Join us for an evening of classical and contemporary sarod, kathak and tabla.
Sougata Roy Chowdhury (Sarod) and Labonee Mohanta (Kathak) present two ancient art forms of North India in this exciting collaboration. While highlighting their individual styles along with the percussive rhythms of Tabla accompanied by Razak Pirani, they all creatively compose and exchange in exciting dialogue with one another.
Sougata conveys the essence and emotional expression of moods and melodies in the Indian classical system. Labonee dances fiery footwork and pirouettes, complex compositions, dynamism and grace in movement, as well as storytelling. Razak brings energy with rhythmic accompaniment complementing as well as synchronizing with both the dance and music.
Together in this innovative show, art forms of North India come together to create a powerful and beautiful energy sparked from a tryst of melody, rhythm, and dance.
Space is limited please get your tickets soon.
Friday, August 30th at 7:30 PM
Palmerston Library Theatre, Toronto (Bathurst & Bloor Subway)
Sougata Roy Chowdhury is considered to be among the most talented sarod players of his generation, with his most recent achievement being awarded as a Finalist in Music Performance at the 2019 Aga Khan Music Awards in Lisbon, Portugal.
Raised in West Bengal, Chowdhury began his training at age ten with sarod master Dyanesh Khan, son of the five-time Grammy nominee and MacArthur Fellowship recipient Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. He continued his studies with Dyanesh’s brother Aashish Khan, also a renowned sarod player, and finally with Pandit Santosh Banerjee, a sitar and surbahar player. Other mentors of Sougata include Ustad Ali Akbar Khan himself, as well as his senior disciple Pandit Rajiv Taranath. He considers himself a devotee of Khansahb and continues to research the late Sarod legend’s creations, artistry and spiritual approach to the musical journey.
Chowdhury received a degree in Indian classical music from the Prachin Kala Kendra of Chandigarh in 1997, and earned his M.A. in Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology from Visva-Bharati University in 1998. Since 2000, he has been working internationally as a performer and educator, touring and holding workshops in Europe, North America, and India. In 2006, he began performing regularly for All India Radio Kolkata, receiving “A” gradation in 2015.
Among other awards, Chowdhury received a scholarship from the Indian Ministry of Culture in 2000, and won the Pandit Ravi Kichlu Foundation Golden Talent Contest the same year. He has also been invited to perform at the Saptak Annual Festival of Music several times since 2008, and was named one of the best young artists of the decade during the festival in 2010.
Labonee Mohanta, internationally renowned Kathak artist and disciple of the late maestro Pandit Chitresh Das, began her training in Kathak dance at an early age of 8. A proficient and highly dynamic solo artist, Labonee has performed traditional Kathak solos to great acclaim in dance festivals throughout the US, Canada, France, and India. She also employs Panditji’s innovation Kathak Yoga where she simultaneously sings the rhythmic cycle, dances complex mathematical patterns, and plays the harmonium.
Labonee was a member of the renowned Chitresh Das Dance Company and toured with Panditji’s award-winning productions including ‘Shabd’, ‘Sita Haran‘, and ‘Shiva’ to name a few. She served as branch director and senior teacher at the Chhandam School of Kathak for many years. She now regularly teaches and mentors students around the world in the art of Kathak. As a second generation Indian in America, Labonee plays a prominent role in preserving the cultural heritage of India in the East and spreading these values to the West. She represents the next generation of Indian classical artists and continues the mission of promoting, educating, and thus preserving the rich heritage of Kathak.
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