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Debapriya & Samanwaya are the most sought-after duo, even being excellent soloists. They are unique and a rare duo culminating the voice and sitar, presenting the finer aspects and pure sound of Indian classical music, merging the traditional approach learned over more than 27 years with their innovative minds.
They have been learning and have learned with celebrated maestros of India and have proven themselves in the world of music as soloists and a consistent duo of a unique and rare culmination of vocal and sitar since their 20s, and presently they are in their early thirties. Yet, their fans, followers, and music lovers admire them for their understanding and knowledge, musical subtlety and broadness, technical richness, and aesthetic wisdom. They both are "A" graded artists of All India Radio and Doordarshan, an honor by the Prasar Bharati, an autonomous body under the Government of India. In their teenage years, they were awarded the first prize on behalf of the President of India at the National Level competition by All India Radio in the instrumental and vocal category as soloists. They won first prizes at many other competitions at the state and national level and also received several scholarships for their exceptional credibility.
You may enjoy a few of their clips or google their names.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQau_I1Q_G4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykAC6h4WJNQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTva2XE4o7A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s_dhP_hp9c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCi__Aa4YqU
A few media appraisals of our music from around the world:
· "Young Duo Debapriya Adhikary and Samanwaya Sarkar regaled the audience with their jugalbandi. Though their jugalbandi was different from the others, they complemented each other's style and presentation."
DNA Pune on Sawai Gandharva Festival
· A heartwarming sitar and vocals jugalbandi by young duo Samanwaya Sarkar and Debapriya Adhikary, the confluence of their expressions of music and perfect harmony left the listeners spellbound.
The Indian Express on Sawai Gandharva Festival
· A very congenial delivery of vocal and instrumental notes by Kolkata's Debapriya Adhikary and Samanwaya Sarkar (Sitar). The two youngsters were perfectly complementary to each other as they exploited the complexity of Raga Desi.
TOI Times City on Sawai Gandharva Festival
· "An Indian duo keeps the Théâtre des Abbesses enthralled...
One could hear the departing audience waxing lyrical about their subtlety and their gift for keeping listeners enthralled... The night opened with raga Marwa whose very long introduction (alap), forty-five heavenly minutes of leisurely delicacy, shone like a sparkling jewel in sound – not so much in the Théâtre des Abbesses as really out of this world.
Patrick Labesse in Le Monde, Paris
· Heavenly Notes... Adhikary's mellifluous voice transversed over the three octaves while the sitar's honeyed strokes were steeped in gayaki ang. The most enjoyable part was their perfect mutual understanding that flowed like the hidden yet intensifying undercurrent of Saraswati along with Ganga and Jamuna's bicolor confluence...
Meena Banerjee, The Statesman, Kolkata
· Top Musicians for the festival... Though they are classed as a duet, their interpretation of the music is such that they strive to arrive at a state where the two musicians are in harmony... Through their playing, the notes resonate and reflect the perfect understanding of their art, drawing upon deeply mythical symbols of nature and reality... even the essence of man and consideration of the true nature of divinity.
Manx Independent, Port Blair, Isle of Man.
· Both Debapriya's voice and Samanwaya's sitar were always relaxed and sweet, through all stages from the slow alap to the most rapid twisting tans... Throughout, the dialogue between voice and sitar was very engaging. The two artists responded to each other's improvisations enthusiastically and yet they shared the space completely harmoniously...
Shen Flindell, Brisbane Indian Times, Brisbane
· Adhikary and Sarkar explored the nuances of the raga, exchanging musical phrases in a conversational manner. As the piece unfolded, the two displayed an ever-increasing abandonment to their virtuosity. Sarkar's sitar playing was sublime and authoritative. He navigated his way around the notoriously difficult-to-play sitar with ease. His use of meend (sliding/bending strings to create a legato effect reminiscent of vocal quality) was imaginative and beautiful. Adhikary's vocals were technically flawless, and he possessed a marvelous quality of expression.
Dawoud Kringle, Doobeedoobeedoo, New York.
To name a few international festivals they have performed at around the globe:
Theatre Kleber Meleau, Switzerland 2018
Brunswick Music Festival 2017
Blue Mountains Music Festival 2017
Parramasala, Australia, 2015 and 2017
WOMAD UK 2013
Théâtre De La Ville (Abbesses), Paris, France 2013
High Peace Festival Augsburg, Germany 2013
They were the first ever with other 2 Indian Musicians to be invited to the National Theatre of Operas and Ballet, Tirana, Albania, in 2010 to commemorate Mother Teresa's Centenary.
Festival Les Orientales Saint-Florent le Vieil, France, 2010
Festival Autres Rivages, Uzes, France, 2010
Festival Classica at Evora, Portugal, 2010
Learnquest Music Festival, Boston, USA 2010
Voix d'été en Creuse, France, 2009
Deia International Festival of Music, Spain, 2009
Festival International de Musique d'Uzerche, France 2009
National Multicultural Festival of Australia 2008
Mananan International Festival for Music and Arts, Isle of Man, British Isles. 2008 and 2017
World Peace Day at Sydney Olympic Park of New South Wales in Australia by Soka Gakkai International and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Sydney, Australia, 2009
Milapfest, UK 2008
A few major festivals in India they have performed for:
Kalidas Samaroh, Nagpur 2017.
Aurangabad Festival 2017
Mahamrityunjay Mahotsav, 2015
West Bengal Rajya Sangeet Music Festival, 2015
Dagruseth Ganpati Sangeet Mahotsav, 2015.
Pune Festival, 2014
Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav, Pune. 2010
Ganavardhan, Pune 2014
Swathi Tirunal Sangeetotsav, Trivandrum 2013
Gangamahotsav, Varanasi
Pt. Mallikarjun Music Festival
DHWANI, Bangalore
Institute of Culture, Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata
Weavers Studio and Centre for the Arts, Kolkata
Laxmi Devi Lalit Kala Academy, Kanpur
Samrat Sangeet Sammelan, Goa
India Habitat Centre, New Delhi and many more.
They have been learning and have learned with celebrated maestros of India and have proven themselves in the world of music as soloists and a consistent duo of a unique and rare culmination of vocal and sitar since their 20s, and presently they are in their early thirties. Yet, their fans, followers, and music lovers admire them for their understanding and knowledge, musical subtlety and broadness, technical richness, and aesthetic wisdom. They both are "A" graded artists of All India Radio and Doordarshan, an honor by the Prasar Bharati, an autonomous body under the Government of India. In their teenage years, they were awarded the first prize on behalf of the President of India at the National Level competition by All India Radio in the instrumental and vocal category as soloists. They won first prizes at many other competitions at the state and national level and also received several scholarships for their exceptional credibility.
You may enjoy a few of their clips or google their names.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQau_I1Q_G4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykAC6h4WJNQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QTva2XE4o7A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1s_dhP_hp9c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCi__Aa4YqU
A few media appraisals of our music from around the world:
· "Young Duo Debapriya Adhikary and Samanwaya Sarkar regaled the audience with their jugalbandi. Though their jugalbandi was different from the others, they complemented each other's style and presentation."
DNA Pune on Sawai Gandharva Festival
· A heartwarming sitar and vocals jugalbandi by young duo Samanwaya Sarkar and Debapriya Adhikary, the confluence of their expressions of music and perfect harmony left the listeners spellbound.
The Indian Express on Sawai Gandharva Festival
· A very congenial delivery of vocal and instrumental notes by Kolkata's Debapriya Adhikary and Samanwaya Sarkar (Sitar). The two youngsters were perfectly complementary to each other as they exploited the complexity of Raga Desi.
TOI Times City on Sawai Gandharva Festival
· "An Indian duo keeps the Théâtre des Abbesses enthralled...
One could hear the departing audience waxing lyrical about their subtlety and their gift for keeping listeners enthralled... The night opened with raga Marwa whose very long introduction (alap), forty-five heavenly minutes of leisurely delicacy, shone like a sparkling jewel in sound – not so much in the Théâtre des Abbesses as really out of this world.
Patrick Labesse in Le Monde, Paris
· Heavenly Notes... Adhikary's mellifluous voice transversed over the three octaves while the sitar's honeyed strokes were steeped in gayaki ang. The most enjoyable part was their perfect mutual understanding that flowed like the hidden yet intensifying undercurrent of Saraswati along with Ganga and Jamuna's bicolor confluence...
Meena Banerjee, The Statesman, Kolkata
· Top Musicians for the festival... Though they are classed as a duet, their interpretation of the music is such that they strive to arrive at a state where the two musicians are in harmony... Through their playing, the notes resonate and reflect the perfect understanding of their art, drawing upon deeply mythical symbols of nature and reality... even the essence of man and consideration of the true nature of divinity.
Manx Independent, Port Blair, Isle of Man.
· Both Debapriya's voice and Samanwaya's sitar were always relaxed and sweet, through all stages from the slow alap to the most rapid twisting tans... Throughout, the dialogue between voice and sitar was very engaging. The two artists responded to each other's improvisations enthusiastically and yet they shared the space completely harmoniously...
Shen Flindell, Brisbane Indian Times, Brisbane
· Adhikary and Sarkar explored the nuances of the raga, exchanging musical phrases in a conversational manner. As the piece unfolded, the two displayed an ever-increasing abandonment to their virtuosity. Sarkar's sitar playing was sublime and authoritative. He navigated his way around the notoriously difficult-to-play sitar with ease. His use of meend (sliding/bending strings to create a legato effect reminiscent of vocal quality) was imaginative and beautiful. Adhikary's vocals were technically flawless, and he possessed a marvelous quality of expression.
Dawoud Kringle, Doobeedoobeedoo, New York.
To name a few international festivals they have performed at around the globe:
Theatre Kleber Meleau, Switzerland 2018
Brunswick Music Festival 2017
Blue Mountains Music Festival 2017
Parramasala, Australia, 2015 and 2017
WOMAD UK 2013
Théâtre De La Ville (Abbesses), Paris, France 2013
High Peace Festival Augsburg, Germany 2013
They were the first ever with other 2 Indian Musicians to be invited to the National Theatre of Operas and Ballet, Tirana, Albania, in 2010 to commemorate Mother Teresa's Centenary.
Festival Les Orientales Saint-Florent le Vieil, France, 2010
Festival Autres Rivages, Uzes, France, 2010
Festival Classica at Evora, Portugal, 2010
Learnquest Music Festival, Boston, USA 2010
Voix d'été en Creuse, France, 2009
Deia International Festival of Music, Spain, 2009
Festival International de Musique d'Uzerche, France 2009
National Multicultural Festival of Australia 2008
Mananan International Festival for Music and Arts, Isle of Man, British Isles. 2008 and 2017
World Peace Day at Sydney Olympic Park of New South Wales in Australia by Soka Gakkai International and Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. Sydney, Australia, 2009
Milapfest, UK 2008
A few major festivals in India they have performed for:
Kalidas Samaroh, Nagpur 2017.
Aurangabad Festival 2017
Mahamrityunjay Mahotsav, 2015
West Bengal Rajya Sangeet Music Festival, 2015
Dagruseth Ganpati Sangeet Mahotsav, 2015.
Pune Festival, 2014
Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav, Pune. 2010
Ganavardhan, Pune 2014
Swathi Tirunal Sangeetotsav, Trivandrum 2013
Gangamahotsav, Varanasi
Pt. Mallikarjun Music Festival
DHWANI, Bangalore
Institute of Culture, Ramakrishna Mission, Kolkata
Weavers Studio and Centre for the Arts, Kolkata
Laxmi Devi Lalit Kala Academy, Kanpur
Samrat Sangeet Sammelan, Goa
India Habitat Centre, New Delhi and many more.
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