Sun 17 November 2024
Pandit Kushal Das & ensemble: Sitar
Pandit (‘scholar’) Kushal Das is generally acknowledged as a master of the sitar and as a worthy successor of his idol, the legendary Pandit Nikhil Banerjee. The playing of Kushal Das is characterized by its mellifluous phrasings, taking example from the human voice. He has learned from Indian classical singers, but at a young age he already played along to popular film songs.
Kushal Das is a descendant of a prominent musical family in Calcutta. At the age of seven he started taking lessons. When he realized that making music was his goal in life, his education became increasingly rigorous. His main teacher was sitar player and professor Sanjoy Bandopadhyay, and he took lessons with great musicians such as singer Manas Chakraborty and sitar player Ajoy Sinha Roy.