An evening of Hindustani Classical music where Mr. Abhik Mukherjee will be playing the sitar (an ancient Indian Classical stringed instrument) and Mr. Amit K. Chatterjee will be accompanying him on the tabla (Indian percussion).

Hindustani (Indian) classical music is developed through two interwoven elements: raga and tala. Raga is the melodic element and is crafted by improvisation on fixed patterns of ascent and descent. Conversely, tala is the rhythmic structure on which the melody is laid.

Hindu philosophy provides a spiritual parallel through which the listener can experience the melding of raga-tala. Shiva, god of time, represents the stable rhythm of the tala, while Shakti, the goddess of creation, is the melodic dance over the rhythm. Through the play of Shiva and Shakti the universe is born and reborn across cosmic time. The blend of raga-tala represents this play.

Hindustani classical music also draws inspiration from the hours of the day. Every day is divided into eight sections (ashta prahar), with each three-hour section having certain ragas best suited to its mood.

In this concert evening ragas will be performed that, through the versatile structure of raga-tala, will encourage the audience to experience the range of emotions associated with this time of the day.

Abhik Mukherjee is a Kolkata-born sitar player of the Etawah-Imdadkhani gharana. Some of his memorable concerts include performances for the inauguration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial (Washington D.C.); at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York City); at the Indian Habitat Center (Delhi); on Doordarshan (Kolkata); and a summer tour of Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. Abhik currently lives in New York City and is a founding member of Brooklyn Raga Massive, an Indian classical music artists’ collective.

This is a free event where the audience gets to interact with the artists one on one after the performance!