Brooklyn Raga Massive’s first Colors of Raga event of the year will feature santoor virtuoso Vinay Desai accompanied by Shivalik Ghoshal on tabla. The evening will begin with a meditative melodic improvisation that takes the listeners to a place of deep stillness. Once the mood of the raag is set and the ambience built, Ghoshal will join Desai in creating powerful rhythmic phrases that take the listeners on a melodic and rhythmic journey. The concert will conclude with a fast paced piece that enthralls the audience.
Vinay Desai
Vinay is a direct disciple of the world renowned Santoor Maestro Padma Vibhusan Pandit Shivkumar Sharmaji. Initially, Vinay received knowledge in vocal/harmonium/tabla from Shafiq Rahman in his teens. After completing his college in both Pre-pharmaceutical science as well as Pre-Law in Delaware, Vinay sought out to learn Santoor in India. In 2011, Pandit Shivkumar Sharmaji guided Vinay to begin his training under Takahiro Arai and Kunal Gunjal before being accepted by Panditji himself. Vinay regularly performs throughout the USA, including Hawaii, Argentina, Canada, The Bahamas, and India. He is known for his meditative and dynamic musical phrases. His devotion to the purity and the depth of Shivkumar Sharma's style comes forth in performance. Learn more at https://www.vinaydesaisantoor.com.
Shivalik Ghoshal
Shivalik Ghoshal comes from a musical family. From the age of seven, Shivalik has been a student of Sree Kinner K. Seen of Punjab gharana since 1989. Kinner-ji’s father, Pandit Lachman Seen, is the gurubhai of the late Ustad Alla Rakha Khan-Saheb. Presently, he is a student of the tabla maestro Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri of the Lucknow gharana since 1997. Shivalik has had the honour and privilege of accompanying maestros like Pandit Manilal Nag, Smt Girija Devi, Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Phalguni Mitra and Ustad Ali Ahmed Hussain. Last but not least, Shivalik has performed all the tabla drumming in the Oscar winning soundtrack of the 2004 docu-drama, “Born Into Brothels.”