Catherine Potter - A Canadian Pioneer of Indian Classical Music

This past December 3rd, Canada lost one of its greatest pioneers of Indian classical music - bansuri player Catherine Potter. A disciple of Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Catherine was one of Canada's top practitioners of Indian classical music, and was internationally renowned as a performer of bansuri.

Over the years, I had the fortune to perform with Catherine in a variety of settings - accompanying her in performances of Indian classical music, sitting in with the Duniya Project, accompanying her as a guest with fusion group Ragleela, and performing as part of the electronica group Ramasutra. But, before all that, before I even began to play tabla, Catherine was an important inspiration. The first-ever concert of Indian classical music that I ever attended was Catherine's bansuri recital. She encouraged me to begin my study of tabla, and put me in touch with my first tabla teacher in Montreal. In the years that followed, we would sometimes practice together, and whenever we met, Catherine would ask about my tabla practice and encourage me to push forward.

Here is a photo from an Indian classical music performance, accompanying Catherine back in 2008.

While many of us knew that Catherine was ill, her passing still came as a shock. News of her passing travelled like a wave through music circles around the world. In the days that followed, it became evident just how many people were touched by Catherine and her music. The world has indeed lost a great artist.

I have assembled a collection of links to newspaper articles published since Catherine's passing:

Globe and Mail - http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20101223.OBPOTTERATL/BDAStory/BDA/deaths

The Montreal Gazette - http://www.montrealgazette.com/entertainment/Musician+Catherine+Potter+fused+East+West/3958933/story.html

La Presse (in French) - http://www.cyberpresse.ca/arts/musique/201012/06/01-4349528-la-flutiste-catherine-potter-nest-plus.php

Le Devoir (in French) - http://m.ledevoir.com/culture/actualites-culturelles/312510/en-bref-deces-de-la-flutiste-catherine-potter

Catherine's memorial service will be held on January 22. All the details can be found here: http://www.memoria.ca/FuneralsSearch/?q=Potter&id=4637

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A Quick Update on Recent Activities

Things have been really busy these past several weeks with many great projects. Here is a quick rundown of what's been going on.

First, in January, I performed tabla solo for the Abhilasha Project's fundraiser concert. In February, another fundraiser concert - this time, for the Montreal Heart of the City Piano Program, and a performance of Payton MacDonald's marimba and tabla duo, Jugalbandi, with marimbist Catherine Meunier. We also recorded some music by composer Luigi Allemano for an upcoming National Film Board short film.

Performing Jugalbandi with Catherine Meunier

March included a recording and performance with Francophone singer/poet Mathieu Lippé in Quebec City, a jazz performance with pianist John Roney, and Bhumi Pranam, a Bharat Natyam performance with Ginette Dion's Sattvika Danse.

My setup for accompanying John Roney included tabla (3 dahinas),

shakers, and a variety of Sabian cymbals that I played with both hands and sticks.

(Special thanks to Ji for the photo!)

Coming next are performances with contemporary violinist Parmela Attariwala in Toronto, and pop singer Yann Perreau's album launch in Montreal.