Péter Szalai

Peter Szalai plays North-Indian classical music and is one of the best west-born tabla musicians of our time. The tabla is also a curiosity even among other Indian percussion instruments: it can be tuned to a specific pitch. The many layers of skin and the special finger technique ensures a distinctive polyrhythmical sound. Because of all this the tabla does not only fill the role of a rhythmical instrument, but it also has a rich tone and musicality. In the beginning Peter Szalai was the student of the magnificent Anthony Dass (Delhi gharana) between 1982 and 1984 in both Budapest and India. The world-famous tabla master, Ustad Alla Rakha invited him to be his student. Upon his effect he still strictly follows the traditions of the Punjab gharana. Parallel to this, he also developed a special master-student bond with Pandit Ravi Shankar, who he considers his guru (master) not only in the field of Indian classical music. Beside being a frequent guest of several Indian music festivals, he has intensive and lasting connections with his master's sons - Ustad Zakir Hussain, Fazal Qureshi and Taufiq Qureshi - even after the death of Ustad Alla Rakha in 2000. As the member of the Calcutta Trio he plays classical Indian music since 1980 to this very day. The club of the formation is still functioning and meets monthly. A biographical documentary is being made in 2011 about Peter Szalai.