Toronto Tabla Ensemble

The Toronto Tabla Ensemble (TTE) is a non-profit charitable organization founded by Artistic Director and tabla master Ritesh Das. The performing ensemble has toured Canada coast-to-coast six times, toured Australia in 2006, and India in 2011.

Toronto Tabla Ensemble
The Toronto Tabla Ensemble in concert
The Toronto Tabla Ensemble in concert
Background information
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresNorth Indian Classical, World
Years active1991–present
LabelsIndependent
MembersRitesh Das
Razak Pirani
Shamir Panchal
Nivethan Velauthapillai
Alysha Addetia
Websitewww.torontotabla.com

Since 1996 the TTE has produced numerous music videos and seven albums, including Firedance, which received a nomination for the Juno Award for Best Global Album. Their original music has been used in numerous films and commercials, and in 2003 the Ensemble was commissioned to create the theme music for CBC Radio’s daily morning show, Metro Morning.[1][2]

History

Ritesh Das founded the Toronto Tabla Ensemble in 1991 when he first presented a group of his students at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. From then on his mission was to collaborate with other artists and cultures. One of his first collaborations was with Japanese Taiko drummer Kiyoshi Nagata who later went on to form Nagata Shachu. Other collaborator include: kathak dancers Pandit Chitesh Das, multi-instrumentalist George Koller, composer Donald Quan, flamenco artist Esmeralda Enrique and in 2006 the TTE paired up with Canadian musician Jeff Martin from The Tea Party and toured Canada and Australia.

Their latest collaboration featured bagpiper Craig Downie from Enter the Haggis and created a music video 'Unexpected Guests' featuring over 50 artists which was completed a few weeks before the pandemic outbreak in March 2020.[3][4][5]

25 years

In 2016 the Toronto Tabla Ensemble celebrated its 25th anniversary with a pair of concerts at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto. This was the official debut of the Toronto Tabla Youth Ensemble and featured brand new music composed by Artistic Director Ritesh Das. In addition to the tabla, students played South Indian mridangam, ghatam, and keyboard, and also launched the JAMKat. For this event, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, wrote a congratulatory letter which was presented by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Arif Virani, during the concert. The concert was supported in part by Ontario Arts Council.

Indian Diaspora Festival

In 2014 the Toronto Tabla Ensemble launched an innovative festival called the Indian Diaspora Festival.[6] The sold out festival launch featured performances of Indian dance and music performed by local and international artists. The tabla player was a student of Ritesh Das trained in Toronto while the kathak dancer was a student of Das' late brother Pandit Chitresh Das from California.[7]

Discography
  • Toronto Tabla Ensemble (1996)
  • Second Palla (1998)
  • Firedance (2000)
  • Weaving (2002)
  • Compilations (2007)
  • Alankar (2008)
  • Bhumika (2018)
  • Unexpected Guests (2020)

Awards and nominations
  • 2021 Global Music Award: Composing and Sound Editing/Mixing for 'Unexpected Guests' [8]
  • 2020 Canadian Ethnic Media Awards: for 'Unexpected Guests'[9]
  • 2020 Canadian Folk Music Awards: Nominated Best World and Best Instrumental Group for 'Bhumika'[10]
  • 2019 Independent Music Award: Best World Traditional for 'Faceoff'[11]
  • 2019 Independent Music Award: Nomination Best Music Video for 'Faceoff' [11]
  • 2019 Toronto Short Film Festival: Best Music Video for 'Faceoff' [12]
  • 2019 Delhi Shorts International Film Festival: Best Music Video for 'Faceoff'[13]
  • 2018 Global Music Award: Composing/Composition for 'Bhumika' [14]
  • 2018 Grant's Desi Achievers Award: Composer Ritesh Das [15]
  • 2018 Toronto Arts Foundation 'Celebration of Cultural Life' Nominee: Ritesh Das [16][17]
  • 2016 Toronto Arts Foundation 'Roy Thomson Hall Award' Recipient: Ritesh Das [16]
  • 2000 JUNO Awards: Nominees for 'Firedance' [18]

References
  1. "CBC Metro Morning". CBC. Retrieved 30 March 2012.
  2. "Acclaimed Independent Band Exploring World Music". Washington Bangla Radio. Retrieved 15 April 2012.
  3. "Review". Songlines. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  4. "Harbourfront Centre - Music". www.harbourfrontcentre.com. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  5. Andrew Hudson (2015-01-27). "World-class tabla school opens up shop on Gerrard". Beach Metro Community News. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  6. "What's On: Opens Streets Toronto, Cultural Fests and Axe Throwing". CBC. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  7. CanIndia. "Toronto Tabla Ensemble launches innovative new festival". Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  8. "Global Music Awards - Music Competition". www.globalmusicawards.com. Retrieved 2021-01-11.
  9. "2020 Awards | CANADIAN ETHNIC MEDIA ASSOCIATION". Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  10. "THE CANADIAN FOLK MUSIC AWARDS ANNOUNCE 2020 NOMINEES | Canadian Folk Music Awards". Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  11. "Past IMA Programs". Independent Music Awards. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  12. "2019 | Toronto Short Film Festival". Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  13. "7th Delhi Shorts International Film Festival".
  14. "Winners-Nov--2018". www.globalmusicawards.com. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  15. "COVER STORY". Desi News — Celebrating our 24th well-read year!. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  16. "Current Award Finalists and Past Recipients - Toronto Arts Foundation". torontoartsfoundation.org. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  17. adm_now (2018-05-15). "Toronto Arts Foundation awards highlight some of the best creative minds in the city". NOW Magazine. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
  18. "2000 | Best Global Album | Toronto Tabla Ensemble and Friends |". The JUNO Awards. Retrieved 2020-12-29.
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