NCPA Citi Urja – Presenting young talent

Sahana Banerjee (sitar)
Accompanied by Swapnil Bhise (tabla)
Aditya Modak (khayal)
Accompanied by Swapnil Bhise (tabla), Siddhesh Bicholkar (harmonium)

An NCPA Presentation
Supported by Citi

The NCPA’s Urja has been created with the intent of presenting deserving talent in the category of Hindustani vocal and instrumental music.

Recognised as a child prodigy at the age of four, Sahana Banerjee—one of the country’s leading sitar players belonging to the Rampur Senia gharana—was born with a rich musical heritage. Her father Santosh Banerjee was a celebrated sitar and surbahar exponent and headed the Department of Instrumental Music at Rabindra Bharati University in Kolkata.

Banerjee has also received extensive training in vocal music from her illustrious mother, Chhabi Banerjee, daughter of Kashinath Chattopadhyay of the Rampur Sahaswan gharana. Her unique presentation reflects the traditional dhrupad style of the Rampur Senia gharana maintaining the purity of raga along with her own aesthetic blending of khayal gayaki.

Banerjee is a recipient of the Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar and is a Grade ‘A’ artiste of All India Radio and and has been giving broadcast recitals since 1995. She is an empanelled artiste of SPIC MACAY and has performed at festivals in India and around the world.

Aditya Modak, who started learning music at the age of five under Chandrakant Parker and Pradeep Dhond, is one of the senior-most disciples of Gwalior gharana virtuoso Dr. Ram Deshpande.

A qualified chartered accountant, Modak is an ‘A’ Grade artiste at All India Radio. He has multiple accolades to his credit, including the recent Panchakshari Gawai Puraskar in Dharwad, Karnataka, for two consecutive years in 2003-04, Yuva Sangeet Puraskar by Vedic Heritage, Hempstead, USA in 2008, and Dr. Vasantrao Deshpande Award by SCZCC, Ministry of Culture in 2014. He has also performed at a number of music festivals and conferences such as the Gaanprabha Hridayesh Arts Music Festival in Mumbai, and the International Music Festival by Vedic Heritage Inc., Hempstead, U.S.A.

Modak is also an actor and playback singer and received the Filmfare award for Best Actor for the internationally acclaimed film The Disciple.

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