RAGASANGIT

Snehal Mazoomdar is a multi-talented Mumbaikar. He is an ace tax accomplished consultant, an santoor player and a promoter of all that is best in Gujarati arts and literature.

Abhishek Borkar is a prodigy sarodist from a musical dynasty, captivating audiences with a fusion of Indian classical and Western music. Hailing from a family of virtuosos, Borkar picked up the sarod and showcased his musical prowess at just ten years old to thunderous applause. Since then, he's bagged a string of awards and accolades, from national talent scholarships to coveted music competition wins. With a sound that melds the sitar, sarangi, and Hindustani vocal styles, Borkar’s melodies are an ethereal, otherworldly experience. A true master of his craft, he weaves intricate rhythms and melodies with the finesse of a seasoned conductor. Interestingly, he is also an accomplished guitarist, and teaches students on both his instruments. His father, Pandit Shekhar Borkar, is a renowned maestro of the instrument and critically acclaimed for having invented the surtarang ('wave of notes') – a combination of sarod and veena. He trained his sons Abhishek and Praashekh in his own ‘tarankaar baaz’ playing style, which mixes the Maihar gharana of Ustad Allauddin Khan with ideas from across khayal vocal music, notably including intricate ornamentation of taans (melodic lines). Today, Borkar’s heartfelt renditions draw inspiration from the legends of the genre, including Ustad Allauddin Khan and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, and of course his father. Carrying on his father’s brainchild of surtarang is not easy, and the impact of the art form on audiences is profound. The intricate layakari, or rhythmic patterns, coupled with the melodic intricacies of Hindustani classical music, weave together to create a sonic landscape that transports listeners to a different realm. The sur or melody of the music touches the soul, inspiring contemplation and introspection, while the taal or rhythm provides a visceral, physical experience. Listeners often describe being moved to tears by the sheer beauty of the music, as they lose themselves in the dizzying composition. The notes wash over them, penetrating their very being and rejuvenating their spirit. Surtarang is more than just music, it is an experience that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, uniting people from all walks of life in a shared appreciation of the beauty of sound. Yet, Borkar's music is not just for aficionados. His fusion of Indian classical with Western instrumentation makes it accessible to a wider audience. His innovative compositions with a classical twist are a testament to his boundless creativity and passion for the art form. As a composer and performer, Borkar has already carved out a niche in the world of Indian classical music. With his sights set on further honing his craft, he's on track to become a trailblazer in the field, carrying on his father's legacy and taking Indian classical music to new heights. Lose yourself in the haunting, soulful sounds of the sarod and discover why this young prodigy is quickly becoming a rising star for raga music of India. "The limitations of the sarod can be surpassed because music comes

Santosh Kumar Mishra (b. 1956) is the eldest son of Pandit Bhagwan Das Mishra who was a veteran of the Banaras gharana. He learned largely from his Uncle Narayan Das Mishra as his father was employed at All India Radio, Lucknow. He is employed as an accompanist at the Music College of Banaras Hindu University. In recent years he has been the most popular and successful sarangi accompanist in Banaras.

ARUN RAMAMURTHY is a versatile violinist and educator based in Brooklyn, NY. A disciple of the celebrated Carnatic violinist brothers, Dr. Mysore Manjunath & Sri Mysore Nagaraj and the esteemed violinist Sri A. Ananthakrishnan, Arun has become one of the country’s leading Carnatic Classical and crossover musicians. Growing up in New Jersey, he trained in both Indian and Western classical styles. He has carved a niche for himself as a multifaceted artist, performing internationally in both traditional Carnatic and Hindustani settings as well as bridging genres with his own innovative projects. Arun has been fortunate to perform with artists like Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna, Sudha Ragunathan, Anindo Chatterjee, T.N. Seshagopoloan, Mashkoor Ali Khan, Amir ElSaffar, Marc Cary, Awa Sangho among others. Arun's music has brought him prestigious stages like Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center, Celebrate Brooklyn, Pioneer Works and more. He leads the Arun Ramamurthy Trio, an ensemble that brings a fresh approach to age-old South Indian classical repertoire and raga inspired originals. It's been called “a beautiful, exotic, ear-opening listening experience” by All About Jazz, and "...a captivating and inspirational listening experience" by the Midwest Book Review. Arun is a co-founder and an Artistic Director of Brooklyn Raga Massive, a globally recognized collective of forward thinking musicians rooted-in and inspired-by the classical music of India. Through BRM, Arun has curated and performed in a multitude of concerts incorporating music from all over the world. In the years earlier, he created the concert series Carnatic Sundays at Cornelia Street Café, an iconic jazz venue in New York’s West Village. As an educator, Arun teaches students ranging from beginners to professional musicians in Indian music performance, technique and theory. He has taught workshops on Indian classical music at music schools, universities, conservatories and summer music programs.

Kashinath Mukherjee (1925-2011) (Sitar) & Swapan Chaudhuri (Tabla) - Raga Puria-Kalayan & Raga Bhupali - LP published in 1979 in Japan "Pandit Kashinath Mukherjee, a profoundly accomplished Hindustani Classical instrumentalist of the Etawah Gharana, has successfully kept aloft the taalim of the great Ustad Vilayat Khan. He has enthralled veterans, amateurs and the uninitiated alike over the years with the sheer merit, dexterity and the irresistible appeal and force of his music. Kashinath Mukherjee was born in Kolkata into an aristocratic family with a rich cultural heritage. Inspired by his father Shital Chandra Mukherjee, a learned Dhrupad exponent, Kashinath trained under Srinivas Nag (a disciple of Ustad Enayet Khan) for twelve years. His elder brother, the late Hrishikesh Mukherjee, who went on to become a renowned filmmaker, was also a student of Srinivas Nag, learning Esraj. After the passing away of his guru, he continued his taalim under the legendary Ustad Vilayat Khan, son of Enayat Khan. For the five years that he remained with the Ustad, he kept away completely from public appearances, as directed by his master. His insatiable hunger for learning later led him to luminous maestros such as Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Keramatullah Khan and Ustad Amir Khan. He also learned from Amir Khan until the latter`s death. Pandit Mukherjee has participated in major concerts both at home and abroad. He is the recipient of the ITC Award among others. Ramprapanna Bhattacharya and Abhik Mukherjee are among his most prominent disciples.

Ustad Bale Khan comes from an illustrious family of accomplished musicians of Gwalior & Kirana Gharana: Sitar Nawaz Ustad Bale Khan is the second son (out of 7 sitar playing brothers!) of Abdul Karim Khan, son of Sitar Ratna Rahimat Khan, son of Gulaam Hussain Khan