Kathmandu, July 6
The 5th Annual Music Eve, organized by the Pandit Samir Dey Students’ Association, concluded successfully on Saturday at Rastriya Nach Ghar, Kathmandu. The houseful event brought together musicians, music enthusiasts, and dignitaries from the Nepali music community.
Conceptualized by tabla maestro Pandit Samir Dey, the event was a heartfelt expression of his 13 years of dedicated service to the classical music scene in Nepal. Originally from Kolkata, Pt. Dey’s contributions toward nurturing musicians and uplifting the classical tradition in Kathmandu have earned him deep respect and admiration.
The event was chaired by sitar maestro Dhrubesh Chandra Regmi, Head of the Central Department of Fine Arts at Tribhuvan University and a founding member of the band Sukarma.
The opening of the event featured a percussion ensemble led by Pt. Samir Dey, comprising 14 percussionists. The performance was accompanied by tabla and madal. Similarly, Sugama Gautam on stotram and harmonium, and Yetiraj Adhikari on violin, were also part of the performance.
The percussionists in the ensemble included Jagannath Dhaugada, Thakur Chhatkuli, Satyendra Bhattarai, Sambhu Shrestha, Nikhil Bista, Bipin Karki, Santosh Tharu, Nabin Shrestha, Ritish Lamsal, Rhythm Gandharva, Praharsha Maharjan, Dipak Sapkota, Anil Thapa, and Aayush Dhungel.
One of the standout moments of the event was the vocal recital by Pt. Harish Tiwari, a senior disciple of Bharat Ratna Pt. Bhimsen Joshi. Accompanied by Pt. Samir Dey on tabla, Shree Umesh Raj Khadka on harmonium, and his disciple Samundra Bhattarai on tanpura, the performance was further graced by Navnit Kaushal.
The evening concluded with a mesmerizing performance by flute maestro Pt. Rupak Kulkarni, a senior disciple of Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, alongside his student, Nagendra Bikram Rai. The performance also featured Pt. Shailendra Mishra (India) on tabla.
Speaking at the event, Pt. Samir Dey expressed heartfelt gratitude to the people of Nepal and emphasized the deep cultural and musical bond between Nepal and India. He called upon all Nepali musicians to unite, support one another, and continue preserving and promoting this rich heritage.
“With your support, I dream of organizing more such grand events in the near future,” he said, closing with a message of unity, devotion, and continued cultural collaboration.
