Bios

Shawn P. Russell - World Percussionist

Shawn's musical journey began early on the drum set. Later, while studying jazz drumming and composition at Berklee College of Music, his musical life was changed forever after seeing performances by Jamey Haddad and Glen Velez. Inspired by the mesmerizing rhythms and virtuosity, Shawn began his studies in percussion styles from around the world.

He began study of frame drum and tambourine styles with Jamey Haddad. It was then he was also intoduced to the amazing world of South Indian percussion. After Berklee, he continued his study of world rhythms, frame drums and South Indian music, as well as studying with internationally reknowned master percussionist Glen Velez.

Shawn performs on a wide variety of instruments, but with sitarist David Pontbriand, he concentrates on the South Indian classical instruments kanjira and ghatam.

Currently, Shawn is studying ghatam under vidwan Ghatam V. Suresh.

David Pontbriand - American Sitarist

David’s musical journey began early on the drum set. However, by 1964, under the influence of the Beatles, he had switched to guitar. Nine years later in 1973, inspired by the Indian classical music of Ravi Shankar & Ali Akbar Khan, he acquired his first sitar. Except for short forays into the world of classical guitar, piano, and composition on synthesizers, sitar has been the primary focus of his musical attention since that time.

In the world of classical sitar David Pontbriand is a rare exception to the rule, being both self-taught and left-handed. From the unique background of an American sitarist, he has developed an intuitive and emotive style that is deeply personal, with a classical approach steeped in the traditional ragas of the Hindustani music of north India.

Since 1997 he has performed primarily as a classical soloist on sitar and surbahar, often with tabla accompaniment in the traditional genre. He has also performed with numerous ensembles including Raga Trio, Collective Consciousness, Boston Musica Viva, The Longfellow Chorus, and as an accompanist with Anoushka Shankar.

In addition to public and private concert performances, Pontbriand has regularly taught private lessons in his Portland studio, and at various other locations throughout New England.

He has also been active on the applied music faculty of Bates College since 2004.

In 2007 David has formed the duo Om Rasa, with multi-percussionist Shawn Russell, to explore new forms and original material, and to introduce a new collaborative approach to accompanied performances.