Association for India's Development, Seattle Chapter
About the Artistes
PANDIT HARIPRASAD CHAURASIA is an internationally renowned exponent of the Bansuri or bamboo flute. His musical career has spanned over 50 years with over 100 albums released. He has collaborated with several western musicians, including John McLaughlin and Jan Gabarek, and has also composed music for a number of films. He has performed throughout the world, winning acclaim from varied audiences and fellow musicians including Yehudi Menuhin and Jean Pierre Rampal. He has been awarded the National Award of the Sangeet Natak Academy (1984), the Konark Samman (1992), the Padma Bhushan(1992), the Yash Bharati Sanman (1994) and the Padma Vibhushan (2000). He also heads the World Music Department at the Rotterdam Music Academy.
SHYAMALA RAJENDER will accompany Pt. Chaurasia on the tanpura. She has a Ph.D. in Chemistry and a J.D. She is associated in various capacities with the Brindavan Gurukul, the Samskriti Society for Indian Performing Arts, the Pandit Jasraj School of Music, the Vedic Heritage, Inc.,amongst others. She is listed in the Whos Who of America and has been awarded the Bharat Gaurav award for her efforts to promote Indian classical music.
CATHERINE POTTER is considered "Canada's master bansuri flautist". Catherine is a long-time disciple of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia,and is trained in Western classical music, jazz, West-African and Balinese music. With a solid reputation as an inspired performer of North Indian classical music, she has performed extensively in Canada, USA and India, has been featured on Radio-Canada and CBC radio and television and has shared the stage with Hariprasad Chaurasia, Zakir Hussain. Catherine Potter's first CD, Bansuri, was recorded in Bombay with the excellent tabla-player, Kalinath Mishra and was released in Canada in 1997.
SUBHANKAR BANERJEE plays the tabla. He started his musical career at the tender age of 5 and has since received numerous invitations from across the globe, including ones by the Symphony Orchestra and Prince Charles. He regularly performs with Petrolucas Halkias and Ross Dally. He performed in the 1999 Nobel Peace Prize Concert, the 1996 Asian Fantasy Concert and has released over 100 recorded albums.