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Indrani Mukherjee
Indrani Mukherjee
	Hindustani Classical Singer
Background information
Born	25 January 1974 (age 50); Asansol, West Bengal, India
Genres	Khyal, Thumri
Occupation	Vocalist

Indrani Mukherjee (Bengali: ইন্দ্রানী মুখার্জী; born 25 January 1974) is a Hindustani Classical Vocalist and Thumri Exponent in India. Her singing repertoire covers Khyal (Kirana - Rampur style) and Thumri (Purab Ang).

She was a scholar student of the prestigious ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Calcutta in 1996 under the guidance of Pandit Arun Bhaduri^[1]. She pursued her learning with the Late Vidushi Purnima Choudhury ^[2] and the Late Pandit Ramashreya Jha Ji of Allahabad. Since 2012, Indrani started learning with Vidushi Manju Sundaram Ji ^[3] of Varanasi.

She is an empanelled Artist of ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) and Spic Macay and high grade artist in All India Radio for Khyal and Thumri.

Early life

Indrani was born in 1974 in Asansol, West Bengal, India. She is the daughter of Smt. Shikha Chatterjee (singer) and Sri Krishna Gopal Chatterjee (architect). As she was born in a musical family, therefore, from childhood she exhibited a keen interest in music.

Initially her learning started with her Mother and Aunt. When she was 3 years old, she took taalim from her maternal Grand Father Shri Sanjib Banerjee, disciple of the late Pandit A.T.Kanan.

At the age of 14, her grand father asked about her aim of life, when she realised that she wants to become a professional singer. She is the first member in the family to take music as profession. On her first public performance, in 1995, she impressed the Padma Bhushan awardee Pandit Buddhadev Das Gupta, who suggests her to shift in Kolkata. After completing her Graduation degree in Political Science in 1995 from Burdwan University she joined the ITC Sangeet Research Academy. In 1996, Indrani was selected as a scholar of the prestigious ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Calcutta and came under the able guidance of Pandit Arun Bhaduri, and continued till his demise in 2018. Indrani is the first official Scholar^[4] in ITC Sangeet Research Academy under Pt. Arun Bhaduri.

“Playing the protagonist in the audio-drama is Bhaduri’s first disciple at Sangeet Research Academy – Indrani Mukherjee. Bhaduri still can’t believe that Mukherjee took such an initiative. Calling it a fitting ‘Gurudakshina’, Bhaduri is overwhelmed by her efforts.”
The Times of India, Times City, Kolkata, 15.12.2015 - Priyanka Dasgupta. ^[5]

She pursued her learning with the Late Vidushi Purnima Choudhury, a great exponent of Benaras Gharana, for 10 years (2003-2013) in Thumri (Purab Ang). She also took Taalim for few years (2006-2009) with the Late Pandit Ramashreya Jha Ji of Allahabad. Although, she learnt Khyal from him, but the best learning from him is the ability to understand and to experience the value of literature in Indian singing through “Bandish” as well as philosophy of raga. Since 2012, Indrani started learning with Vidushi Manju Sundaram Ji of Varanasi. She is learning Khyal, Thumri and Bhajans from her in “Gurukul Pratha” in Varanasi.

Career

Indrani has decided to take her passion as profession at the age of 14 and then she continued her formal training in classical music seriously. After completing the residential course of ITC Sangeet Research Academy Kolkata, she left the institution in 2001 to make independent career but continued her Taalim with Pt. Arun Bhaduri Ji.

Performance

“Indrani Mukherjee from Kolkata left an indelible impression of her artistic sensibilities during her vocal that opened with the challenging raga Puriya. Opting for a raga like Puriya and Sarangi for sangat instead of the harmonium marked high standard from the beginning.” The Hindu, 11.02.2016 by Smt Manjari Sinha.^[6]

Concerts & Festivals

She has performed at many major concerts and festivals in India such as:

Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav- Pune, 2013
Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Mahasabha- Jalandhar, 2018
Swar Zhankar (Pune), 2019
Kumbh Mela- Prayagraj (Department of Culture, Uttar Pradesh Govt.),2019
Dr.Basant Rao Deshpande Sangeet Smiriti Samaroh- SCZCC Nagpur, 2011
Thumri Festival – Sahitya Kala Parishad - New Delhi, 2017
Ravi Shankar Centre- RIMPA Festival (New Delhi 2016 & 2017)
Sangeet Bihaan- Sangeet Natak Academy (Patna), 2016
Serendipity Arts Festival (Goa),2017
West Bengal State Music Academy Annual Music Festival (Kolkata), 2016
CHAITI- ICCR & Kalaprakash - Varanasi, 2017
IHC Lok Sangeet Sammelan- India Habitat Centre - New Delhi, 2017
All India Vyas Mahotsav- Varanasi, 2013
Santarampant Kirvadkar Smriti Shastriya Sangeet Mahotsav, SCZCC, Ministry Of Culture, Govt Of India- Nagpur, 2015
Burwa Mangal- Varanasi, 2012
Golden Greats Of Indian Music- India Habitat Centre, Delhi , IIC- Delhi,
Rajguru Smruti Sangeet Samaraho – Karnataka Chitrakala Parishat,Bangalore,2018
Bharatiya Sangeet Vidyalaya – Dharwad, 2018
Kala Prakash-Varanasi, 2009,2011,2015.

Beside performing important concerts and Festivals in India, Indrani has performed major concerts and Festivals in USA, Europe, Canada and Middle East, Such as:

Darbar Festival (London, UK),2017
Learn Quest Music Conference (Boston, USA),2015
Eastman School Of Music (Rochester University, USA),2017
Indian Fine Arts Academy San Diego (San Diego, USA), 2015
Pandit Jasraj School Of Music (Vancouver, Canada), 2017
Raga Mala (Calgary, Canada), 2015
Raga Mala(Edmonton, Canada),2015
Basant Bahar (San Francisco, USA), 2013
House Of India (San Diego, USA), 2013
Kabir Cultural Centre (Ottawa and Montreal, Canada)
India Community Center (Rochester, USA), 2015
Indian Performing Arts Of Charlotte (USA), 2012
MIT (Boston, USA), 2012
Triveni- University Of Buffalo, (NY, USA),2012,2013,2016
Ali Akbar College Of Music (Basel, Switzerland),2011
Kartik Seshadri Centre Of Indian Classical and Improvised Music (San Diego, USA),2012
Live in Radio France for the Indian Festival in Lille, 2006
Musse Guimet (National Museum for Oriental Art and Culture, Paris), 2006
Oriental Festival (France), 2006

Represented India in some important Festivals like, Magie dex Voix (France), International Mugam Festival (Baku, Azerbaijan), Oriental Landscape Festival (Damascus, Syria), to name a few.

Workshops

Beside teaching in India (Kolkata), she also conducted vocal workshops in :-

2017 - Workshop Demonstration – Spic Macay, Kota- Rajasthan
2017 - Pandit Jasraj School Of Music (Vancouver, Canada)
2016 - Governor’s School in Winston Salem (North Caroline, USA)
2016 - Governor’s School in Raleigh(North Caroline, USA)
2016 - Sarb Akal (Calgary, Canada)
2016 - Conservatory of Angers – France
2016 - Association Bhairavi-France
2016 - Higher Institute Of Music, Damascus, Syria
2015 - Sarb Akal (Calgary, Canada)
2011 - Ali Akbar College Of Music (Basel, Switzerland)
2003 - Auroville (Pondicherry)

Collaboration

International

She has played a pivotal role in making of the album “Benares”, an international collaboration project with Erik Truffaz, Malcolm Braff and Apurba Mukherjee in 2008.

"Mukherjee's overwhelming voice in particular gave the night a touch of magic that will leave a lasting impression upon the Music Hall audience. Indrani Mukherjee took the stage and the atmosphere changed. The instruments moved to the background and the Indian vocalist's strong emotive voice filled the room. The performance was now more arranged, less improvised, but every time her voice paused it provided Truffaz's trumpet the room to cling magically in the air.” The Daily Star (28. 08. 2008), Lebanon by Raphael Thelen. ^[7]

Performed in Top Jazz Festivals in the world, Such as:

2008 - "Bose Blue Note Jazz Fest" – L’europeen, 3rd April, Paris
2008 - London Jazz Festival (Jazz Cafe), 20th November, London, United kingdom
2009 - Montreal Jazz Festival , Montreal, Canada
2008 - "Cully Jazz Fest (Oriental Sound of Jazz)" – 11th April, Switzerland
2008 – Music Hall, Beirut , Lebanon- 26th August
2008 - Jazz Lives in Syria, 27th August, Tartus, and Damascus Citadel, Syria
2008 - Kikk Festival, 24th November, Kosice Slovaquia
2008 - Concert - A38 Schiff –Budapest,25th November, Hungary
2008 - Moods in Schiffbau, 26th November, Zurich -Switzerland
2009 - Grenoble Jazz Fest, 25th March, France
2009 - Fontenay Souis Bois, Festival, 27th March, France
2009 - Bee Flat - Berne, 29th March, Switzerland
2007 - Congo Square Jazz Festival - Kolkata
2007 - Concerts in Kolkata, Pune and Hyderabad, in collaboration with French Embassy, Alliance Francaise, Prohelvetia,Taj Business Celebration Series

National

1999 – Worked with Pandit Shankar Ghosh (legendary Tabalia) in few of his compositions
1999 - Worked with Bickram Ghosh in his 2 Album “White Note”, and “Electroclassical” (GIMA Award Winner album)
2000 - Worked with Bickram Ghosh and the Great drummer Greg Ellis’s project Terra Groove “Dragonfly”.

Discography

Indian Classical Music Album

"Hindustani Classical Vocal" - Music 2000 - 2005
“Longingly Yours” - Bihaan Music - 2013.

Collaboration Album

“Benares” – EMI, BLUE NOTE – 2009
“Rendez-Vous”– EMI, BLUE NOTE - 2009
“White Note”- Sony Music - 2009
“Electro Classical” – Sony Music - 2010

Playback in Movie

She also recorded a Thumri “Na Chhero Saiyan” Windows Production House, Youtube </ref> that is played for the living character Malkhar Jaan for Pavel’s Bengali movie named “Rosogolla” in 2018.

Personal life

Indrani married Sri Apurba Mukherjee, a renowned Tabla player and a senior disciple of the Legendary Guru the late Pandit Shankar Ghosh. They have a son, Anjishnu Mukherjee (Born in 2004), who is also maintaining the family tradition of music.

References/Notes and references

^ Pt. Arun Bhaduri [1] Publisher: ITC Sangeet Research Academy
^ Vidushi Purnima Choudhury[2]. Source: http://www.sarangi.net
^ Vidushi Manju Sundaram: Understanding an enigma[3]. Source: The Hindu, November 02, 2018
^ Indrani Mukherjee [4]. Publisher: ITC Sangeet Research Academy
^ Audio-drama format for Arun Bhaduri's novel soon [5]. Publisher: TOI, Dec 15, 2015
^ Music in guru’s abode [6]. Publisher:The Hindu, February 11, 2016
^ A tasty melange of east and west, shot through a jazz blender [7] Publisher: The Daily Star, August 28, 2008