Santoor Lesson for Beginners

Sandip Chatterjee will begin this course by introducing students to the Santoor, detailing the construction and purpose of each element of the instrument. Afterward, students will learn proper posture, positioning, and handling of the instrument during play to ensure each note is played with clarity. As students become more comfortable with their instrument, sargams and tuning will be covered next. With practice and discipline, each student will develop an ear for tune and learn to hear when their instrument is ready for a tune-up. Lastly, Chatterjee will guide students through detailing on Sur and Tala, as well as introducing chandams and ragas to the new musicians.

ABOUT THE TEACHER: Sandip Chatterjee is a Santoor player with 25 years of experience. A disciple of Pandit Tarun Bhattacharya and Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty, Chatterjee is known for his mastery of two Gharanas at once; Maihar and Patiala. He has collaborated with ‘Calcutta Express’ and received a nomination for finalist in the Indo Acoustic Project’s “Best CDs of 2006” award in the World Music category. Through the years, Chatterjee’s albums have reached over 20 in number, and his expertise has been sought by many renowned musicians and musical directors including A. R. Rahman, Jatin Lalit, Gulshan Kumar, Rabindra Jain, and more. In addition to his many musical endeavors, Chatterjee is also serving as a master instructor to students from across the globe.