Stephanie Donchey has been playing the sitar for over 27 years. She lived in Benares, India for nearly 4 years, during which time she studied the sitar with well-known Varanasi sitarist, Shree Amarnath Mishra, who plays in the "gayaki" or vocal style of sitar playing. Stephanie has performed extensively in both small and larger venues in Montreal, Los Angeles and Olympia, which has been her home for more than a decade. Playing sitar solo, accompanied by tablas, is traditional in an Indian classical concert, but Stephanie has also performed with piano, cello, viola, violin, guitar, flute, clarinet, sarod, and bansuri - Indian bamboo flute.  Stephanie continues her devotion to Northern Indian classical music with her current ensemble, Rag Dharma. She also teaches Indian music to students of all ages. Stephanie is a passsionate fan of the music and dance traditions of west Africa (Mali, Senegal, Guinea), Brazil, Cuba, Mexico, eastern European Klezmer, and looks forward to fusing contemporary musical genres with Indian melodies and rhythms!

Celia Chantal was born into a family of jazz and classical musicians. She was encouraged and supported in music from an early age, and inspired by her father Syd Potter, a professional jazz musician. By age 10 she was playing silver flute, first chair, in the Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra. These experiences were complimented by an unconventional upbringing involving travel around the country and attendance at Waldorf Schools. Her primary inspirations are from jazz, Celtic, Middle Eastern and East Indian which she performs with flute, guitar, harp or vocals. Celia is an aspiring singer/composer and enjoys leading Kirtans and devotional singing. She has a deep reverence and respect for East Indian classical music and is thrilled to have been studying and performing with her teacher and friend sitar player Stephanie Donchey, and vocal teacher Devi Prassad.

as-salaamu'alaykum, shalom, namaste! 

Erik Siraaj Correia was born in New England, his family encouraged musical talents through piano lessons and an early exposure to diverse musical forms. As a teen, Erik taught himself to play Guitar utilizing his beginning piano books. After leaving the East Coast, he traveled throughout the U.S, studying flute, trumpet, alto saxophone, harmonica, bass guitar, banjo, and various hand drums while deepening his understanding of the music. 

His involvement with the sacred music of India began in Santa Fe, New Mexico with instrument builder and multi-instrumentalist Matthew Autry. The two explored "just intonation", worked on harmonic theory, and learned much of the Indian Classical music-speak. When Erik moved to Olympia, WA, he continued the study of Indian Classical music with sitarist Stephanie Donchey, tabla players John Abrahams and Alexei duCré, flautist Celia Chantal, and other guest musicians. 

Scott Nicolow started his journey into traditional drumming by serving a five year apprenticeship with C.K. Ganyo, a legendary Master Drummer and Dancer from Ghana, West Africa. During this time Scott also studied, played, and performed traditional drumming from Cuba, Guinea, Mali, and Senegal. Throughout his tenure of study, Scott also developed a deep love and respect for Eastern Indian Classical Music. In January 2007, Scott joined Rag Dharma expanding his percussive repetoire to include North Indian Tabla. Although a beginner with this incredibly sophisticated percussion instrument and equally complex musical tradition, Scott brings his unique rhythmic flavor and sensibility to compliment the talented ensemble of Rag Dharma.