My Story
Journey's Beginning
I grew up in Dhaka, Bangladesh. I am the first and the only classical performer in my, otherwise very enlightened family. My mother, Shehida Haque,introduced and lead me on to the sitar, a dream which was unfulfilled for herself. After initial training in vocal music,I was very fortunate to become the disciple of late Ustad Mir Qasem Khan , nephew of the legendary Ustad Alauddin Khan, founder of the Senia Maihar Gharana. I feel lucky to have been embraced in this ground breaking (at the time of its birth) musical ideology .
The musical journey
As I was trained and groomed in Indian classical sitar in the 'Guru Shishya Parampara' (on a one to one basis' ) in sitar, I earned a Bachelors degree in Fine Arts at the Dhaka University. I moved to the USA in 1981 and continued to study sitar, going back and forth between the US and India,under great teachers like, Partha Chatterjee, Krishna Bhatt and Kushal Das. Each one of my teachers has contributed greatly to enrich my music through different aspects of my growth and connection with the music.
Sprinkling and spreading the magic of sitar everywhere
Sitar took over my life and instilled positivity and strength within me. I contunued to grow professionally and soulfully. I have performed in prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center ,The Bangladesh National Museum, The Sangeet Research Academy,, The Purcel Room south Bank Center etc. I recorded and performed with world renowned tabla artists such as Pandit Anindo Chatterjee and Ustad Taari Khan. My sitar DVDs , 'Hrydayaragam' was featured in the Women's History Month' at the Smithsonian in 2008 and 'Strings of Resonance was nominated for the Best Classical Music Award in Bangladesh in 2010. I have collaborated with South Indian classical, jazz saxophone and lately with world percussion. I have composed music for cello , dance and sitar ensebles.My artistic creativity leads me on to fuse boundaries of my music & art.I have presented audio visual sitar concerts in major venues in the USA, the UK and Bangladesh.
I have founded Sitar Niketan, my music school in the wash DC area in 2015
Audio albums, expressing my relation with ragas
Devotion
My first album with world renowned tabla maestro Pandit Anindo Chatterjee. A combination of sublime and romantic ragas like Puryadhaneshree and Kirwani.
Inner Voice
Another memorable recording with the legendary Pandit Anindo Chatterjee.
The deep mood of Raag Charukeshi and the subtleties of Raag Manj Khamaj saturated with emeotion .
Meditation with Sitar
A solo sitar meditational music . the various tones in three and a half octaves along the sitar,potrys thea wide horizon of Raag sCharukeshi and Hemant.
Celebrating Bulbul
A tribute album to my ssinger aunt whose name was Bulbul. Her voice was as sweet as the voice of the Bulbul bird as well. As a musician , this is an ultimate gesture of respect to love and life. I have player her favorite raags Jaijawanti and Khamaj.
Romance of Raaga & Songs
For ages the rivers and the ever green panorama of the luciuos land of of Bengal has inspired poets and writers to express and intertwine ragas and lyrics. Being brought up in Bangladesh I have had the good fortune of experiencing this phenomenon. Mt expression in Raags Hameer , Desh and Khamaj is an outpour of the connection to my borthplace.
Sangam
This analogue recording with Ustad Taari Khan ,one of the foremost tabal maestro of this era, is unique.
Raags Basant, Desh and Shivranjani are in it's truest form in sound and feeling.
...and more CDs
Amma
This album is a tribute to my mother. it isdue to her encouragement and bilief in me that made my dream, to be a sitar player, come true. Raags Kedar Jhinjhori depict her
I Am A River
A fusion album of Indian classical and jazz based on raags. The various stages of life is portrayed through the moods of the raags. Saxophone player Bernhard Ullrich and renowned tabla maestr Tanmoy Bose has lent their artful expertise saturated with emotion.
Chakra
The word Chakra means 'cycle' in Sanskrit. The cycle of energy in relation to the Sun has been depicted by the energy of raags belonging to the time cycle theory of the North indian classical music traditions.
Ekavali the Connecting Thread (feat. Tanmoy Bose)
Ekavali means 'the connecting thread' in Sanskrit. This ialbum is a musical message of the unity in humanity with sitar , world melodies and world percussion.
Photo Gallery
Dhaka Art Institute , February 2017 ( stage created by Painter Nisar Hussai in a pond crater at venue grounds)
