Parteek Bansal

My name is Parteek and I have been performing and teaching Tabla for over 20 years. I recently created Tabla PDX, a Portland-based music academy and my mission is encourage the study and exploration of classical Indian percussion music in my community.

I began learning Tabla as a child at his local New Jersey Gurdwara (house of worship). After years of learning and accompanying in kirtan, I extended his education and training under Pt. Paramjyoti, a disciple of Ustad Amir Hussain Khan of Farrukhabad Gharana. In 2003 I continued learning from Sajjad Chowdhry, a senior student of Ustad Shabbir Nisar of Purab Gharana (‘Purab’ refers to both Lucknow and Farrukhabad Gharanas, or schools).

In subsequent years, I attended workshops with Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pt. Yogesh Samsi, and sat with numerous senior students of renown masters, namely Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri and the late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. 

I have had the privilege of accompanying many more first-class musicians in the San Francisco and Sacramento areas, namely Matthew Grasso (Raga Guitar), Alex Jenkins (Tabla), Steve Oda (Sarod), Ravi Pandita (Violin), Ganesh Swami (Singer), Leslie Schneider (Singer), Raja Sivamani (Veena).

I worked at the Ali Akbar Khan College of Music store alongside the wonderful musicians (Kalyan, Robbie Belgrade, and Bruce Hamm) and gained incredible insight from hands-on instrument repair, assembly, maintenance, sales, and performance.