Pt Tejendra Narayan Majumdar & Dr Ambi Subramaniam

About Pt Tejendra Narayan Majumdar

One of the best-known Sarod players of the present generation, Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar has long achieved that order of excellence and popular acceptability that ensure one's place in posterity. Early initiation into music by his grandfather, Late Bibhuti Ranjan Majumdar and later his father, Late Ranjan Majumdar, nurtured Tejendra's considerable talent. Vocal and rhythm training under Late Pandit Amaresh Chowdhury and Sri Anil Palit further ensured a holistic musical development in him. Tejendra was then accepted by Late Ustad Bahadur Khan as his disciple.

Eighteen years of intensive study under him matured his talent into a true genius. Recognition of it came in 1981, when he stood first in the All India Radio Music Competition and was awarded the President's Gold Medal and the Pandit D.V.Paluskar award. After the untimely demise of his guru, he studied under Late Sri Ajay Sinha Roy and then under one of the Legends of Indian Music – Swar-Samrat Late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, until his demise. 

Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar's brilliance and popularity as a classical artiste has not dimmed his interest in composing, arranging and experimenting in other areas of music. He has composed the music for the Bengali films like ‘Shongshoy’ and ‘Hononkal’ of Saibal Mitra, Tollylights of Arjun Chakraborty, and a lot of Telefilms. He has also composed and arranged music for singers.

Most of his time is spent touring the country and abroad, presenting innumerable concerts, workshops, lecture demonstrations, doing recordings and taking up teaching assignments. 

About Dr Ambi Subramaniam

Hailed as “India’s Itzhak Pearlmann” by Ozy Magazine, Dr Ambi Subramaniam has been trained by his father and guru Dr. L. Subramaniam since he was three years old, and gave his first performance at the age of seven. He has received the Ritz Icon of the Year Award, the Rotary Youth Award, two GiMAs (Global Indian Music Award for Best Fusion Album and Best Carnatic Instrumental Album) and Big Indian Music Award (for Best Carnatic Album). He received a ‘Golden Violin’ from Sri Jayendra Saraswati when he was 18.

Along with his sister Bindu Subramaniam, he runs SaPa – the Subramaniam Academy of Performing Arts – which trains young children to grow into performing musicians. He also runs the SaPa in Schools program, which helps children develop 21st century skills using music as a gateway. So far, the program impacts over 30,000 children a year.  

Ambi plays as part of contemporary world music band SubraMania, which he formed with Bindu. He has performed extensively with his family and collaborated with Larry Coryell, Ernie Watts, Corky Siegel and Shankar Mahadevan. Ambi was a featured soloist at the Violins for Peace concert series. He also plays as part of the Thayir Sadam Project. He co-hosts the SaPa Show on Sankara TV, which teaches Indian music to children from the comfort of their homes and is broadcast to millions of viewers across the world.

Ambi is a youth delegate at the United Nations for the Sri Chinmoy Peace Meditation group. He has a bachelor’s degree in business management, an MBA, and a Ph.D.

About Tanmoy Bose

One of the foremost musicians in contemporary world music, Tanmoy Bose is an indispensable member in the global fraternity of percussion. Bose received his early tutelage from the legendary Pt Kanai Dutta. Tanmoy became the Gandabandh Shagird (formally initiated disciple in Indian classical music) of the noted torchbearer of the Farukkabad gharana Pandit Shankar Ghosh. Even as early as being in college, he had the rare opportunity of being called upon by another musical legend, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan to perform with him. The ultimate milestone in Tanmoy's life was achieved when Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar invited him to play regularly with him around the world. 

Over the last few years, his brainchild, Taaltantra has emerged as one of the foremost world music bands regularly enthralling audiences in the Mid-East, North America, Europe and India. Another significant endeavour is Rhythmania, which incorporates Indian classical music coupled with Western and Mediterranean, Jazz world folk and a new age fusion Electronic Dance Music (EDM).

Tanmoy is also an ardent researcher, composer and popular television presenter.

About V V Ramana Murthy

“Mridanga Ratna” “Mridanga Marthanda” Vankayala Ramana Murthy is the 4th generation musician from his family. Born to the renowned Mridanga Vidwan “Kala Ratna-Hamsa Awardee” “ Mridanga Kala Tapaswi” Sri. Vankayala Narasimham and Smt. Sita Ratnam. V V Ramana Murthy has been recognized as a child prodigy and holds the credit of playing his first concert at the age of eight. He was also the winner of the AIR (All India Radio) Annual Music competition in the year 1981 and has been awarded the "Top Grade" in AIR in 2007.

V V Ramana Murthy is an extensive performer for the past four decades with all the top Indian Classical musicians of both Carnatic and Hindustani styles as well as Jazz groups. He has also participated in many National Programs, Sangeet Sammelan concerts, South Zone hook-up Concerts, O.B Concerts of both AIR and Doordarshan.

V V Ramana Murthy is also a teacher and his past students include D. Sai Vidya Sagar, K. Ramkumar, V. S. Chakravarthy, V. Pavani Charan, Prasanna Kumar .K, K. Neeraj Kumar, Vamsi, Hardeep Singh and Vankayala Sri Sudha Krishna, to name just a few.