User talk:Devasaman

Debapriya & Samanwaya Present Vocal & Sitar Duet.

‘Duet’ a small word but has its big canvass to draw the musical imagination of two artistes in a single frame. Rather it’s a musical conversation between two artistes. May be those two are with different minds, thoughts and opinions but inspite of all differences they have to synchronize a common musical expression if they want to make it a Duet. In fact Duet is something that is not only a combination of two musical mediums but also a confluence of two souls, two minds, two thoughts and opinions.

There are plenty of excellent presentations of ‘Duet’ in Western Classical and Jazz.music. But as it’s the matter of improvisation of abstract musical consequences there is a very few in Indian Classical music like “Ustad Salamat Ali and Nazakat Ali Khan” in vocal and the great “Pt. Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan” in instruments. Because to make a ‘Duet’ the artistes need more than their practical skills.

However, almost all the “Jugalbandis” (the Indian term of ‘Duet’) in Indian Classical music are with same genre of expression either of two vocalists or of two instrumentalists. But Debapriya and Samanwaya, these two young artistes have made it possible to present their ‘Duet’ in a different way where Debapriya is a vocalist and Samanwaya plays Sitar. In the ‘Jugalbandi’ of this new couple there belongs a common composition based on an Indian Raga where they improvise complementing each other’s style and presentation. In fact in the ‘Duet’ recital on stage they are made for each other and are confident about their exceptional musical presentation.

The musical ventures of these two are related to man and nature, divine and earthly with complete reflection of Indian Classical music with different approaches but preserving the tradition and nuances of ‘Ragas and Talas’.

About Samanwaya Sarkar:

Samanwaya, presently disciple of the legendary Padmabhusan Girija Devi ji of Benaras Gharana, was given a ‘Sitar’ in his hands by his mother’s idea in his early boyhood and since then Samanwaya got his father Sri Swapan Kumar Sarkar in every steps of his musical pursuit.

Firstly, he was taken to a stalwart of ‘Senia Gharana’ Pt, Sasanka Bandopadhyay at the age of only four. Then he went under the able guidance of Pt. Manilal Nag of ‘Bishnupur Gharana’ from whom he learnt for twelve long years. Then again he got talim (lessons) from another stalwart of ‘Senia Gharana’, Pt.Shyamal Chattopadhyay Later he also got lessons from the late exponent of ‘Agra Atrauli Gharana’, Pt. Kumar Prasad Mukhoadhyay

Samanwaya’s Achievements: 1993 and 1994: First twice in the Rajya Sangeet Academy in   Instrumental competition

1995: First in HMV Golden Talent arranged by Ravi Kitchlu Foundation in the junior Group.

1995: First in Calcutta Youth Festival organised by  Govt. of West Bengal.

1997: First in the competition arranged by West Bengal State Academy of Dance, Drama, Music and Visual Arts in Rabindra Bharati                                       University. 2000: First in the Eveready Golden Talent contest arranged by Pt. Ravi Kichlu Foundation. & First in the All India Radio Music Competition at the national level in Hindustani Instrumental  Music.

2003-2005: Became recipient of NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP  for the year 2003-2005 by Ministry of Culture & Tourism, Deptt. Of Culture, Govt. Of India in                                      Hindustani Instrumental Music.

International Music Festivals and Other concerts abroad:

He successfully toured Spain and Portugal in 2002 &2003 too where he gave lecture demonstration in Oporto University, Portugal and gave recitals in Quembra University, Portugal and many other places in Spain. He also gave an interview in a TV programme named “Karakia” for the channel “Tele 5”, Spain. In 2006 and 2007 he toured Germany and Denmark.

In 2008 National Multicultural Festival of Australia at Canberra. Australia

Mananan International Festival for Music and Arts in Isle of Man, British Isles,UK

MilapFestival for South Asian Music and Art at London and Liverpool in UK.

Tara Arts in London,UK

Indian Association at Manchester,UK

Vedanta at Sydney, Australia.

Bengali Cultural Society at Brisbane, Australia

Concerts in India:

Samanwaya has performed at many concerts in India like

Shadaj, New Delhi Chaturang, Dombivali Saptak, Nasik. Navarang, Kolkata Ustad Bhagaban Setari Memorial Foundation, Kolkata Suro Sagar Society, Kolkata, Srjan(An institution founded by Guru Keluchran Mahapatra) Bhuvaneswar Kalaprakash, Varasnasi MatriKripa Dham,Lucknow Sringar, Allahabad Radio Sangeet Sammelan,Jammu Suro Sagar Society, Kolkata Darbari, Kolkata Damru, Kolkata Bhawanipur Sangeet Sammelani,Kolkata Naad Bramha Sangeet Samaj,Kolkata

He is a regular performer of Akashvani Kolkata (ALL INDIA RADIO) and Doordarshan as an “A” grade artiste.

Albums:

RAGARANGA a reputed Record Company of USA released his album named “IRIDESCENT”.

TIMES MUSIC released his album with Debapriya Adhikary of Vocal and Sitar Duet named as SAMVAAD under the series of Unheard Jugalbandis.

Exclusive project:

He is working with Debapriya Adhikary an outstanding Vocalist of young generation on Duet of Vocal and Sitar.

About Debapriya Adhikary: Debapriya, disciple of the legendary Padmabhusan Girija Devi ji of Benaras Gharana. She was his mother, Smt. Anita Adhikary who introduced the notes S R G M P D N to him and since then Debapriya has started singing for the rest of his life. Initiated to Classical music by extremely supportive parents, he received his primary lessons from his mother, who later took him to the stalwart vocalist of ‘Senia Gharana’, Pt. Samaresh Chawdhury from whom he learnt for fifteen years. Since 2005, Debapriya has been receiving the Jnana Pravaha scholarship where he has been getting extremely valuable guidance from stalwarts and connoisseurs. He is also getting guidance of Pt.Vijay Kichlu of Agra Gharana. But one man whom Debapriya recognizes as his Preceptor, who changed his entire approach for music is the late exponent of Agra Atrauli Gharana Pt. Kumar Prasad Mukhopadhyay.

Prizes;

1996:First prize  winner  in   INTER - DISTRICT  MUSIC  COMPETITION in Classical vocal event.

2001:First prize winner in AKHIL BHARATIYA SANGEET PRATIYOGITA in Classical vocal amongst candidates from through out Northern India,organised by PRAYAG SANGEET SAMITI,  Allahabad.

2001-02:First prize   winner    in    INTER - COLLEGE  YOUTH  FESTIVALsponsored by AIU, MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS, GOVT.OF INDIA &organised by Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh. First prize  winner    in    EAST  ZONAL  YOUTH  FESTIVAL sponsored by AIU, MINISTRY OF YOUTH AFFAIRS ,GOVT.OF INDIA and  organised by  ISM, Dhanbad.

2002:First prize winner of  ALL INDIA RADIO MUSIC COMPETITION at the National Level  in Hindustani Classical vocal  event.

2004:First prize winner in " Golden Talent Contest 2004" organised by Pandit Ravi Kichlu Foundation.Selected as one of the two best performer among different candidates from all over India in a talent hunt by Acharya Viswa Nath Dev Sharma  Art Foundation, to perform at Pt. Jasraj Auditorium, New York, USA  organized by Vedic Heritage.

2006;Topper as a Masters of Music from University of Calcutta.

Scholarships:

2003:Rewarded NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP  for the year  2003 - 2005   by MINISTRY OF CULTURE &  TOURISM, Govt. Of India.

2005: Recipient of JNANA PRAVAHA Scholarship for Hindustani Classical.Vocal Music, selected by Padmabhusan Girija Devi, Pt.Vijay Kichlu,Pt. Ramashray Jha, Vidushi Purnima Sen, Pt. Kumar Prasad Mukherjee, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Pt. Mohan Mishra. Awards:

1996: Artiste of the Year,” by Vijay Sangha ,Dhanbad

1998: Best Performing Artiste” by Fertilizer Corporation of India Ltd, Sindri.

2003: ITC - SANGEET REASERCH ACADEMY  PROMISING ARTISTE AWARD by ITC SRA, Mumbai

2005: SANGEET KALARATNA by Matri Udbodhan Ashram, Patna.

Performances: International Music Festivals and Other concerts abroad:

National Multicultural Festival of Australia at Canberra. Australia

Mananan International Festival for Music and Arts in Isle of Man, British Isles, UK.

MilapFestival for South Asian Music and Art at London and Liverpool in UK.

Tara Arts in London,UK

Indian Association at Manchester,UK

Vedanta at Sydney, Australia.

Bengali Cultural Society at Brisbane, Australia

Pandit Jasraj Auditorium at NewYork, USA

Performed Indian Classical Vocal for Bonded Passion and Ganges to Nile International projects with Spanish Musicians and African Musicians at Birmingham and Stourbridge in UK.

Concerts in India National Centre Performing Arts, Mumbai, Chaturang, Dombivali. India International Centre, New Delhi. Shadaj, New Delhi Swargiya Vasantrao Chandorkar Smriti Pratisthan, Jalgaon. Acharya DevSarmaFoundation, Lonavla, Saptak, Nasik, Navarang, Kolkata Ustad Bhagaban Setari Memorial Foundation, Kolkata Suro Sagar Society, Kolkata, Srjan( An institution founded by Guru Keluchran Mahapatra) Bhuvaneswar Kalaprakash, Varasnasi Raskalash, Varanasi. Matri Udbodhan Ashram, Patna Jharkhand Sthapna Divas, Ranchi, Swar –Sudha & Kalasri Sangeet Sansthan, Jodhpur, Ras-Kalash Sanstha, Varanasi, Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad, MatriKripa Dham,Lucknow Sangeet Manch, Jamshedpur, Rabindra Parishad, Sindri, Vijay Sangha, Dhanbad,

Albums:

RAGARANGA a reputed Record Company of USA released his album named “SILK”.

Times Music released his album with Samanwaya Sarkar of Vocal and Sitar Duet named as SAMVAAD under the series of Unheard Jugalbandis.

Exclusive project:

He is working with Samanwaya Sarkar an outstanding Sitar player of young generation on Duet of Vocal and Sitar. They are not only trying to promote the duet but also working over some venture on specific themes.