Sisir Kona DharChaudhuri, violinist --a disciple of renowned Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit V.G Jog, is ranked among Indias premier exponents of Hindustani classical music. Sisirkana has performed frequently on All India Radio and Television and is a 1997 recipient of Indias prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy award for her contribution to the field of Hindustani classical violin. But her renown does not come remotely close to matching her amazing gifts and accomplishments. Even though she is one of the greatest Hindustani violinists, there is not a single recording of her music commercially available anywhere. She plays both violin and viola, and has added a fifth melody string, and several resonating strings, to each. In concert she often plays the alap on the viola, then switches to the violin to play the gat and variations on a different but closely related raga. Every musical tradition that has adopted the violin has developed a different standard for how the instrument is suppose ...more