By Mabel Pais

Kaushiki Chakraborty’s SAKHI in Concert

August 13, 7PM

Carnegie Hall

881 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019

Sangeet Natak Academy Awardee KAUSHIKI CHAKRABORTYwith her all-female group SAKHI

Thought Process

Coming from the country that’s called BHARAT MAA (India) following the spiritual path of GANGA MAA (river Ganges). Inspired by the numerous Devis of the religious scriptures of Power (Durga) Knowledge (Saraswati) Wealth (Laxmi) motivated by the Luminaries of the last few centuries like Meera, Kamali and the proud courtesans and also by the girl next door. SAKHI promises to translate the various Avatars and aspects of India womanhood into the great Indian musical forms through voice, percussion, instruments and Dance. ‘Celebrating womanhood’

SAKHI

Sakhi consists of all the elements of a musical performance, i.e., voice, instrumental music from North and South Indian musical tradition and dance.

In respect to musical genres, we are looking atKhayal bandish (lyrics from female perspective) Hindustani and Karnatic, Thumri, Dadra, Chaiti, Hori, Kajri, Tarana-Thillana

Some instrumental presentation where we can use sargams and no lyrics

Bhajan (both devotional surrender and strong tandav or Kaali vandana which is strong in nature)

Folk

A unique composition that portrays women is the signature tune of Sakhi.

SAKHI – HER RESONANCE

Sakhi is an initiative to bring together the creative energies of contemporary India’s best talent from all streams of art. Whose language of storytelling is music and the story they tell is of the relevance and perspective of the Indian girl, that has been experienced for centuries now, but never really told musically.

KAUSHIKI CHAKRABORTY

Starting her career under the guardianship of her mother & father led to her first major concert at 16. Her understanding of femininity is a balance between lilt and power. She is a phenomenon in Hindustani music being the inheritor and torchbearer of the Patiala tradition having performed at several music festivals and foreign tours. You can listen to Kaushiki’s playlist at youtube.com/channel/UCz-4jY2esipWem6ayBb6zoQ

Chakraborty is joined by her illustrious performers-

NANDINI SHANKAR, is the exceedingly talented award-winning violinist. To learn more, visit nandinishankar.com

DEBBOPRIYA CHATTERJEE, one of the only performing award-winning flautist performers in Hindustani Classical Music. To learn more, visit facebook.com/flutesisters

SAVANI TALWALKAR, talented in a sharp sense of Rhythm Cycles of the Tabla. To learn more, visit facebook.com/SavaniTalwalkar29

MAHIMA UPADHYAY, award-winning Pakhawaj player, is the 1st female Pakhawaj player in her own traditional family and the state of Bihar. To learn more, visit facebook.com/Mahima-Upadhyay-394616250693504

SAATH

Purbayan Chatterjee & Rakesh Chaurasia featuringTaufiq Qureshi & Ojas Adhiya

August 14, 7PM

Carnegie Hall

881 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019

Any form of improvisational music is made in the moment &teamwork is at the core of a great musical experience. ‘SAATH’ is an example of years of on-stage chemistry between Purbayan Chatterjee & Rakesh Chaurasia. The Indian Classical Jugalbandi which has Ojas Adhiya on tabla (also their on-stage partner for many years) features a twist in the form of Taufiq Qureshiji who adds a global perspective to the music. He uses the African Djembe and even his breath to accentuate Indian rhythms. Overall, this performance is a breathtaking display of spontaneity and creativity within the parameters of an ancient tradition.

PURBAYAN CHATTERJEE is one of the topmost sitar maestros of the world belonging to the Senia Maihar Gharana founded by Baba Allauddin Khan. His gurus (mentors) are his father Pt. Parthapratim Chatterjee, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, vocal training from Pt. Ajay Chakraborty and training in tabla from Pt. Anindo Chatterjee.

He has conceptualized the ground-breaking project Shastriya Syndicate – the first Indian Classical Band – Indian Classical band with a contemporary touch, which has performed the world over.

During the Pandemic, Purbayan with Darshan Doshi, Aditya Srinivasan and Mahesh Raghvan had found “THE FIRST EVER VIRTUAL LIVE CONCERT WITHOUT LATENCY (all musicians are in sync).” They figured out how to play Virtually Live and In Sync without Latency on the iPad. To learn more, visit purbayan.com

RAKESH CHAURASIA, the nephew and child prodigy of flute maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia incorporates the tradition of his renowned uncle with his own personal style, thus carrying the Chaurasia legacy to new heights. To learn more, visit rakeshchaurasia.com

TAUFIQ QURESHI, the son of legendary tabla maestro Ustad Allarakha and brother of maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, is a top percussionist of India who is recognized for his path-breaking and trend-setting work, as a performing artiste and as composer/arranger in the field of world music. Taufiq has been ably successful at taking the nuances of traditional rhythms of India to an alternate form of World Music and offering it to a larger audience, comprising all age groups and from different parts of the world. To learn more, visit taufiqqureshi.com

OJAS ADHIYA, as a 2-year-young child prodigy in music percussion was spotted by his father Dr. Yogesh Adhiya. He was placed under the tutelage of Shri Kalyanji-Anandji Music maestros. Ojas at the age of 5, was mentored by a close family friend Shri Mridangrajji to learn traditional niceties of table playing including accompaniments. Thereby, Ojas became the Gandaa Bandh Shaagird-Disciple of Shri Mridangraj ji at the age of 5. To learn more, visit ojasadhiya.in

Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Bangash & Ayaan Ali Bangash /

Refugee Orchestra Project – Lidiya Yankovskaya, Conductor.

August 15, 7PM

Carnegie Hall

881 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019

On the momentous occasion of India’s 75th year of Independence, this concert celebrates the wonderful mystery of Indian classical music and a synthesis of musical traditions motivated by Mahatma Gandhi’s message of truth, love, non-violence and peace. The concert will feature Sarod Grand Master Amjad Ali Khan presenting a traditional Raga of Indian Classical Music, featuring Sarod virtuosos Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, and Tabla players Amit Kavthekar and Ojas Adhiya. The second half will include the Samaagam-Concerto for 3 Sarods with the Refugee Orchestra project conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya. Samaagam, meaning confluence or flowing together, preserves the essence of both Indian and Western traditions so that they can flow into each other without artistic compromise. In Samaagam 12 different ragas are presented. Some will make only a fleeting appearance; others will be explored for longer. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience joyous music making and shared traditions in honor of India’s Independence Day.

AMJAD ALI KHAN is one of the undisputed sarod masters of the music world. Born to sarod maestro Haafiz Ali Khan, he gave his first performance at the age of six, and is credited with reinventing the technique of playing the sarod. Over the course of a distinguished career spanning more than six decades. Amjad Ali Khan has won numerous national and international accolades including a Grammy nomination, the Crystal Award by the World Economic Forum, Unicef’s National Ambassadorship and the Fukuoka Cultural grand prize.

He has performed at national and international venues including Carnegie Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and at the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2014 in Oslo, Norway.

He has been a visiting professor at Stanford University, University of New Mexico and Jacob’s School of Music.

The UN Day Concert 2018 featured Sarod virtuoso Amjad Ali Khan, accompanied by his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, and the Refugee Orchestra Project. The concert dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi was themed on “Traditions of Peace and Non-violence” in the presence of António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations.

AMAAN ALI BANGASH is the eldest son and disciple of the Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan and grandson of Haafiz Ali Khan. He belongs to the seventh generation in an unbroken chain of the Senia Bangash School. Amaan’s musical style is marked by its precision in tunefulness, bold and resonant strokes, along with tradition and continuity of Indian Classical Music. Amaan’s performances have evoked creditable applause. He is an inspiration for the younger generation of musicians. He continues to enchant audiences with his virtuosity, sheer brilliance and charismatic stage presence.

AYAAN ALI BANGASH, the younger son of Amjad Ali Khan stepped into the world of music and the Sarod, at a very early age, with confidence, clarity, consistency and technical mastery all of which he learnt at his father’s knees. Ayaan gave his solo debut when he was eight years old and has been performing concerts in India and abroad, alone and with his father and brother since then.

His approach, vision and versatility make him an icon for the youth in the music industry. His contribution in making the Sarod a cross-over instrument in a variety of genres has projected him as an artist of high repute.

To learn more about Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, Amaan & Ayaan, visit sarod.com

LIDIYA YANKOVSKAYA, Russian-American conductor, is a fiercely committed advocate for Slavic masterpieces, operatic rarities, and contemporary works on the leading edge of classical music. Her daring performances before and amid the pandemic earned recognition from the Chicago Tribune, which praised her as “the very model of how to survive adversity, and also how to thrive in it,” while naming her 2020 Chicagoan of the Year.

(Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)