Hindol Deb

Beschreibung

Hindol’s journey into the world of Sitar and music began at an early age, influenced by a family deeply rooted in classical and folk musical traditions. He started learning Sitar at the age of five from his father, Sri Panchanan Sardar, and later advanced his training under Pandit Santosh Banerji from the Rampur Gharana and Pandit Deepak Chaudhury from the Maihar Gharana. During his formative years, he was exposed to the music of several maestros such as Ali Akbar Khan, Nikhil Banerji, Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, Vilayat Khan, Ravi Shankar, Bhimsen Joshi, Girija Devi, and MS Subbulakshmi, among others.
Deeply influenced by the Dhrupad Ang and the playing technique of Veena (Been Ang), Hindol
has crafted his own style to suit the Sitar, integrating teachings from various gurus. His quest for knowledge of different musical forms led him to earn a Master’s in Music Jazz Instrumental from the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz in Köln. Additionally, he completed a certificate course in Music Pedagogy from Landesmusikakademie in Heek, blending this new knowledge with his traditional training.
These achievements, along with his comprehensive understanding of both Eastern and Western musical traditions, have equipped Hindol with a holistic perspective that informs his artistic endeavors. Indian classical music, being the only genre using all microtones with
intricate movements in the form of glides, is fully utilized by Hindol. As noted by Indian music
critic Prakash Wadhera: “Hindol’s playing is characterized by a combination of technical
finesse and a deep sense of maturity.”
In his performances, Hindol explores the infinite melodic combinations of a given Raga
through various parameters such as dynamics, tension and release, Raga attributes, and
playing techniques, while consciously maintaining the mood of the Raga. His high technical finesse, rhythmic play, and knowledge of different Ragas and their psycho-acoustic effects come together to provide a unique musical experience for his listeners. He has released three Indian classical music albums to his credit.
Hindol has also been exploring the fusion of Indian music with various other genres like
Contemporary Western Classical, Jazz, Flamenco, and Nordic Folk. His debut jazz-crossover album, “Essence of Duality,” was released in 2021, followed by a tour in Germany and India to perform at Jazz festivals. His latest ensemble, ‘SAMHITA,’ featuring 14 jazz and crossover musicians, is a rare initiative where the Sitar plays a very different role.
Hindol served as the artistic director of the quartet ‘Migrantis Aves,’ which featured
traditional instruments from different parts of the world, playing both original and traditional
compositions from Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Greece, and India. He is also a regular member of several ensembles, including Beyond the Roots Ensemble (traditional and contemporary
music), Fountainhead (Medieval music), Northlight (Indo-Nordic music quartet), and Eternal Voyage (a septet by Markus Stockhausen). Hindol was invited as a soloist to perform ‘Ceremony of Innocence’ with the WDR Funkhaus Orchestra, composed for Sitar and Orchestra by Filip Sijanec from London, which was recorded and broadcasted live. He also performed Maestro Ravi Shankar’s Sitar Concerto 1 with Junge Symphoniker in Hamburg and recently participated in the Bridges Chamber Music Orchestra in Frankfurt. He has toured extensively in India and Europe, giving concerts of Indian classical music.
Throughout his career, Hindol has been honored with prestigious scholarships and music
residencies, including the Research Scholarship for Intercultural Ensemble from Koeln
Kulturamt, the Scholarship for Repertoire Creation from Landesmusikrat NRW, the Indo-
German Research Project “Roots & Shoots” by Goethe Institute, Munich, and the Sahitya Kala
Parishad Scholarship and National Scholarship for Sitar. He has also been invited for music
residencies such as RECOLLETS French Ministry of Culture France and ETHNO Rikskonserter Sweden. These experiences have enriched his artistic practice and deepened his commitment to promoting cultural exchange and fostering dialogue through music.
Hindol has had the privilege of collaborating with a diverse array of artists and musicians on
projects that push the boundaries of musical expression, from classical Indian music duets to
crossover projects with world-renowned artists like Marina Abramovic, Renaud Garcia Fons,
Markus Stockhausen, George Xylouris, Sebastian Gramss, Mattias Perez to name a few.
Hindol regularly teaches at different Universities including Popakademie in Mannheim and
gives workshop on music at several music schools like Rheinische Musikschule, Hochschule für Musik, Landesmusikakademie among others.