Sanjoy Banerjee with Namami Karmakar

In the aural tradition of North Indian classical music, the guru (teacher) is one’s primary source of knowledge and guidance. Ragas, melodies, and stylistic nuances, and other insights are passed carefully from one generation to the next, with each musician inheriting the challenge of finding their own voice while assimilating the ocean of knowledge available from their guru.

In this tribute to their gurus, titled Melodies of Lineage, Sanjoy Banerjee and his senior disciple Namami Karmakar will perform ragas and distinctive compositions received from their gurus Sangeet Bidushi Malabika Kanan and Pt. A. Kanan.

Karmakar will perform before her teacher, Banerjee, who is regarded as one of the foremost torchbearers of Kirana gharana among the younger generation. Tracing back more than a century and a half, to the town of Kirana on the banks of the Ganges River, this lineage emphasizes a rich harmonic structure and the sophisticated development of each raga, progressing to intricate and exhilarating melodies as the full raga performance unfolds.

Sanjoy Banerjee (vocals)
Namami Karmakar (vocals)
Dibyarka Chatterjee (tabla)
Andrew Shantz, Dibyakalyan Basu (tanpura and vocal support)

Musical performances at the Rubin Museum are made possible through the generosity of the Carlo and Micól Schejola Foundation. This concert is presented with Harrice Miller Entertainment and Sunny Thakkar.

About the Musicians

Vocalist Sanjoy Banerjee is a distinguished exponent of the Kirana Gharana. He was a scholar at ITC Sangeet Research Academy under the guidance of the late A.T. Kanan and Sangeet Bidushi Malabika Kanan, who considered him to be the successor to their musical heritage.

Banerjee has received many honors, including the Surmani Award from Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai; a National Scholarship from India’s Ministry of Human Resource and Development; and a Junior Fellowship from India’s Department of Culture. He is a successful guru teaching at his own institution (Kolkata Suromurchhana) and at the Chhandayan Center of Indian Music, New York.

Namami Karmakar began studying under the late Pt. A.- Kanan and the late Sangeet Bidushi Malabika Kanan before continuing training under their senior disciple Sanjoy Banerjee. She is a faculty member at Kolkata Suromurchhana imparting guidance to students in Kolkata, India and internationally while also teaching at Chhandayan Center for Indian Music.