The Rising Stars of Asia: A Raga Evening with Piano and Tabla

Drinks reception: 6:30 pm
Performance: 7:15 pm
Discussion: 8:30 pm

Seeking to present up-and-coming Asian artists at the state-of-the-art Miller Theater (Former Magazine B), The Rising Stars of Asia Series provides a platform in Hong Kong to showcase the talent of emerging Asian artists alongside maestros in collaborative artistic presentations. The Winter 2012 performance features young raga pianist Utsav Lal with virtuoso tabla player Samir Chatterjee, in an evening where rhythms and melodies harmonize into enchanting new sounds of India. Discussion with Lal and Chatterjee will follow the performance.

Utsav Lal
"Ragas have always been my calling." At 20 years of age, pianist Utsav Lal is a musician extraordinaire who has set a precedent in the world of music with his rendition of ragas on the piano. Choosing to perform on an instrument that has traditionally been considered unsuitable for Hindustani classical music, Lal's innovative handling of ragas blends his diverse musical influences and has left listeners spellbound. Bestowed with the unique title of "raga pianist," Lal received classical piano training from an early age; his exposure to jazz began at the age of 13 and was strengthened after being selected to participate in a performance program in jazz at the Berklee College of Music on a scholarship. He released his first album with Times Music at the age of 16 and was recognized as a "Young Steinway Artist" in 2010. Lal has performed extensively internationally and continues his classical and jazz piano training at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow.

Samir Chatterjee
Samir Chatterjee is a virtuoso Indian tabla player. He travels widely, performing in festivals as a soloist or with other outstanding musicians from both Indian and Western musical traditions across the world, including at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo in 2007. His compositions are widely acclaimed, as is his writing. Currently based in New York, Chatterjee has become a catalyst in the fusion of Indian and Western music, collaborating with musicians and groups like Dance Theater of Harlem and Boston Philharmonic. Chatterjee has been teaching for the last 30 years and many of his students are also established performers. He is the Founder-Director of CHHANDAYAN, an organization dedicated to promoting and preserving Indian music and culture. He authored the comprehensive A Study of Tabla and a guide book to Indian music titled Music of India. Chatterjee has masters degrees in English and History and sits on the faculty of Yale University, the Manhattan School of Music, the University of Pittsburgh, the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music and the University of Bridgeport.