Biography
Aditya Verma, whose roots lie in India, spent his formative years in Montreal, Canada, and now divides his residence between Toronto and his homeland. His trajectory has followed a steady upward course since the final years of the 1990s. Masterful on the sarod, the unfretted Northern Indian lute, he renders classical ragas while building an array of partnerships in world fusion. Performances regularly carry him through North America, Europe, and India, most often in tandem with tabla player Vineet Vyas. Recordings have appeared on several niche world-music labels that remain difficult to locate.
Verma’s childhood unfolded in Montreal within a household steeped in Indian customs. At a young age his father introduced him to the tabla, the paired hand drums of the classical tradition. In 1987 he relocated to India for intensive study at the Maihar Senia Gharana, where his mentors included Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and sarod master Aashish Khan. Returning to Canada, he made Toronto his base and quickly attracted an audience among world-music listeners. Skill and stage presence soon placed him on the national festival circuit. In 1999 he joined Vyas, sitarist Gaurav Mazumdar, an opera company, and a chamber orchestra for concerts across India and France. The next year he appeared with the Washington Symphony Orchestra before 500,000 listeners at a Washington, DC gathering devoted to world peace. Also in 2000 he issued the album Sarod on Oliver Sudden—still his most readily obtainable release—and launched the trio Tantra with Vyas and guitarist Joyananda Anandasivam to fuse raga and jazz.
Verma’s childhood unfolded in Montreal within a household steeped in Indian customs. At a young age his father introduced him to the tabla, the paired hand drums of the classical tradition. In 1987 he relocated to India for intensive study at the Maihar Senia Gharana, where his mentors included Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan, and sarod master Aashish Khan. Returning to Canada, he made Toronto his base and quickly attracted an audience among world-music listeners. Skill and stage presence soon placed him on the national festival circuit. In 1999 he joined Vyas, sitarist Gaurav Mazumdar, an opera company, and a chamber orchestra for concerts across India and France. The next year he appeared with the Washington Symphony Orchestra before 500,000 listeners at a Washington, DC gathering devoted to world peace. Also in 2000 he issued the album Sarod on Oliver Sudden—still his most readily obtainable release—and launched the trio Tantra with Vyas and guitarist Joyananda Anandasivam to fuse raga and jazz.
Albums
Singles
