Himalayan Duo

Himalayan Duo is a brand new project initiated in 2019 by Navin Chettri on drums/vocals and Bijay Shrestha on sitar/tabla blending and exploring the traditions of Hindustani Classical musical elements with textural and rhythmic sensibilities of jazz drumming.

Navin Chettri is a percussionist, vocalist, composer, and educator. He is the Founder & Artistic Director of The Kathmandu Jazz Festival (Jazzmandu) and “Drum Jatra” Percussion Festival in Nepal and the Artistic Director of the World Music Celebration at the Lionel Hampton School of Music in the US. His background and knowledge of music are a blend of Indian classical / Nepali folk musical traditions, Afro- Caribbean / Brazilian rhythms and jazz.

A Hampton Scholar, with a Master’s in percussion performance and composition from the Lionel Hampton School of Music at the University of Idaho (UI), Navin has also served as a professor of percussion at the University of Idaho and  Jazz Percussion at the Washington State University.

Bijay Shrestha was born to Tabla Maestro Rabin Lal Shrestha and sitar player Bina Shrestha. Coming from a musical family and under the guidance of his father Maestro Rabin Lal Shrestha, Bijay completed a master’s degree in tabla at the age of 18.

Along with tabla Bijay also started learning sitar under the guidance of Sitar Maestra Uma Thapa. As a result of his numerous years of training in both sitar and tabla, he is hailed as one of the most promising, young exponents of classical music, who constantly endeavors to infuse interest and respect for this traditional art in the hearts and minds of the younger generation.

Bijay has shared the stage with the world-renowned flutist Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia and has recorded in critically acclaimed recordings such as Maestro Duets on Sarod, Moods of Meed, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Live in Nepal.

Navin Chettri – lead vocals/drums/percussion
Bijay Shrestha  – sitar & tabla