Sandeep Das

Sandeep Das is one of the leading Indian Tabla virtuosos in the world today. A disciple of the legendary Pt. Kishan Maharaj ji of the Banaras Gharana, he debuted at the age of 17 with renowned sitarist Pt. Ravi Shankar ji and went on to lead a prolific international career that now spans more than three decades. He has collaborated with top musicians and ensembles from across the globe such as Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, with whom he has performed for the past 21 years, as well as Paquito D’Rivera, Bobby McFerrin, and iconic orchestras like the New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony, among others. 

A Grammy winning-musician and Guggenheim Fellow, Das’ groundbreaking new music projects sit at the crucible of ancient tradition and modern innovation, enchanting audiences worldwide. His original compositions have been performed in over 50 countries at venues like China’s Forbidden City Concert Hall, Australia’s Sydney Opera House, and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles. Transcending Borders One Note at a Time, his most recent project, was launched in 2020 to widespread international acclaim, and seeks to harness the power of music to catalyze positive social change. 

Driven by a vision for a brighter future, Das is the founder of Layālaya, a nonprofit arts organization in the U.S. that creates arts experiences that connect people across time, place, and culture. In India, he founded the nonprofit Harmony and Universality through Music (HUM), which has promoted global understanding through music performance and provided learning opportunities and scholarships for visually-impaired children with artistic potential since 2009. He is also an active public speaker, and has presented at the New York Encounter, the EG Conference, TEDx events, and multiple university residencies. In 2015, he established Das Tabla School, where he currently trains musicians from more than six countries both online and in-person in Boston, MA.