Tickets & Info: https://smallworldmusic.com/shows/pandit-budhaditya-mukherjee-and-arnab-chakrabarty/
Presented by Small World Music and The Raga Fellowship Foundation
In partnership with Raag Mala Toronto
ISHQ Festival invites you to an evening of rare virtuosity and timeless expression—an immersive double bill featuring three of India’s most revered classical artists.
Pandit Budhaditya Mukherjee, one of the greatest living exponents of the sitar, brings decades of mastery shaped by the Imdadkhani Gharana. His playing is both meditative and transcendent—melodic lines unfolding with lyrical grace and extraordinary technique. Pandit Mukherjee is accompanied by Soumen Nandy on the tabla.
Arnab Chakrabarty, a sarod artist known for his refined and deeply expressive style, rooted in tradition. His performance offers a journey through raga that balances contemplation, intensity, and devotional beauty.
Adding rhythmic brilliance to the evening is Ustad Sukhvinder Singh Pinky, a Grammy-winning tabla and jori master whose power and subtlety have accompanied legends around the world.
Whether you’re new to Indian classical music or a lifelong listener, this evening offers a rare glimpse into the depth, nuance, and mastery of world-renowned artists.
About the Artist:
Pandit Budhaditya Mukherjee
Pandit Budhaditya Mukherjee is revered as one of the greatest living exponents of the sitar. A disciple of Acharya Bimalendu Mukherjee, he represents the Imdadkhani Gharana with unmatched virtuosity. Trained exclusively by his father, Pandit Bimalendu Mukherjee, a doyen of the Imdadkhani tradition, Budhaditya Ji’s music reflects a unique blend of lyrical gayaki ang and technical virtuosity.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, he has performed in over 2,800 concerts across India and 26 countries. His artistry has left a profound impact on audiences and musicians alike, influencing both contemporaries and the next generation of artists. Through performances and teachings, he became the first Indian classical musician to perform at the British House of Commons—an affirmation of his international stature and the enduring global appeal of his music.
Arnab Chakrabarty
Arnab Chakrabarty is a distinguished sarod maestro known for his lyrical, rigorous style rooted in the Shahjahanpur Gharana. A disciple of Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta, Dr. Kalyan Mukherjea, and Ustad Irfan Muhammad Khan, he also trained in vocal music under Pt. Yeshwantbua Joshi. Since the late 1990s, he has performed nearly 1,000 concerts across 34 countries and is a Chalmers Arts Fellow (2023). He continues to perform, teach, and uphold a deep pedagogical tradition.
Ustad Sukhvinder Singh Pinky
Ustad Sukhvinder Singh Pinky is one of India’s most dynamic percussionists, acclaimed for his mastery of both tabla and the rare jori. Born in Sri Bhaini Sahib, Punjab, he began performing in the Namdhari Sangeet tradition at age five and later trained intensively in Varanasi under the legendary Pt. Kishan Maharaj. Renowned for his spontaneity, power, and musical depth, he has accompanied icons like Pt. Ravi Shankar, Ustad Vilayat Khan, and Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. A Grammy winner, he has also performed with major orchestras and is widely regarded as the foremost global exponent of the jori.
Soumen Nandy
Soumen Nandy began learning tabla at age six under Pt. Pankaj Chatterjee and now trains under Pt. Arup Chattopadhyay. His performances span platforms such as the Tansen Festival, Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Darbar Festival (London). He has worked with Pt. Budhaditya Mukherjee and Ustad Aashish Khan, and performed at Royal Albert Hall (BBC Proms).
Join us for an evening of Hindustani classical music featuring two of India’s most esteemed instrumentalists –Pandit Budhaditya Mukherjee (sitar) and Arnab Chakrabarty (sarod).
This project is supported by the Canada Council for the Arts.
