Remarks from Listeners:

Dear Debapriya and Samanvay, Your home concert last saturday was divine music, rendered from the heart and complimented by exceedingly high level of technical accomplishment. Pretty much all aspects of your performance were superlative. At times, I thought, these young boys are actually doing better than some of the well known gurus in Hindustani music. This style was new to me. Aalaap, jod, zala, with sitar and vocal for the first 1.5 hours without tabla. Then straight into chota khayal with the tabla, followed by tarana... In the chota khayal, it was amazing to see that you increased the laya in increments at least 4 times! Debapriya, your taans were of lightning speed, yet, every note was crystal clear! And Samanway was playing the sitar in the "gayaki" anga, doing amazing things both in the alaap and taan. I had never seen vocal and sitar together in this fashion. It was a feast for music lovers! I would like to congratulate both of you for such extraordinary level of achievement at such a young age. I wish you all the best, and success in your musical career. I will try and attend your perormance tonight and tomorrow in the Ramakrishna mission. Vivek Apte 02- 9642 8085 27 Saxon Street, Belfield, NSW 2191 Dear Shri Debapriya Ji & Shri Samanwaya Ji,

Dear Shri Debapriya Ji & Shri Samanwaya Ji, I can hardly add anything to Shalaka's, Nitin's and Sharad's thoughts about your performance. The audience was spellbound. You both have amazing talent to lift your audience's spirits to another world! I personally leant quite a bit just listening to your Parameshwari Alaap - the way you developed the raga. Your ability to create those wonderful permutation and combinations of phrases is superb. I was particularly impressed with how you use change in volume and modulation to great effect. I will see you tonight at the Vedanta Centre. I wish you both all the best in future, knowing that you will achieve great heights. We would certainly like to have you visit Sydney again. Regards - Chidu

Dear Debapriya and Samanway Nitin has already said what I wanted to say. I do not understand the mathematics of tala and the science behind the construction or scientific "exploration" of a "Raaga". All I can say that I enjoy listening to music in spite of the handicap. Please come again. Regards Sharad Ranade

Dear Debapriya and Samanway, It was a fantastic performance from both of you. Now a days music has become very commercial in India it is very rarely you see artists performing with their heart and soul in concert. I had to leave early after parmeshwari due to other commitments and I am sorry for it. I know you both are performing in Brisbane. I will talk to one of the oragnisers in Brisbane - Anant Bellari (runs an organisation called Swara Mohini)about you both. He may be able to help you during your next tour. I wish you both a great future. Regards, Nikhil

Dear Debapriya and Samanway, The concert hasn't stopped in my head yet.... the parameshwari and Bhimapalaas, both are still there! And I assure you, every one of us, who was there with their "tan" and "man", are in the same situation. Every aspect of your performance was one of the best I have seen so far. It is amazing to see how you two have adopted and developed within yourself, each others' "dhang" (style). Debapriya, it was astounding to see how you can use your vocal cords (instrument) to do "gamak" and "Thaharaav" style of sitaar and at the same time how Samanvay and his sitar, seem not two things..... but just one "whole" instrument producing the "gaalyak" patterns, different every time with perfect "aamad". The most enjoying part was to see how you two complement and support each other, how you two encourage and challenge each others. Though the program is called "Jugalabandi" (Duet), it was not a 'laDhat' it was an excellant "baDhat". We could feel that you two have worked on this "jugalabandi" part of your performance, a great deal. I consider myself a keen listener and over the years, have made some opinions. 'Sitar and Vocal do not go together', was one of them. I am so happy that, you have proved me wrong. From my heart and soul, I wish you two, the very best in your musical journey..... with only one selfish motive of getting more chances to listen to you two, perform. regards and love Shalaka Malgaonkar WOOLWORTHS IT Phone (02) 9407 1209 Email smalgaonkar@woolworths.com.au =WOOLWORTHS=

Dear Debapriya and Samanwaya, Thank you for your e-mail ... and the great music. On the way back home to Wollongong after having had lunch with you last Saturday, I was still lost in the music, and drove in the exact opposite direction for quite a long time before realizing my mistake. Hope you enjoyed your stay in Australia. Please come again .. I would love to lose my way many more times! Thanks and Regards, Ajit ------------------------------- Dr Ajit Godbole Faculty of Engineering University of Wollongong Northfields Avenue Wollongong NSW 2522 AUSTRALIA Tel: + 61 2 4221 4397 Fax: + 61 2 4221 3101

Great stuff. Debapriya-Samanwaya are easily the best touring act I’ve ever accompanied. They will also be giving concerts in Byron Bay, Gold Coast and Brisbane on Oct 23-25. Details will be posted on ethnosuperlounge.com soon. Shen Flindell

Wow! What a wonderful? rendition of Hemant Jod 2 by Debapriya Adhikary & Samanwaya Sarkar. Beautiful to watch them performing jugalbandi. Thanks for posting it for the connoisseurs. I wish them hugh success for their Australia tour in Sydney on 4th & Canberra on the 3rd October. I am so proud of these two young musicians of our city, Kolkata; which is called the Cultural Capital of India. Their music is quite divine, soothing and beautifully synchronised. Maitreyee Sarcar HF FRSA, CID Director, Surdhwani, UK

Their performance here at the London Sevashram Sangha a couple of years ago left an indelible impression on the minds of the devotees. They had never heard anything like before. It was soul stirring. It is a blessing to see them perform. Swami Nirliptananda

This is an excellent jugalbandi I have heard of Hindustani classical vocal and sitar. I liked the raag Hemant and Darbari Kanada, the King of ragas. Darbari is very majestic in style and the musicians? renditions were simply superb. Debapriya's voice is very melodious and attractive and Samanwaya's sitar is extremely soothing and pleasing to watch. So, the combination was perfect for a great jugalbandi. I also loved the raag Adana; which is very romantic in character but moves very fast. This is a special composition in praise of the master called Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, who was master in very fast taans and that is why Adana has very fast taans. A beautiful rendition of this raag Adana by both the musicians of Kolkata. I am so proud of these two young musicians of our country. I would love to listen to their renditions of other ragas especially, Bageshree, Desh and Durga. We have broadcasted their rendition of raag Hansadhwani last month from www.wcrfm.com via our ?Surtarang? show; which is accessible worldwide. I was delighted to learn that they had been invited to perform as part of the International Music Festival D' Uzerche in France entitled ?India Evening?. I would like to thank the French Festival Organisers for inviting the internationally renowned vocalist Debapriya Adhikary and sitarist, Samanwaya Sarkar to perform in such a prestigious music festival this month which has been televised for a wider audience. The quality of this video production is excellent. I enjoyed every minutes of the whole production. Dev and Sam always have my blessings. I pray to God for their success in their musical career together. Culturally/musically, Mrs Maitreyee Sarcar HF FRSA, UK [CID].

Congratulate for their exquisite performance.I commend the audience for their silent reception and encouragement though they may not be familiar to Indian Classical music- its ragas, presentation and wording etc. I admire the Correze Television for their support and production and maintaining it at their website for general viewing.In the world of excitement one finds a meditative balm in such pieces.Therefore, I wish them all the best for staging such a program and hope they will uphold this trend in future also." Swami Chandrashekhara nanda Sydney, Australia