Swapan Chaudhuri

Maestro Swapan Chaudhuri is a phenomenon in the arena of Indian Classical Music. Musicians honor him as one of the most respected Tabla players, worthy of highest regard worldwide. It was Swapan’s beloved parents, through their own passion for music, who initiated his formal musical training and inspired him in the field of Tabla, paving the path that would eventually lead him to virtuosity.

Swapan started learning Tabla at the age of five. He bases his style on the intensive training he received from his Guru, the late Pandit Santosh Krishna Biswas of Calcutta, the eminent exponent of the Lucknow Gharana. He holds a Master’s degree in music and has been conferred honors for his distinguished contributions in the field of Tabla by various academic and musical institutions. He also holds a Degree in Economics from Jadhavpur University, Calcutta.

Chaudhuri is a recipient of the prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy Award from the Government of India, and the American Academy of Artists Award, both of which are reserved only for those artists who have attained the highest level of artistry. He has received the Excellence in Performing Arts Award from the Global Indian Congress in San Francisco, and has been nominated to the esteemed International Percussive Arts Society's Hall of Fame. In 2019, he was awarded the highest civilian honor from the government of India, the Padma Sri, for his contribution to the arts. The same year, he was conferred an honorary Doctorate from Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, India.

Swapan Chaudhuri has held the position as Director of Percussion at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, California and in Basil, Switzerland, since 1981, where students from all over the world receive intensive training in Tabla. He is also the ex Department Chairperson and current faculty member of the World Music Department, at California Institute of the Arts in Los Angeles, California. In addition to teaching year round, Swapan maintains a rigorous touring and recording schedule worldwide. He resides in San Rafael California, with his wife Jane, and son’s Ishan and Nilan.