Press Review Raka Mukherjee interview on the Global Village Magazine, Australia 2006
Sunday 14 May GLOBAL VILLAGE from 3pm to 5pm with Roger Holdsworth

Raka Mukherjee is one of India's foremost classical musicians and a great Hindustani vocalist. In Melbourne to perform two concerts with Ustad Aminul Haque on Harmonium and Glen Kniebeiss on Tabla, Raka will be interviewed in the Global Village, where we will explore the background to these musical forms and talk about the journeys that have led her to such prominence. ABOUT
Raka Mukherjee has succesfully toured Europe with much critical acclaim. Now at long last, she is touring Australia in May, before embarking upon her USA tour schedule.Rakaji has a melodious voice, of wide range and power. Clear vision of ragas,and ability to portray them vividly in all their many splendoured details. Farflung flights of musical imagination, lending a special dimension to elaborations and improvisations. A wealth of widely varying expressions, packed with emotion and sentiment but moving always within the boundaries of the discipline and restraint demanded by our Indian Classical music. A sparkling combination of all the above traits is Raka Mukherjee who has carved out a niche for herself in the musical world, at home and abroad.

Raga possesses a clear vision of ragas,and ability to portray them vividly in all their many splendoured details. Farflung flights of musical imagination, lending a special dimension to elaborations and improvisations. A wealth of widely varying expressions, packed with emotion and sentiment but moving always within the boundaries of the discipline and restraint demanded by our Indian Classical music. A sparkling combination of all the above traits is Raka Mukherjee who has carved out a niche for herself in the musical world, at home and abroad.

Rakaji is equally adept in all classical and semi- classical forms,e.g. Kheyal, Thumri, Dadra and Bhajan. She especially enjoys creating a devotional spiritual mood in her song. Mastering melody with magical effect she creates a sense of yearning and longing that personally touches the hearts of her western and indian audiences alike.
Flagged off on her trek through music by Sri Sachin Roy when she was only six, she finally had extensive training from Pandit Jnan Prakash Ghosh. For one decade, thereafter she had been under the training and guidance of Pandit Kala Chand Lahiri tor a long fifteen years and now she is under the tutelage of renowned musicologist Pandit Kumar Prasad Mukherjee. An "A" grade artiste of All India Radio and Television, Raka is being featured regularly on radio and television networks and has appeared on the National Program of All India Radio. Her concerts at European countries had been widely acclaimed by the music connoisseur. Raka is equally adept in all classical and semi- classical forms,e.g. Kheyal, Thumri, Dadra and Bhajan
It is small wonder that such a musician would be hailed by connoisseurs and critics' alike. This is amply reflected in a few excerpts from the many rave reviews she has received.