Malhar Bhattacharya - sarod
Dibyarka Chatterjee - tabla

Mallar Bhattacharya was initiated into the world of Indian Classical Music by his father, Dr. Jahar Bhattacharya, a longtime viola student of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. As a teenager, Mallar became interested in the sarode, one of the major instruments of the Maihar Gharana, and began to learn from the great sarode player Ustad Aashish Khan, now his Guru. Mallar, influenced by his Guruji, and by his father, as well as by learned Maihar sarodist Dr. George Ruckert, gravitated to California in 2001, where he learned directly from Ustad Ali Akbar Khan for several years. Mallar is fortunate  to continue his studies both from his Guru, Ustad Aashish Khan, and via the immense archival holdings of the Ali Akbar College. Mallar tied his “knot” or ganda of discipleship with Aashish Khansaheb in 2011. Mallar’s style is notable for rich tonal coloring and a traditional, dhrupad-ang approach to phrasing and development. He lives and performs in the Bay Area.