Raga & Rhythm
Produced, Concept, Theme & Artistic Direction By
with Sahana Banerjee
& Subhyajyoti Guha
By Punita Patel
Venue
Les Lye Studio Theatre, 101 Centrepointe Drive, Ottawa, ON K2G 5K7
Date
Sunday, Sept 7th, 2025
Time
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
About event
Experience an unforgettable evening of Indian classical music as two maestros come together to create a symphony of melody and rhythm. Sahana Banerjee on sitar and Subhajyoti Guha on tabla will transport you into the rich, timeless tradition of Hindustani classical performance—where intricate ragas meet the pulsating beats of the tabla.
Sahana Banerjee – Renowned Sitar Virtuoso
Sahana Banerjee is one of India’s most accomplished and celebrated female sitar players, belonging to the prestigious Rampur Senia Gharana. Born into a family with a rich musical legacy, Sahana was recognized as a child prodigy at the age of four.
Her father, Professor Santosh Banerjee—a distinguished sitar and surbahar maestro and former Head of the Department of Instrumental Music at Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata—was her first mentor. From her mother, Chhabi Banerjee, daughter of Sangeetcharya Kashinath Chattopadhyay of the Sahaswan Gharana, Sahana received extensive vocal training, further deepening her musical foundation.
Musical Style & Training
Sahana’s performances reflect the traditional Veenkar Dhrupad style of the Rampur Senia Gharana—marked by purity of raga—while incorporating her own aesthetic nuances of gayaki (vocal expression).
Years of rigorous training under her father’s guidance led to early recognition. In 1990, she won the Pandit Nikhil Banerjee Challenge Trophy at the Dover Lane Music Conference in Kolkata, along with the Best Instrumentalist Award.
Career Achievements
- A grade artist at All India Radio & Television since 1995.
- Performed extensively across India, Europe and U.S. at prestigious music festivals
- Featured at many occidental music festivals, collaborating with celebrated Italian flautist Massimo Mercelli.
- Performed extensively in India, Europe and U.S. at prestigious music festivals
- Collaborated with Italian flautist Massimo Mercelli at major occidental music events
- Featured in the unique cross-cultural project “D’une rive à l’autre” with pianist Shani Diluka, blending Franz Schubert with Indian classical music, presented at Petit Palais, Paris, by Radio France
International Collaborations
Sahana has crossed musical borders, performing at global festivals and collaborating with Western classical and world music artists. Her ability to merge Indian classical tradition with diverse musical genres has earned her a special place in contemporary world music circles.
Subhajyoti Guha – Renowned Tabla Artist
Subhajyoti Guha is a highly talented tabla virtuoso from Kolkata, India, and one of the new generation of tabla exponents taking this celebrated North Indian percussion instrument to greater heights in the 21st century.
Born into a musically rich and educated family, Subhajyoti began learning tabla at the age of five under the guidance of his father, Dr. Smriti Ranjan Guha, a disciple of the late Ustad Keramatullah Khan of the Farrukhabad Gharana. In 1984, he came under the tutelage of internationally acclaimed tabla maestro Pandit Sankha Chatterjee—disciple of both Ustad Keramatullah Khan and Ustad Allarakha Khan of the Punjab Gharana—and has been his dedicated disciple ever since.
🏆 Awards & Recognitions
Subhajyoti’s dedication to his art has earned him numerous accolades, including:
- President’s Award – All India Radio (1989)
- Dover Lane Talent Search Award (1990–91)
- Hirendra Kumar Ganguly Award – West Bengal State Academy of Performing Arts (1993).
- Taal Mani Award – Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai (1996)
- Sangeet Visharad degree – Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh (1997)
- Jadu Bhatta Award – Salt Lake Cultural Association (2007)
- Grade ‘A’ Artist – All India Radio & Television
🎭 Performances & Collaborations
Subhajyoti made his international debut in 1992 at Parampara, a prestigious Indian music festival in Berlin, Germany, performing a solo under the guidance of his guru, Pandit Sankha Chatterjee. Since then, he has performed extensively across India, USA, Canada, and Europe, both as a soloist and accompanist.
He has collaborated with legendary musicians including:
- Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta
- Pandit Manilal Nag
- Ustad Aashish Khan
- Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty
- Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan
- Ustad Irshad Khan
- Vidushi Kaushiki Chakraborty
- Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt, Pandit Rakesh Chaurasia, and many more
His performances have been praised by maestros such as Pandit Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
Beyond Music
Alongside his musical journey, Subhajyoti holds an M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics from Jadavpur University, Kolkata. He continues to blend his academic discipline with his mission of promoting and preserving Indian classical music. He is also an enrolled artiste with ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) and has served as a state-level tabla competition judge for All India Radio and the State Academy.
A Glimpse of Grace
