This is a compilation of 8 romantic songs adopted from Indian folk tradition, rendered in semi-classical styles of singing known as Thumri, Dadra, etc.
By Rajyasree Ghosh and Samir Chatterjee
Born in 1962, Rajyasree started her training at a very early age. Since then her career in music has been a glorious journey. She emerged as a gold medalist both in her B.A and M.A exams in classical music (Khayal) from the Rabindra Bharati University. She also received the National Scholarship from the Ministry of Human Resources Development of Govt. of India in 1986 to study under Pandit Amiya Ranjan Banerjee. She was a Scholar at the Sangeet Research Academy, where she studied music under the guidance of Smt. Girija Devi and Pt. Arun Bhaduri and Pt. K.G. Ginde. Her talim in Bengali traditional songs were under Smt. Suprava Sarkar and Pt. Ramkumar Chatterjee. Rajyasree Ghosh has performed and won laurels in several prestigious music conferences in India. She was placed first for three consecutive years (1984-1986) in the Dover Lane Music Competition in Khayal, Ragpradhan and Bhajan. She features regularly on the national radio and television of India as an ‘A’ grade artiste and holds the position of Assistant Professor at Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata. She has been touring different countries of the world since 2000. Her performances have been highly appreciated by the Indians and non-Indians alike.
Pandit Amiya Ranjan Bandyopadhyay is a living legend and a torchbearer of the Vishnupur Gharana, being the son of one of the greatest luminaries of this gharana, Sangitacharya Satyakinkar Bandyopadhyay. Born in the year 1927, he has established himself as one of the most respected names in the field of Hindustani Classical Music as both a performer and a teacher.
Born in Varanasi in the year 1929 Girija Devi represents the Banaras Gharana of Hindustani Classical Music. A living legend, she is regarded as an exponent of nearly all genres of Hindustani vocal music including Kheyal, Thumri, Dadra, Chaiti and Kajari and is particularly famous for her Poorab ang Thumri, having been described as the last living queen of thumri.
Krishna Gundo Ginde was born at Bailhongal, on Saturday, December 26, 1925. He was one of the nine children of his parents. According to him, he hosnestly wanted to preserve the music he was taught and be a performing musician. It was his devotion to his Guru that inspired him to take teaching. And, to the manner born, he was emerged as an ideal acharya.
A maestro of Hindusthani Vocal Music, a composer of Bengali songs and bhajans and a highly recognized top-grade Indian radio and television artist, Pt. Arun Bhaduri has devoted much of his time and energy in teaching music. He served as a guru at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy.
Banga Mela is a cultural festival organized by the Bengali Community in USA. I sang sone semi classical songs during it's 2006 edition held at Kentucky.
It was organized by Indo Occidental Symbiosis and held for seven days at Kalamandir, Kolkata. Other performers included personalities in the likes of Hariprasad Chaurasia and Shiv Kumar Sharma.
The all night concert was organized by Chhandayan at New York. Various classical musicians from India come to perform here and spread the culture of Indian Classical Music in USA.
I performed at Muscat for 4 days. Accompanied by Subhashis Bhattacharya on Tabla, I sang both classical and semi classical songs.
Held at the Norton Simon Foundation Museum, I sang various Malhars and talked about their importance in Indian Classical Music.
I sang classical songs (kheyal) at the renowned Dakhinee Sangeet Sammelan in January 2012.
I performed for a total of three and half hours. I renditioned classical, semi classical and Bengali songs each for about an hour.
“She is a true devotee of classical music and has in the meantime achieved much reputation as an excellent singer. I had the opportunity of listening to her latest performance which impressed me to a great extent.”
“I have seen her in many different capacities as a student, as a performer, as a teacher and as a leader of a musical organization. I am always impressed by the tremendous amount of enthusiasm and zeal she carries around with her in every area of her life. As a performer Rajyasree is now one of the most sought after singers of her generation. Her voice is developed with the flexibility and adaptibility to present all of the forms she has diligently mastered with meaningfulness, significance and perfection.”
“Gifted with a melodious voice with a good range, her singing is charged with emotion. Apart from being a beautiful singer she is also well versed with the theory of Shastriya Sangeet. She is also an outstanding accompanist on the harmonium.”