Pittsburgh_Patrika_July_2018

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The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol, 23, No. 4, July 2018 Shankar Lakhavani Your Hometown Realtor ® Cell: 412-736-5864 Office: 412-833-7700 Whether you’re buying, to work hard for you. ©2017 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchise of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of HomeServices of America, Inc.® Equal Housing Opportunity. Information not verified or guaranteed. If your home is currently listed with a Broker, this is not a solicitation. to their gharana. Fortunately, a few individuals, on their own drive and initiative, have been active in organizing Hindustani music concerts in Pittsburgh for a long time. For over 30 years, Dr. Balwant Dixit, under the banner of the Center for the Performing Arts of India at the University of Pittsburgh, organized many such events, both in Pittsburgh and around North America with concert tours for Indian artistes. In the early days, Dixit also organized Karnatic music programs in our town. Ustad Haidar Hassan on the shehnai accompanied by Pt. Samir Chatterjee (tabla). With Dixit now in retirement, Samar Saha and his wife Mala of Irwin have taken on the mantle for organizing Hindustani music concerts. Music lovers in our area owe the Sahas a big Thank You not only for their enthusiastic support for the art form, but also, more importantly, for their multi-faceted patronage for the artistes. The Sahas moved into the Pittsburgh area fifteen years ago after Samar retired from a job in New 18
The Pittsburgh Patrika, Vol, 23, No. 4, July 2018 Jersey. Samar, a metallurgist by profession, joined US Steel’s R&D after arriving S from New Jersey. amar had his early schooling in Banaras where he got interested in learning the tabla. But his father would not encourage him to go into music. Samar used a colorful expression to describe how his father reacted when he told his dad he wanted to pursue music. Later, his interest in classical music blossomed when he went to college in Kolkata. During his tumultuous college days in the 1960s, with the Naxalbari Movement in Jugalbandi with Jay Gandhi on the bansuri (flute) full swing in Bengal, Samar and Sitarist Abhik Mukherjee accompanied by Pt. Samir Chatterjee (tabla). managed to attend all-night concerts of artistes of great repute. His interest in cultivating a keen interest in music and musicians was greatly reinforced. Samar even dabbled in western music in college. In 1975, he married Mala -- it was an arranged marriage. Mala had her training in Rabindra Sangeet and Hindustani classical music. So it was natural both the Sahas are passionate about music. The Sahas’ move to the US in the early 1970s directly as green-card holders was quite accidental. They settled down in New Jersey. While in New Jersey Samar became part of the Bengali Cultural Organization Kallol. At Kallol he introduced Hindustani cassical music concerts despite the apprehension of some members that it might not go well with their members. With the concerts well-liked by the members, Samar got first-hand experience in organizing music recitals and dealing with artistes. The Sahas also came in contact with the tabla maestro Pandit Samir Chatterjee and his organization Chhandayan of New York. Chhandayan has been active with Indian musicians of every genus, innovating Rajyaree Ghosh. and experimenting with fusion, and tabla orchestra with vocalists. Chhandayan selects and invites artistes to perform around the USA. With their long-standing association with Samir Chatterjee, Samar and Mala snap up opportunities to invite artistes and host them at 19
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