“As the tanpuras began to play, the mood changed and images of India began to emerge. Christopher Ris, a disciple of Ali Akbar Khan for nearly 25 years, played the sarod with the evocative and passionate style for which his teacher is so famous. He began slowly, like a storyteller introducing his cast of characters. As the epic unfolded he was joined by Nikhil Pandya on tabla. Together they wove a rich tale filled with whispered secrets and bold dancing rhythms.”

Back

“Christopher Ris deserves mention not because he is a Westerner opting for an Eastern classical medium, but because he is a very sensitive and melodious artist in his own right.”

Back

“Christopher Ris, the talented sarod player who hails from a different musical culture, has learned much of the technique and has captured the spirit of our music with absorbing tunefulness and emotive expression.“

Back

“The concert, presented by the Indian Association of Bern, featured Christopher Ris, (a Bernese who grew up in America) who is a student of Ali Akbar Khan in California.  His performance proved him to be a very subtle and sensitive sarod player . . . Ris played with that kind of artistic perfection that is a prerequisite for an intuitive interpretation of the ragas.”

Back

“The main exponents of this rich, meditative world of sound were two artists who live in America and who deserve further attention: Christopher Ris and Marni Ris. Both artists elicited enthusiasm not only from the Bernese audience but also the attending members of the Indian Embassy who attested to the authenticity of style and great skill of the artists.”

Back