, the famous Tabla maestro and musicologist.

Sanghamitra has performed as an individual as well as a group musician with Chhandayan, the Battery Dance Co. of NY, Kathak Ensemble of NY and at important venues like the Smithsonian Institute, Columbia University, American Museum of Natural History both in New York and Washington, Lotus Fine Arts Center, Kansas University,Poland, Bahamas, the whole of India and Sri Lanka. She also has featured in a CD with Jerry Garcia as the guest artist.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is a young Tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana, and is the son and disciple of Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Having grown up in a musical environment, his natural inclination towards Tabla became apparent early in his childhood. At the age of five he was initiated by his father into the ancient system of pedagogy called the guru-shishya parampara (master-disciple tradition).

Dibyarka was born in Kolkata, where even in his childhood he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashbani Kolkata's Children's Section (National Radio - Kolkata Station). At the age of ten he moved to New York City with his family; since then he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing with renowned musicians like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan, Pta. Joya Biswas, Utd. Mashkoor Ali Khan, Pdt. Ramesh Mishra, Pta. Shubhra Guha, Pta. Tripti Mukherjee, Pdt. Suman Ghosh to name only a few.

He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem (in 'South African Suite'), the Battery Dance Co. (in “Songs of Tagore”), and with fusion musician/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, John McDowell (on the award-winning documentary “A Son’s Sacrifice”), Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar (on their collaborative album "Rishte") etc. He has composed music for, and performed in, two off-Broadway theatrical productions (Nuraldeen's Lifetime & Lee/gendary). He has also performed in many prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, the United Nations General Assembly, Lincoln Center & Asia Society in NYC, Place des Arts (Montreal), the Google Amphitheater (Palo Alto), Salt Lake Music Conference (Kolkata, India), Pratishruti Festival (Bhopal, India) etc. He has also appeared on numerous radio shows such as The Leonard Lopate Show and New Sounds on NPR, Raag Aur Taal on WKCR etc.

Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits are mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Music. As a guest lecturer, Dibyarka has conducted classes and lecture demonstrations at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music etc. He also teaches Tabla classes regularly at various institutions and locations in NY & NJ.

Xander Naylor

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.

Guitarist Xander Naylor is exploding onto the scene with his work as a solo artist, composer and leader of Xander Naylor Sound Machine. Spinning through a diverse set of scenes, he has found homes in free improv, indie rock, experimental jazz and, through his years of study with tabla maestro Samir Chatterjee, North Indian music. His latest solo album, Arc, creates a stimulating mash-up that is both startling and comforting in today's tumultuous world.

The Xander Naylor Sound Machine, built of guitar, sax, bass, and drum, employs modern technique in revolutionizing jazz and post-rock grooves. Naylor’s work uses myriad rhythmic influences that are threaded throughout to solidly bond the machine’s language of sound. Executed by an all-star group of musicians who perform all over the world, XNSM supplies a power surge of cohesive sound, allowing you to live fully in the moment and embrace what is possible.

Manoj Baruah

Manoj Baruah is one of most well known violinists in field of classical and folk music of India. He started learning violin at the age of 10 from his older brother Deepak Baruah.  Since 1995 Manoj has been receiving guidance in classical music under the tutelage of violin maestra Prof. Sisirkona Dharchoudhury. Simultaneously, he completed a Master Degree from Rabindra Bharti University  of Kolkata. Manoj is a regular performer on All India Radio and Doordashan TV, and has toured all over India. In 1997 he received a prestigious national scholarship awarded to him by the Govt. of India. Since 2004 he has been touring all over Europe for performances in U.K., Germany, France, Switzerland, Spain, Holland, Denmark, Italy and Belgium; this is his first tour of the US.

Abhik Mukherjee - Sitar
Dibyarka Chatterjee - Tabla

Abhik Mukherjee

Abhik Mukherjee

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.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is a young Tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana, and is the son and disciple of Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Having grown up in a musical environment, his natural inclination towards Tabla became apparent early in his childhood. At the age of five he was initiated by his father into the ancient system of pedagogy called the guru-shishya parampara (master-disciple tradition).

Dibyarka was born in Kolkata, where even in his childhood he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashbani Kolkata's Children's Section (National Radio - Kolkata Station). At the age of ten he moved to New York City with his family; since then he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing with renowned musicians like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan, Pta. Joya Biswas, Utd. Mashkoor Ali Khan, Pdt. Ramesh Mishra, Pta. Shubhra Guha, Pta. Tripti Mukherjee, Pdt. Suman Ghosh to name only a few.

He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem (in 'South African Suite'), the Battery Dance Co. (in “Songs of Tagore”), and with fusion musician/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, John McDowell (on the award-winning documentary “A Son’s Sacrifice”), Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar (on their collaborative album "Rishte") etc. He has composed music for, and performed in, two off-Broadway theatrical productions (Nuraldeen's Lifetime & Lee/gendary). He has also performed in many prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, the United Nations General Assembly, Lincoln Center & Asia Society in NYC, Place des Arts (Montreal), the Google Amphitheater (Palo Alto), Salt Lake Music Conference (Kolkata, India), Pratishruti Festival (Bhopal, India) etc. He has also appeared on numerous radio shows such as The Leonard Lopate Show and New Sounds on NPR, Raag Aur Taal on WKCR etc.

Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits are mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Music. As a guest lecturer, Dibyarka has conducted classes and lecture demonstrations at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music etc. He also teaches Tabla classes regularly at various institutions and locations in NY & NJ.

Sarangi - Rohan Misra

Tabla - Dibyarka Chatterjee

Rohan Misra

Rohan Misra is a young promising musician, specialized in the unique Indian bowed instrument called the Sarangi. As the son and disciple of great Sarangi virtuoso Pandit Ramesh Misra, Rohan has inherited many of his father-Guru’s specialties, including tonal quality and aesthetic approach.

Rohan Started learning the Sarangi (translation: An instrument with a hundred colors) from his father at the age of six. His exposure to music since early childhood attracted him to learn other Indian instruments as well. He has been learning Tabla from the renowned maestro Samir Chatterjee. Rohan is also pursuing his education in western music, particularly focused on the Piano and Clarinet. Coming out of the family of nine generations of Sarangi players, Rohan aspires to be successful as the 10th generation in his lineage. He also wishes to further his musicality by blending certain aspects of western music into his emblem of Indian classical music and emerge with a unique musical expression.

Rohan has performed at the Carnegie Hall, Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C., California and North Carolina. He has performed with luminaries such as Pt. Birju Maharaj, Smt. Kumudini Lakhia, Pt. Anindo Chatterjee, Samir Chatterjee, among others. He is on the faculty of Chhandayan Center for Indian Music in New York City.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is a young Tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana, and is the son and disciple of Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Having grown up in a musical environment, his natural inclination towards Tabla became apparent early in his childhood. At the age of five he was initiated by his father into the ancient system of pedagogy called the guru-shishya parampara (master-disciple tradition).

Dibyarka was born in Kolkata, where even in his childhood he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashbani Kolkata's Children's Section (National Radio - Kolkata Station). At the age of ten he moved to New York City with his family; since then he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing with renowned musicians like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan, Pta. Joya Biswas, Utd. Mashkoor Ali Khan, Pdt. Ramesh Mishra, Pta. Shubhra Guha, Pta. Tripti Mukherjee, Pdt. Suman Ghosh to name only a few.
      
He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem (in 'South African Suite'), the Battery Dance Co. (in “Songs of Tagore”), and with fusion musician/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, John McDowell (on the award-winning documentary “A Son’s Sacrifice”), Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar (on their collaborative album "Rishte") etc. He has composed music for, and performed in, two off-Broadway theatrical productions (Nuraldeen's Lifetime & Lee/gendary). He has also performed in many prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, the United Nations General Assembly, Lincoln Center & Asia Society in NYC, Place des Arts (Montreal), the Google Amphitheater (Palo Alto), Salt Lake Music Conference (Kolkata, India), Pratishruti Festival (Bhopal, India) etc. He has also appeared on numerous radio shows such as The Leonard Lopate Show and New Sounds on NPR, Raag Aur Taal on WKCR etc.
      
Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits are mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Music. As a guest lecturer, Dibyarka has conducted classes and lecture demonstrations at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music etc. He also teaches Tabla classes regularly at various institutions and locations in NY & NJ.

Santoor - Vinay Desai

Tabla - Vivek Pandya

Vinay Desai

Initially, Vinay received knowledge in vocal/harmonium/tabla from Shafiq Rahman in his teens. After completing his college in both Pre-pharmaceutical science as well as Pre-Law in Delaware, Vinay sought out to learn Santoor in India. In 2011, with blessings and direct guidance of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Vinay began his studies under Takahiro Arai and Dhananjay Daithankar. He later moved back to USA to learn from Kunal Gunjal. To expand his knowledge in music, Vinay has learnt from different Maestros such as late Pandit Ramesh Mishraji, Parthasarathi Chatterjee, Jay Gandhiji, Suryaksha Deshpandejii, and sits with Maestros who come through Shanti Mandir for performances to expand his knowledge and receive the invaluable blessings of them all.   

His music is influenced by his stay in Ashrams and ancient practices of meditation and yoga. His music is interwoven with the general feeling of peace and stillness interspersed with lively, powerful and rhythmic phrases. He currently resides at Shanti Mandir, Walden where he manages their spiritual centers around the world and continues his studies and performances of Santoor regularly.

Vivek Pandya

Vivek K Pandya is fouteen years old.  He has been learning tabla from world renowned tabla maestro Pandit Anindo Chatterjee since past nine years. Vivek was born in Long Island, NY in a musical family.  Initially he was guided in tabla by his uncle Viral Pandya.  

Vivek was invited by late Pandit Arvind Mulgoankar ji to play tabla solo in ustad Amir Hussein Khan's 47th barsi concert in 2016 held annually in Mumbai.  He has also played solos in Solapur, Pune, Mumbai, Arizona, NJ, NY and in front of Tabla faculty and students in Baroda at MS University.  He was invited as a child artist under the scheme of extra mural lecture series on characteristics of Farukhabad gharana in 2015 and 2017 by the dean of MSUniversity school of music.  Aside from playing solo Vivek enjoys accompaniment.  He has accompanied several upcoming talented musicians and established artists.  His tonal quality, clarity of bols, speed and musicality has been recognized by musicians and music lovers all around the world.  

Aside from tabla,  VIvek loves to play tennis and excels academically.

Sarode - Indrayuddh Majumder

Tabla - Samir Chatterjee

Indrayuddh Majumder

Indrayuddh Majumder has been learning Sarode from his father, the world-renowned Sarode Maestro Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, since he was five years old. He has also been receiving guidance from his mother Vidushi Dr. Manasi Majumder, who is a renowned Indian Classical vocalist. Initially, he had also received basic taalim from his grandfather Late Ranjan Majumder.

Indrayuddh had developed keen interest in every genre of music right from his childhood. He has taken up Sarode as his primary choice because of his sheer love for the instrument and Indian Classical Music. He concentrates on maintaining the purity of Indian Classical Music coupled with his smart presentation in his concerts.

He had the privilege to perform in front of Dr. Manmohan Singh (the former PM of India), Shri Buddhadeb Bhattacharya (the former Chief Minister of West Bengal), Shri Gopalkrishna Gandhi and Shri M.K. Narayanan (the former Governors of West Bengal) among many.

Indrayuddh is also a passionate music composer. He has composed music for a few projects, and has also assisted his father in the background score of a Bengali Feature Film on Byomkesh, 'Sajarur Kaata'.

An MBA in Marketing, Indrayuddh is also the Co-Founder and CEO of an Indian tech-startup, ShowVelvet, which serves as an online interactive platform for Artists and Audience all over the world.

Indrayuddh is on his Debut USA Concert Tour. He is just completing one and half month schedule of concerts all across USA. He performed solos as well as duets with his father. The Tabla legend, Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri, accompanied them for a few of those concerts.

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 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.

Sitar - Abhik Mukherjee

Tabla - Dibyarka Chatterjee

A Tabla Solo by Ronak Seth will precede the main performance.

Abhik Mukherjee

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.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is a young Tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana, and is the son and disciple of Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Having grown up in a musical environment, his natural inclination towards Tabla became apparent early in his childhood. At the age of five he was initiated by his father into the ancient system of pedagogy called the guru-shishya parampara (master-disciple tradition).

Dibyarka was born in Kolkata, where even in his childhood he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashbani Kolkata's Children's Section (National Radio - Kolkata Station). At the age of ten he moved to New York City with his family; since then he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing with renowned musicians like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan, Pta. Joya Biswas, Utd. Mashkoor Ali Khan, Pdt. Ramesh Mishra, Pta. Shubhra Guha, Pta. Tripti Mukherjee, Pdt. Suman Ghosh to name only a few.
      
 He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem (in 'South African Suite'), the Battery Dance Co. (in “Songs of Tagore”), and with fusion musician/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, John McDowell (on the award-winning documentary “A Son’s Sacrifice”), Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar (on their collaborative album "Rishte") etc. He has composed music for, and performed in, two off-Broadway theatrical productions (Nuraldeen's Lifetime & Lee/gendary). He has also performed in many prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, the United Nations General Assembly, Lincoln Center & Asia Society in NYC, Place des Arts (Montreal), the Google Amphitheater (Palo Alto), Salt Lake Music Conference (Kolkata, India), Pratishruti Festival (Bhopal, India) etc. He has also appeared on numerous radio shows such as The Leonard Lopate Show and New Sounds on NPR, Raag Aur Taal on WKCR etc.
      
 Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits are mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Music. As a guest lecturer, Dibyarka has conducted classes and lecture demonstrations at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music etc. He also teaches Tabla classes regularly at various institutions and locations in NY & NJ.

Ronak Seth

Ronak Sheth has been learning tabla under Samir Chatterjee for 5 years. He is extremely excited and honored to be playing in front of his Guruji, tonight’s esteemed musicians, and the Chhandayan audience. Ronak is 11 years old, and in the 6th grade in the Scarsdale Middle School in Westchester County. He developed a passion for Hindustani music from an early age, influenced by both his grandmothers, who are classical vocalists themselves. Ronak also plays percussion in his school band and enjoys adding flavor to school ensemble performances with his tabla. In addition to music, he enjoys cooking, his school coursework, especially science and social studies, as well as playing basketball and baseball. Ronak offers his pranams to his Guruji and all of you tonight.

Sitar - Partha Bose

Tabla - Dibyarka Chatterjee

Partha Bose

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.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Dibyarka Chatterjee is a young Tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana, and is the son and disciple of Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Having grown up in a musical environment, his natural inclination towards Tabla became apparent early in his childhood. At the age of five he was initiated by his father into the ancient system of pedagogy called the guru-shishya parampara (master-disciple tradition).

Dibyarka was born in Kolkata, where even in his childhood he was already performing in concerts as well as on Akaashbani Kolkata's Children's Section (National Radio - Kolkata Station). At the age of ten he moved to New York City with his family; since then he has continued to perform regularly with both Indian and Western music. Dibyarka has had the honor and privilege of performing with renowned musicians like Pandit Jasraj, Pdt. Budhhadev DasGupta, Pta. Lakshmi Shankar, Utd. Shujaat Khan, Pta. Joya Biswas, Utd. Mashkoor Ali Khan, Pdt. Ramesh Mishra, Pta. Shubhra Guha, Pta. Tripti Mukherjee, Pdt. Suman Ghosh to name only a few.
      
He has collaborated in world music projects with groups like the Dance Theater of Harlem (in 'South African Suite'), the Battery Dance Co. (in “Songs of Tagore”), and with fusion musician/composers like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Douglas Cuomo, John McDowell (on the award-winning documentary “A Son’s Sacrifice”), Gary Lucas & Najma Akhtar (on their collaborative album "Rishte") etc. He has composed music for, and performed in, two off-Broadway theatrical productions (Nuraldeen's Lifetime & Lee/gendary). He has also performed in many prestigious venues like Carnegie Hall, the United Nations General Assembly, Lincoln Center & Asia Society in NYC, Place des Arts (Montreal), the Google Amphitheater (Palo Alto), Salt Lake Music Conference (Kolkata, India), Pratishruti Festival (Bhopal, India) etc. He has also appeared on numerous radio shows such as The Leonard Lopate Show and New Sounds on NPR, Raag Aur Taal on WKCR etc.
      
Dibyarka has a Masters in Fine Arts from Goddard College (VT). His academic pursuits are mainly focused on the history, theory, and philosophy of Indian Music. As a guest lecturer, Dibyarka has conducted classes and lecture demonstrations at numerous institutions such as Columbia University, Dartmouth College, New York University, Manhattan School of Music etc. He also teaches Tabla classes regularly at various institutions and locations in NY & NJ.

Sandip Bhattacharjee

Vocal

Sandip was born into a family with a deep rooted love for music. He was initiated into music by his mother Smt. Krishna Bhattacharjee at the age of four and he continued his talim under Smt. Amita Dasgupta later.
At the age of sixteen, Sandip began his talim at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy under the distinguished guidance of Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan and Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan, sons and disciples of the late legendary Sarangi Maestro Padmashree Ustad Shakoor Khan.
In 2003 he joined ITC-SRA as a residential scholar and in 2013 he became an acknowledged musician at the academy.
Under both his gurus, Sandip was nurtured in the true guru shishya parampara system of training in the Kirana Gharana. Sandip has accomplished a rare feat: he has lived up to the promise and talent he showed as a child prodigy. Although he does not come from the family lineage of Kirana Gharana, Sandip has become a respected proponent of that gayaki style through his training and hard work.

Dibyarka Chatterjee

Tabla

Dibyarka is a young and promising Tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana. His natural inclination towards music became evident shortly after his birth, and at the age of five he was initiated by his father Pandit Samir Chatterjee, a world-renowned Tabla maestro. Since then he has been going through the rigorous discipline of lessons and practice according to the ancient guru-shishya parampara(master-disciple tradition).

Susmita Chakraborty

Harmonium

Susmita Chakraborty is a multi-talented young woman with a promising future. In spite of being a brilliant student and holding a master’s degree in Zoology she has chosen her carrier in music and follows her passion. She has been singing since the age of five. She has participated in and won numerous vocal competitions; she has a lot of performance experience.
Susmita received ten years of Hindustani classical vocal training from Tandra Ghoshal ; afterwards, she learned from Pt. Jayanta Bose who is admired as a versatile genius in the global field of music(Vocal, Harmonium & Tabla) and still learning from Bidushi Suranjana Bose who is “Top grade “ Radio Artist in India.
Susmita has also learned other forms of vocal music (Semi-Classical/Light, Najrul Geeti, old Hindi film songs,Bhajans, Ghazal and Thumri) from  several respected teachers .
Additionally, she enjoys singing regional songs from her native Bengal. She learned Bengali modern songs from the renowned vocalist Haimanti Shukla and Najrulgeeti from Swapna Kanjilal. Susmita has sung and recorded songs for many TV Shows and Movies and has released many albums of her own.