Bhupinder Singh Chaggar - Tabla
Described as a “crème de la crème” Tabla player after his stunning solo performance at the Darbar Festival Leicester, UK. 2008
An exceptionally musical and dynamic Tabla player based in Leeds, U.K. He is one of the leading disciples of the renowned Tabla Maestro and Gharanadar of the Benares gharana, Pandit Sharda Sahai Ji, who is the direct descendant of Pandit Ram Sahai Ji, the founder of this Gharana. He has been learning his art in the traditional way of learning Indian Classical Music, the ‘Guru-Shishya parampara’. Bhupinder is a Degree holder (BSc Hons) in Music Technology. He is also a Lecturer (to present) at the Leeds College of Music where he teaches on HE programmes such as music production, studio musicianship and music performance.
It was the influences of all the music around Bhupinder that gave him a very wide palette of the different musical genres. He has toured in the UK and Europe extensively and has played in India dazzling audiences with his performances.
As a professional Musician Bhupinder has work with:
• Performance with the Halle Orchestra(2008)
• Performance at the Royal Festival Hall with Free Spirits at London Jazz festival (2007)
• Duet percussion performance with Master percussionist Rui Junior in Portugal (2006) International Percussion festival
• Many Indian Classical Musicians – incl. Sri Harjinderpal Singh, Sri Dharambir Singh, Sri Kushal Das Ji, Smt. Purnima Chaudhari, Sri Snehashish Mazjumdar, H.H. Swami Gokul Utsav Ji Maharaj, Sri Anindya Banerjee, Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty, Reena Shrivastav and Sanchita Pal
Touring:
• Tour in India in 2005 as a soloist
• Extensive touring with Maestro Flamenco Guitarist, Eduardo Neibla in UK and Europe
• UK tour with SAMAY
• UK tour with Free Spirits (Jazz services UK - promoters choice AWARD winning band)
• UK tour with Fusion band RAGA NOVA
Landmark performances:
• Solo performances in India – in the presence of India’s most senior Musicians (2005)
• Solo performance at Darbar in the precsense of India’s foremost musicians (2008) to be televised on Sky Arts in August 2008 - READ REVIEW
• Solo performance in the Purcell Room (2003)
• Two Duet Tabla performances with Tabla Maestro, Pandit Sharda Sahai Ji
• Brecon Jazz festival – 2006 & 2007
• Whitby Musicport (world music festival) 2004, 2006, 2007
• Popular mainstream artists such as, soul singer Jocelyn Brown
• Mercury award nominee band, Black Star Liner
• Darshan Bhuller (phoenix Dance co.)
• Akram Khan
• TV CHANNELS - BBC 1, 2 & 4, Yorkshire ITV, SKY – numerous channels and shows; Radio 3 In-tune (Sean Rafferty); BBC Radio Leeds (numerous occasions); BBC ASIAN NETWORK Radio – Niki Bedi Show and Adil Ray;
• Queen Elizabeth Hall, Royal Festival Hall, Purcell Room, The Sage, Bridgewater Hall, Sheffield City Hall, Turner Simms, Semley Music Festival, Swaledale, Mac, CBSO,
Recordings & Productions:
• Conjunction – Free Spirits, TUK TUK Records 2006
• Carl Herring - 2007
• Songs for a Global Journey – 2008
• My Dads corner Shop – Theatre score (2004)
• The world in a square mile –
• Urban Leeds – 2006
• Numerous productions for PINJAB Ltd. – Leeds based production company
• Darshan Bhuller (phoenix Dance co.)
• Leeds Mela – 5years
• Leeds International Film Festival
• SAMYO –South Asian Youth Music Festival (percussion director)
• KUSHBOO – Premiere Live Indian Music Clubnight in Leeds
• West Yorkshire Playhouse - All productions from 2000 – 2002 - Warren Mitchell, Reece Dinsdale were just some of the actors that Bhupinder had the opportunity of working with.
• Score for C4 film, ‘Pylon’
Community Work:
Bhupinder is a vibrant soul and is very keen in passing on his knowledge and experience in the industry and has done numerous workshops/master-classes/residencies and is a regular teacher in schools in and around Leeds and in Denmark. He has recently setup an organisation called ‘Uthan’ (www.uthan.org.uk) in Leeds to promote the performance and education of Tabla. He was recently invited to perform at the Portugal Rufar 2006 international percussion festival. Bhupinder worked alongside his Guru Ji in a 2year long, landmark project called ‘Sangeet Tabla’ organised by SAA-UK where he taught up to 45 Tabla students all of varying levels. He also continues this work in a yearly summer school as well as regular weekly classes.