Four accomplished artistes will come together to celebrate Women’s Day on Wednesday with a fusion music concert that focuses on Hindustani classical music. The performance, titled Divas – A Musical Bonding, features violinist Sunita Bhuyan, cellist Saskia Rao-de Haas, flautist Debopriya Chatterjee and tabla exponent-percussionist Swarupa Ananth.
All musicians have made a mark in their respective instruments. Hailing from Assam, Bhuyan learnt from her mother, Minoti Khaund, a disciple of violin maestro Pandit V.G. Jog. Besides concerts, she is known for workshops and lecture-demonstrations using Hindustani classical music in leadership training programmes. Originally from the Netherlands, de Haas learnt the western cello and later took to the smaller Indian adaptation. She first came to India in 1994 and has been learning Indian music ever since.
Chatterjee is one half of the ‘flute sisters’ along with her sibling Suchismita. Ananth initially learnt from tabla legend Ustad Allarakha Qureshi, and later from Zakir Hussain and Fazal Qureshi. Besides tabla, she plays an assortment of global and Indian percussion instruments.
The idea for the unique concert came from Reva Sethi of Kala Sangam Bombay. “She wanted fusion by purely classical artistes, but a concert that would include a bit of western elements and Indian folk music,” says Bhuyan, adding that this is the first time all four women will share a stage together. “Individually, I have played with all of them. Swarupa and I have played with keyboardist Merlin D’Souza. Debopriya and I have teamed up with tabla exponent Anuradha Pal. Saskia and I are working on a project with flautist Rasika Shekar.”
The concert will thus be divided into three sections. The first will feature Hindustani classical music. This is followed by a segment based on the theme of the seven musical notes, including a blend of Indian ragas and western elements. Finally then, there’s a fusion between classical and folk music, where Bhuyan will play Assamese tunes.
While the violinist is looking forward to this concert, Bhuyan is also excited about other projects she has been working on. Last week, she conducted the workshop ‘Music Take Roots — Hindustani traditional is modern’ in Ahmedabad. Bhuyan has also partnered with auditing giant KPMG on a programme that explores the role music can play in leadership and change. In July, she will conduct an Indo-jazz ensemble at the Glasgow festival, Scotland.
Bhuyan is also working on two folk-fusion songs with producer Lesle Lewis that will premiere at the Paddy Fields festival later this year. Also on the cards is a lecture-demonstration on the importance of the guru-shishya parampara , with her mother. Since all the activities are different, it keeps Bhuyan working in new areas. Right now, of course, Wednesday's event is top priority.
Divas - A Musical Bonding will take place today at Nehru Centre, Worli at 7 p.m., see bookmyshow.com for more details
