Mystic Melody

An evening of Indian classical music featuring Santoor Maestro Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya with Pandit Hindole Majumdar on Tabla and a classical vocal recital by Jai Sovani. This is a fundraising concert for Hindole Majumdar School of Music and Dance - a nonprofit 501(C)(3) organization dedicated to fostering appreciation of traditional Indian classical music and dance.

Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya, a disciple of late Pt. Ravi Shankar, is the famous Maihar Gharana's only santoor maestro. Bhattacharya has revolutionized santoor, the instrument, as well as its style of play. He is the inventor of "mankas" or fine tuners that help in the tuning of this 100-stringed instrument fast, with a long-lasting effect and a very high degree of accuracy. His improvisations on the shape and string arrangements have resulted in deeper and more classical sound for the santoor.

Bhattacharya is recognized the world over for his wizardry in Ragdari, as well as, Layakari (mathematical calculations) and plays music that touches the inner soul. His music thrills listeners - transcending countries, cultures, gender, religions and age. Bhattacharya is truly an unparalleled music ambassador of India, traversing the globe many times over performing in some of most awe inspiring venues such as Royal Albert Hall, the Kremlin, and Palace-de-beaux (Brussels).

Pandit Hindole Majumdar, occupies a commendable position as a tabla player all over the world. The founder of Hindole Majumdar School of Music and Dance in Milwaukee and Montreal, was a child prodigy who started learning tabla at the age of five. A disciple of the great tabla maestro Pandit Sankha Chatterjee of the Punjab and Farukhabad Gharana, he has also learned South Indian Rhythm style from the mridangam exponent Bidwan S. Shekhar. He tours the globe accompanying great musicians of Indian Classical Music like Ustad Shahid Parvez, Ustad Shujat Khan, Pandit Vishwamohan Bhatt, Pandit Rupak Kulkarni, Pandit Rakesh Chaurasia, to name a few. Recently he has collaborated with world musicians like doyra player Abos Kosimov, four-time grammy award winning percussionist Glenn Velez, Fareed Haque.

Jai Sovani was initiated into music by Smt. Anuradha Garud whose guidance helped her secure a scholarship by Govt. of India which facilitated her to stay with and learn in Gurukul pattern under one of India’s best classical singer of our times “Ganasaraswati Kishori Amonkar”. She has continued on her path of learning under Smt. Arati Ankalikar- Tikekar with whom she has accompanied on various performances across USA and India.She performs classical, semi-classical and fusion vocal music. Jai is a Indianraga fellow since 2015. She has also given lecture demonstrations in University of Wisconsin- Parkside as well as Northern Illinois University, IL