Stichting Naad and Muziekgebouw proudly present
Sangeet Setu
Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya - Indian Slide Guitar
Dr. Ambi Subramaniam - Carnatic Violin
Subhasis Bhattacarya - Tabla
Balakumar Paramalingam - Mridangam
Venue: Piet Heinkade 1 1019 BR, Amsterdam
Date: May 25, 2025
Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya is a global inspiration in the contemporary musical scenario. From the age of four a child's fancy with a Hawaiian guitar evolves into creating patented guitars and unique playing styles that have been mesmerizing audiences and artists world over for decades. Global recognition of the patented guitars Chaturangui, Gandharvi and Anandi, which not only excel in sound variety and quality, but have also become popular instruments. With the tutelage under Gurus like Pandit Brij Bhushan Kabra and Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty the inspiration has gone beyond performance.
His playing embodies the unmistakable serene, rich sound of classical Indian music. Yet he plays an instrument that is rooted in an entirely different culture: the slide guitar. Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya has enjoyed praise from both sitar player Ravi Shankar and guitar guru John McLaughlin. https://www.debashishbhattacharya.com/
Ambi Subramaniam Hailed as "the new king of Indian classical violin" and “India’s Itzhak Pearlman". He has been trained by his father and guru Dr. L. Subramaniam from the age of three. He gave his first stage performance at the age of seven. He has received recognitions including the Ritz Icon of the Year Award, the Rotary Youth Award, two Global Indian Music Awards and was named among GQ's 25 Most Influential Young Indians in 2021. Along with his sister Bindu, Ambi runs SaPa(the Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts), which teaches music to over 30,000 children. He has co-authored over 20 textbooks in total, including India’s first series of textbooks dedicated to teaching the Carnatic violin. https://www.ambi.in/
Subhasis Bhattacharya is an outstanding tabla maestro, recognized as one of the most skilled and accomplished tabla accompanists in India. He is also an exceptional rhythm arranger and composer. A devoted disciple of Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, Subhasis has accompanied his legendary elder brother, Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya, on the award-winning and Grammy-nominated album Calcutta Slide Guitar 3, featured in the Calcutta Chronicle by the BBC.
Balakumar Paramalingam and his performances are well known in both the percussion and world music communities. His playing is marked by a fantastic intuition and incredible dexterity based on an incredible knowledge of the different percussion instruments. A virtuoso in the art of konnakol (the rhythmic percussive language of Indian music), he is a master of the art of Kanjira and Morsing. A recognised teacher, Balakumar also devotes himself to transmitting his art through seminars and masterclasses. He is certainly one of the best representatives of mridangam in Europe.
