Vidyadhar Vyas

Vidyadhar Vyas
Born September 8, 1944
Origin Nagpur, India
Genres Hindustani classical music,
Gwalior Gharana
Occupations Classical Vocalist
Years active 1965 - present

Pandit Vidyadhar Vyas (born September 8, 1944) is an Indian Hindustani vocalist, and a contemporary exponent of the Paluskar style of North Indian classical singing. He belongs to the prestigious Gwalior gharana and the illustrious lineage of Sangeet Maharshi Pandit Vishnu Digambar Paluskar contributed to his background. His molding of creative thinking, artistic approach and aesthetic research in the gharana gayaki with his arduous riyaz, he matured as a maestro in his own right.


Early life and background

Vidyadhar Vyas was born in Maharashtra to Gayanacharya Pandit Narayanrao Vyas, himself an outstanding disciple of Pandit Paluskar.. His khayal, tarana and bhajan gayaki by his renowned father.

He holds a Master's degree in Sociology from the University of Mumbai and a Doctorate in Hindustani Classical Vocal Music from the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai.

Career

Gifted with a voice that is mellow and musical, Pandit Vyas presents a unique and pleasing blend of beauty of form and content of khayal. He takes every care to sustain and develop the Raga rasa and tries to harmonize it with the bhava of the compositions.

Awarded Top Grade status by All India Radio, Pandit Vyas is an equally popular artiste in the television media and has several cassettes and CDs to his credit. A top-notch concert performer with creditable performances in almost all the major festivals in India, he has also performed in the USA, Europe, Mauritius and other parts of the world.

He has written several articles for leading music journals and has conceived and presented a variety of programmes on the genesis and evolution of Hindustani Raga Music. Pandit Vyas also excels in conducting lecture demonstrations, which are both enlightening and entertaining.

In addition to being a performing artist, Vidyadhar Vyas is known as a teacher. He has been teaching and mentoring students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels since 1964 and doctorate level since 1972. In 1973 he became Principal of the Government Music College (Rajasthan Sangeet Sansthan) at Jaipur. In 1984 he became Head of the Department of Music, University of Mumbai. In February 2004, he became the first duly selected Vice Chancellor of the newly formed Bhatkhande Music Institute Deemed University at Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

In August 2007 he took over as Executive Director of ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata. Vyas was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2007.

Discography

* Suneri Maine Nirbalke Balraam

Bibliography

* Colors of the Night By Vidyadhar Vyas

Dr.Vasantrao Deshpande classical vocalists of Natya Sangeet

Dr.Vasantrao Deshpande was India's most illustrious classical vocalists.The scale of his versatility challenged all bounds of imagination. He handled all forms of music with awe-inspiring ease. In the "raag" form which constitutes classical music, the artist displays his creativity on a basic canvas. Dr. Vasantrao Deshpande's rendition of famous ragas like Marwa, Salag Waraali, Natbhairav, Kauns( in its various forms), Chayanat, Basant Mukhari, Patamanjiri, Jaijaiwanti, Janasammohini, Bhoop, Shree, Marubihag, Yaman etc. had a magical quality to them that kept people glued to their seats. His performance of offbeat ragas was not too different. The 'Sargam" was his forte. No other artist could impart so much variety and colour to the Sargam as he did. His delivery of "Taans" gave one the impression of a thousand lighnings crackling and dazzling in the sky, just before a heavy downpour.

Dr. Vasantrao Deshpande was equally at ease with the Thumri, Dadra an Ghazal forms. These find their origins in countries like Iran and Afghnanistan. Dr. Vasantrao Deshpande had picked up the original style and nuances of the thumri and ghazal while studying at Lahore. He also learnt quite a bit of Urdu to elevate his ghazal performances. Another area of music where he made his mark was " Marathi Natyasangeet". Some of the plays in which he acted and performed were "Katyaar Kaaljaat Ghusli", "He Bandha Reshmache", "Vij Mhanali Dhartila", "Meghmalhar", "Tukaram" and "Varyawarchi Varaat". Out of these, "Katyaar Kaaljaat Ghusli" became highly popular. Dr. Vasantraro Deshpande became the cynosure of everyone's eye for his challenging role of "Khan Aftaab Hussain Khansaheb". As the play's popularity began to soar, he acquired the alias, "Pandit Vasantkhan Deshpande".

Light, semi-classical and film music would hardly remain an exception to such a multi-talented person. He acted in movies like "Kaaliya Mardan"(he was just eight), "Dudh Bhaat", "Ashtavinayak" and many more. He gave playback to more than 80 Marathi films. Besides pure music, he also put together the history of Marathi music plays, from origin showing their evolution upto the present stage. This is how he presented his brainchild, his tour de force, " Marathi Natyasageetachi Vaatchaal". ( The evolution of music in Marathi music plays). In this he would first explain the socio-cultural influences that shaped the musicals as they stood in a particular era and then demonstrate the evolution through its music. The concert was first held in Delhi. It stretched for 3 days, 6 hours each day. The experiment was bound to be a winner with the audience.

Dr. Vasantrao Deshpande was an academician in his own right. He earned himself a PhD in "The Transformation of Hindustani Classical Music". He was also invited to several educational institutions to deliver lectures on music, quite often with live demonstrations. Dr. Vasantrao Deshpande was truly a genius.

As A Performer...

Dr.Vasantrao Deshpande had received the training under different gharanas (schools or styles of music): Patiyala, Bhendi Bazar, Kairana; yet he id not receive the stamp of any particular gharana.

He was a thinker and he blended these styles to develop a style of his own. He did not believe in imitation. Considering the timbre of his voice, pitch, range and expressive capacity, he forged his own characteristic style.

He usually began his exposition of a raag in the Jod-Aalap or 'Nom-Tom' style and created a kind of foundation for his musical statements. This created an aesthetic tension in the listener's minds and then he landed beautifully on the first beat of the khayal- the 'sum'. His development of the khayal was always full of such tensions and releases, which pleased the audience.

His concert was consists of Khayal, Thumari, Dadra Natya Geet, Gazal etc. A perfect amalgam of traditional classical as well as light music.

He had an equal command of both common and uncommon Ragas and a large repertoire of compositions. He presented them judiciously, considering the type of audience before him.

More details Visit :- http://vasantraodeshpande.com/

SUFIANA BRIDGES BORDERS

The Chowmahalla Palace, a symbol of Hyderabad’s rich Nawabi history, made a great venue for the Aman ki Asha Concert — a joint initiative of The Times of India and the Jang Group of Pakistan. The venue was magnificently lit, creating the ambience for a perfect Sufiana evening. The crowds walked in much ahead of time to be a part of the peace concert. Sufi singer Sanam Marvi from Pakistan and Indian playback singer Rekha Bhardwaj put across their message of peace and love through Sufiana kalam and some Bollywood numbers. Taking the stage first was Sanam. “I’m elated to be a part of the City of Nawaab’s. Hyderabad’s culture is similar to my hometown, Lahore. The grandeur of the venue is breathtaking,” said the singer before she began her rendition of Sufi numbers. The audience — sitting on the gaddis in baithak style, was mesmerized, as Sanam sang compositions by Bulleh Shah, Baba Sheikh Farid and Sachal Sarmast among others. Chhap Tilak and Main Jaano Aur Mera Khuda Jaane had the audience giving her thunderous applause. Sanam also sang her own composition in Sindhi as she belongs to the Sindh region in Pakistan. After enthralling the audience for more than 45 minutes, Sanam then invited Rekha Bharadwaj on stage. The duo sang Mast Kalandar leaving the audience deliriously happy as they sang along. Post that, Rekha took centre-stage. She began the evening singing Tere Ishq Main, saying, “I dedicate this song to Saman as this is her favourite number.” A few Sufi numbers later, Rekha switched to her popular Bollywood numbers. “Yeh mehfil itni khoobsurat hai, ki main filmi gaane nahi gaana chahati hoon. Lekin aap mujhe jaane nahi deenge.” The popular ‘Genda Phool’ from “Delhi 6” got the audience on its feet. She then rendered ‘Ranjha Ranjha’ on request, before ending the concert. “I love this city. I have friends here who I’ve known for more than 30 years. Hope woh meri aawaz sun ke aaj khush ho jaayenge,” said Rekha.

Sanam Marvi



Rekha Bhardwaj



Chintoo Singh



Atul Soni



People Enjoying the music

Aman ki Asha - Hyderabad

Rekha, Sanam performed in Hyderabad


The Chowmahalla Palace, a symbol of Hyderabad's rich Nawabi history, made a great venue for the Aman ki Asha Concert — a joint initiative of The Times of India and the Jang Group of Pakistan — on Saturday.

The venue was magnificently lit, creating the ambience for a perfect Sufiana evening. The crowds walked in much ahead of time to be a part of the peace concert. Sufi singer Sanam Marvi from Pakistan and Indian playback singer Rekha Bhardwaj put across their message of peace and love through Sufiana kalam and some Bollywood numbers. Sanam took the stage first. "I'm elated to be a part of the City of Nawaabs. Hyderabad's culture is similar to my hometown, Lahore. The grandeur of the venue is breathtaking," said the singer before she began her rendition of Sufi numbers.

The audience — sitting on the gaddis in baithak style — was mesmerised as Sanam sang compositions by Bulleh Shah, Baba Sheikh Farid and Sachal Sarmast, among others. Chhap Tilak and Main Jaano Aur Mera Khuda Jaane had the audience giving her thunderous applause. Sanam, who belongs to the Sindh region in Pakistan, also sang her own Sindhi composition. After enthralling the audience for more than 45 minutes, Sanam then invited Rekha Bhardwaj on stage. The duo sang Mast Kalandar, leaving the audience deliriously happy as they sang along. After that, Rekha took centre-stage. She began the evening singing Tere Ishq Main, saying, "I dedicate this song to Sanam as this is her favourite number." A few Sufi numbers later, Rekha switched to her popular Bollywood numbers. "Yeh mehfil itni khoobsurat hai, ki main filmi gaane nahi gaana chahati hoon. Lekin aap mujhe jaane nahi deenge." The popular Genda Phool from Delhi-6 got the audience on its feet. She then rendered Ranjha Ranjha on request before ending the concert. "I love this city. I have friends here who I've known for more than 30 years. Hope woh meri aawaz sun ke aaj khush ho jaayenge," said Rekha.

Yaksha & Mahashivarathri 2011 ( musical events)

 Yaksha & Mahashivarathri 2011 ( musical events)

We're happy to (finally) announce the lineup of this year's Yaksha and Mahashivarathri guests and performers.
Yaksha will happen from th3 24th of Feb until 2nd March and feature the talents of:

• Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan 24th February
  Hindustani Sitar
• Sonal Mansingh25th February
  Odissi Dance
• T. V. Sankaranarayanan 26th February
  Carnatic Vocal
• Parveen Sultana27th February
  Hindustani Vocal
• Anil Srinivasan & Sikkil Gurucharan28th February
  Jugalbandhi Carnatic Piano and Vocal
• Ronu Mojumdar1st March
  Hindustani Flute
• Pandit Jasraj2nd March
  Hindustani Vocal

Details for Yaksha 2011 can be found here.

Mahashivarathri will be on the 3rd March and include the following artists:

• Wadali Brothers
  Sufiana/Qawwali Vocal
• Prem Joshua and Band
  Fusion, World Music
• Bickram Ghosh
  Fusion Percussion Ensemble

Details about Mahashivarathri can be found here

Padmaja Fenani Joglekar

SHE HAS set to tune poems of two former Prime Ministers and was awarded Padma Sri in 2001. She has received the S. D. Burman Award for best playback singing, Miya Tansen Award for best classical-based song for Marathi film ``Nivdung," and the Bharat Nirman Award. She is one of the pioneers who introduced the ghazal format to Marathi literature.

Padmaja Phenany Joglekar, a Hindustani/ghazal/bhajan exponent from Mumbai was in the city recently to participate in the "Bhajan Sandhya."

A beaming Padmaja recalled the success of her cassette "Geet Naya Gaata Hoon" containing eight poems of Atal Bihari Vajpayee says, "Initially Atalji wasn't very excited about his poems being set to music as he had termed his poetry prose-oriented and written in free style. Anyway, after he asked me to give him some samples, he actually stood up in appreciation and said, "I applaud you for your music and voice."

Vajpayee went on to become Prime Minister and of course it feels simply great as the royalty from its sales goes to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund says Padmaja.

That is not all. Padmaja also got a chance to tune and sing former Prime Minister V.P. Singh's poems that are to be released shortly.

Bhajans composed by Anup Jalota are also in her repertoire and she plans to take them across to people musically.

Just as she was getting ready to step into the lab after graduating in microbiology, Padmaja made a retreat as the call of music was simply hard to resist.

With guidance from such stalwarts as Pt. Jasraj, sarangi player Ram Narayan and music director Hridaynath Mangeshkar, she honed her vocal skills and went on to traverse not just the nuances of Hindustanishaili, but also ghazals, geet and bhajans. She revelled in her versatility and her melodic forays into Marathi poems of Kusumagraj, Indira Sant, Mangesh Padgaonkar to name a few are popular with connoisseurs of literature in the Marathi cultural circuit.

Padmaja is now dedicated to her study of saints and poets. "It helps me choose the best of each poet and offer a better package during my concerts," she says. That is how the rarely sung musical form, Tappa is also being revived by her. The harkat and murkhiyaan of the tappa style she demonstrates, used to be a favourite of Kumar Gandharv and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, she adds.

Padmaja Joglekar's concert was flagged off with Rajesh Johri's "Mai Mangal Deep Jalawun" in Yaman. Meerabai came across in Bageshri. While the hall reverberated with raag Bhoop for Kabirdas's verses "Ananda Ananda" with the audience singing along, the Sai bhajan and an enjoyable Bandhish in Basant were a fitting finale to her show. —R. G.

RANJANI GOVIND

Ayaan Ali Khan

Ayaan Ali Khan

Also known as Ayaan Ali BangashN-
Born 5 September 1979 (1979-09-05) (age 31)
Origin Delhi, India
Genres Hindustani classical music, world fusion music
Instruments sarod
Associated acts Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan Ali Khan
Website Ayaan Ali Khan

Ayaan Ali Khan (Hindi: अयान अली खान; IAST: Ayān Alī Khān) (born 5 September 1979) is an Indian classical musician who plays the sarod. Khan is the son of Amjad Ali Khan and often performs with his older brother Amaan Ali Khan, with whom he hosted the music talent show Sa Re Ga Ma. He released solo albums and collaborations with brother and father.
Contents

Early life and career

Khan was born 5 September 1979 as the son of sarod player Amjad Ali Khan and Subhalakshmi Barua Khan, a classical dancer. His birth name was Bangash and he was born in at least the fifth generation of musicians; the Bangash lineage claims to have invented the sarod. Khan has an older brother, Amaan, and they were taught music by their father from a young age and later began to perform with their father on concert tours.

Khan has performed with his father and brother since the late 1980s and performed at Carnegie Hall in 1997. He released his solo debut album of classical music in 1999. Khan hosted the music talent show Sa Re Ga Ma on Zee TV with his brother for three years in the early 2000s. In 2002, Khan and his brother wrote a book about their father, Abba: God's Greatest Gift To Us. Moksha, a 2005 album made in with Amaan and Amjad Ali Khan and released by Real World Records, was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Traditional World Music Album. The brothers released Reincarnation, an album of world fusion music, in 2006, and a thematic album, Mystic Dunes, in 2007, and toured internationally. They were awarded a Lycra Style Award from MTV India in 2006. Khan and his brother also sing, including on the 2007 tribute album Remembering Mahatma Gandhi. Khan joined his family to perform for the Parliament of India in 2007. In 2009, after working under a movie contract that forbade public appearances for a year, the brothers returned to making music when the production by Bollywood director J. P. Dutta was cancelled. They are working on a Sufi music album.



Personal life

Khan married Neema Sharma on 21 February 2008 and is an amateur painter; he has displayed devotional pictures in exhibition..

Discography
Khan playing the sarod

Solo

* Raga Bageshwari (1999)
* Footsteps (2000)
* Raga Shree (2002)
* Sonata (2005)
* Chords of Devotion (2005)

Ayaan and Amaan Ali Khan
Amaan standing with Ayaan

* Raga Puriya Kalyan, Rageshwari (2002)
* Strings Attached (2006) - with Matthew Barley (cello)
* Reincarnation (2006)
* Mystic Dunes (2006)
* Truth (2007)
* Passion (2007)
* Dreamz' (2007)

Amjad, Ayaan, and Amaan Ali Khan

* Sarod Ghar (2000)
* The Legendary Lineage
* Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan - With Sons (2001)
* Sarod for Harmony - Live at Carnegie Hall (2002)
* Moksha (2004)
* Sarod Trilogy (2006)
* Remembering Mahatma Gandhi (2007)

More info about Ayaan Ali Khan




Amaan & Ayaan Ali Khan - Raag Kirwani

Amaan Ali Khan

Amaan Ali Khan (Hindi: अमान अली खान; IAST: Amān Alī Khān) (born 1977) is an Indian classical musician who plays the sarod. Khan is the son of Amjad Ali Khan and often performs with his younger brother Ayaan Ali Khan, with whom he hosted the music talent show Sa Re Ga Ma.

A young talent of the 7th generation in an unbroken chain of the Senia Bangash School, Amaan Ali Khan is the elder son and disciple of the Sarod Maestro Amjad Ali Khan and grandson of the Haafiz Ali Khan. Initiated into the fine art of Sarod playing at a very tender age, Amaan began his public performances as early as eight.

Accompanying his father to various music festivals in India and abroad, he has today, carved out a niche for himself. His performances have evoked creditable applause. His precision in tunefulness and his bold and resonant strokes are all pointers to importance of tradition and continuity in Indian Classical Music.

He made his debut abroad in 1986 at the Festival of India in Moscow. In 1990, Amaan performed in UK and at the Asia Society in 1991 in New York.



Today, Amaan is considered as one of the finest young Sarod players and has attained a very special place for himself to all music enthusiasts. Amaan has been a regular performer at Palais beaux-arts in Brussels, ESPLANADE in Singapore, Chicago Symphony Center, Carnegie Hall and Kennedy Center in USA, Royal Festival Hall and Barbican Center in UK. In addition he has performed for the Temenos academy at St. James Palace in London for HRH Prince of Wales in 1995, 1997 and 2003. In 2001 Amaan took partat the Summer Arts Festival in Seattle and the Edinburgh Festival in UK in 2002. Amaan’s Australian Tour in 2003 included his performances at the World Beat Festival in Brisbane, Opera House in Sydney and the WOMAD Festival in New Plymouth and Adelaide. Amaan performed with Cellist Matthew Barley and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in July 2002 along with a series of workshops.

Awards and accolades came his way early in life yet Amaan steadfastly pursued his family's inheritance and legacy. His personal belief being that 'his work will speak for itself'. In October 2002, he received Provogue Society’s Young Acheivers Award for performing Arts.


In November 2002, Amaan co-authored a book with his brother, Ayaan titled Abba-God’s greatest gift to us on his father’s life. Roli Books, Lustre Publications under the family pride series, published the book.

Amaan, beyond playing the Sarod, also anchored Top Drive, the all new television series on Star World that was aired from January end 2003 for five episodes and also took part in the relay for the 2004 Athens Olympics in New Delhi in June 2004. The Songlines World music magazine on reviewing his latest solo recording titled ‘Amaan’ stated “worthy heir to his father’s crown.” In 2005 Amaan composed for the music for the film American Daylight by academy award winner Rodger Christian.. The spring of 2005 saw collaboration at the Savannah Music Festival in Georgia with the Derek Trucks Band. Same year, he featured with his father in Real World Record’s much-acclaimed album Moksha in May 2005.

July 2006 Amaan collaborated with Evelyn Glennie at Queen Elisabeth Hall and also appeared at the WOMAD Rivermead Festival. 2007 saw the release of the next electronica lounge album called Truth.

A recipient of the MTV’s Lycra Award for the Most Stylish person in Music in 2006, Amaan was honoured recently by the Mayor of the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma with the Keys to the City along with an Honorary Citizenship and the Bharat Shiromani Award for Instrumental music in 2007. Amaan performed at the Central Hall of the Indian Parliament on the commemoration of India's 60th year of Independence in 2007.

In early 2010, Amaan co-authored his second book with Ayaan called 50 Maestros 50 Recordings for Harper Collins and also released an album called The Music Room and Sarod Symphony with his father and guru. Recently, the Khans collaborated with American Folk artist Carrie Newcomer at Lotus Arts Festival in Bloomington.

Amaan recently performed at the United Nations in New York in a Concert for Peace in presence of the UN Secretary General, Ban-Ki-Moon.

More & Latest info about Amaan Ali Khan

Amaan Ali Khan on Facebook

Anoushka Shankar

Anoushka Shankar (born 9 June 1981) is an Indian sitar player and composer who lives between the United States, the United Kingdom, and India. She is the daughter of Ravi Shankar, legendary Indian sitar player, and Sukanya Shankar. Through her father, she is the half-sister of Norah Jones.

Personal life and education

Shankar was born in London and divided her childhood between London and Delhi. As a teenager, she lived in Encinitas, California and attended San Dieguito Academy. A 1999 Honors graduate, Shankar decided to pursue a career in music rather than attend college.

Anoushka married British director Joe Wright, and is expecting their first child in the spring of 2011.

Career

Anoushka and Ravi Shankar in concert, 2005

Shankar began training on the sitar with her father as a child, and gave her first public performance at the age of thirteen at Siri Fort in New Delhi. By the age of fourteen, she was accompanying her father at concerts around the world, and signed her first record contract, with Angel Records (EMI) at 16.

She released her first album, Anoushka, in 1998 followed by "Anourag" in 2000. Both Shankar and Norah were nominated for Grammy awards in 2003 when Anoushka became the youngest-ever and first woman nominee in the World Music category for her third-album, Live at Carnegie Hall.

2005 brought the release of Anoushka’s fourth album RISE, earning her another Grammy nomination in the Best Contemporary World Music category. In February 2006 she became the first Indian to play at the Grammy Awards.

Shankar, in collaboration with Karsh Kale, released Breathing Under Water on 28 August 2007. It is a mix of classical sitar and electronica beats and melodies. Notable guest vocals include Norah Jones, Sting, and Ravi Shankar who performs a sitar duet with his daughter.

Anoushka has made many guest appearances on recordings by other artists, among them Sting, Lenny Kravitz and Thievery Corporation. Duetting with acclaimed violinist Joshua Bell, in a sitar-cello duet with Mstislav Rostropovich, and with flautist Jean-Pierre Rampal, playing both sitar and piano. Most recently Anoushka has collaborated with Herbie Hancock on his latest record The Imagine Project.

Anoushka has given soloist performances of her Father’s 1st Concerto for Sitar and Orchestra worldwide. In January 2009 she was the sitar soloist alongside the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra for the series of concerts premièring her Father’s 3rd Concerto for Sitar and Orchestra, and in July of 2010 she premiered Ravi Shankar's first Symphony for Sitar and Orchestra with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at London's Barbican Hall.

Anoushka has also ventured into acting (Dance Like a Man, (2004)) and writing. She authored a biography of her father, Bapi: The Love of My Life, in 2002 and has contributed chapters to various books. As a columnist she wrote monthly columns for India's First City Magazine for three years, and spent one year as a weekly columnist for India's largest newspaper, the Hindustan Times.

Anoushka is currently working on a new album in Madrid, Spain.

Benefit concerts

On 29 November 2002, she performed George Harrison's “The Inner Light” and conducted a new composition written by her father, Arpan, which featured Eric Clapton on solo guitar at the Concert for George held at the Royal Albert Hall in London. It was held in memory of George Harrison and was modeled after Ravi Shankar's benefit concert with Harrison, the 1971 Concert for Bangladesh.

Anoushka Shankar was invited by Richard Gere and Philip Glass to perform in a concert at the Avery Fisher Hall in 2003 in aid of the HEALING THE DIVIDE FOUNDATION: A CONCERT FOR PEACE AND RECONCILIATION. Shankar and Jethro Tull postponed a concert scheduled for 29 November 2008 in Mumbai [4] after the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. They reorganized the performance as A Billion Hands Concert, a benefit performance for victims of the attacks, and held it on 5 December 2008.[5] Shankar commented on this decision stating that: "As a musician, this is how I speak, how I express the anger within me [...] our entire tour has been changed by these events and even though the structure of the concert may remain the same, emotionally perhaps we are saying a lot more."


Awards

* British House of Commons Shield, 1998
* Voted Homecoming Queen of San Dieguito High School, Class of 1999
* Woman of the Year (shared with Kareena Kapoor, Ritu Beri, and Rhea Pillai) awarded on International Women's Day 2003
* named as one of 20 Asian Heroes by the Asia edition of Time magazine in 2004

Activism

Shankar is a supporter of animal rights and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). She and her father appeared in a thirty-second public-service announcement against animal suffering. Anoushka is also the spokesperson for the United Nations World Food Program in India.


Discography
Studio albums

* Anoushka (1998)
* Anourag (2000)
* Live at Carnegie Hall (2001)
* Rise (2005)
* Rise (2006)
* Breathing Under Water (2007)

Live and compilations

* Full Circle: Live at Carnegie Hall- Ravi Shankar (2000)
* Concert for George (2003)
* Healing the Divide: A Concert for Peace and Reconciliation (2007)
* Live In Concert at the Nehru Park, New Delhi (2005)


Features

* Variant Moods - Duet For Sitar & Violin (Abridged Version) Written by Ravi Shankar, At Home With Friends by Joshua Bell 2009
* Charu Keshi Rain - Co-written by Nitin Sawhney and Anoushka Shankar, London Undersound 2008
* Mandala - Featuring Anoushka Shankar on sitar. Co-written by Hilton Garza, Radio Retaliation
* Beloved - by Anoushka Shankar remixed by Thievery Corporation - Versions 2006
* Rebirth - Co-written by Gaurav Raina, Tapan Raj and Anoushka Shankar. MIDIval Times 2005
* Sacred Love - by Sting 2003
* 8 classical ragas performed on ShankaRagamala composed by Ravi Shankar 2005
* Chants Of India - Ravi Shankar; George Harrison, Featuring Anoushka as Conductor & Assistant 1997
* Adarini - In Celebration composed by Ravi Shankar 1995

More about Anoushka Shankar


Anoushka Shankar Live at Verbier Festival - Mishra Pilu

Aditya Kalyanpur

Aditya Kalyanpur (born 21st July 1978) is an Indian Tabla player. He belongs to the Punjab gharana.

Early life and background

Aditya Kalyanpur was born in Mumbai, India.

He began his studies at the age of five under the guidance of Tabla Maestro late Alla Rakha Khan and his son Zakir Hussain.

He is a commerce graduate.

Performing career

Aditya Kalyanpur was initially known for his debut performance with his guru Zakir Hussain for the Wah Taj! commercial when he was 11 years old.

His style consists of bold and clear execution of syllables, pinpoint precision in rhythm coupled with a colossal repertoire of compositions and improvisational technique.[citation needed]

He has accompanied artists including Shivkumar Sharma, Amjad Ali Khan, Prabha Atre, N. Rajam, Sultan Khan, Shahid Parvez, Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Satish Vyas, Shujaat Khan, and Nayan Ghosh. He has also accompanied Carnatic performers including T. N. Krishnan, N. Ramani, U. Shrinivas, and Lalgudi Krishnan. Currently on tour with AR Rahman for his JAI HO World Tour![citation needed]

Awards

* “A” Grade Artist of All India Radio
* ‘Taal – Mani’ by Sur Singar Samiti
* Vidyasagar Award, ITC
* Sangeet Visharad
* National Scholarship for Advanced Training, Government of India
* Awardee of Pandit Jasraj Competition, Vedic Heritage Center, Long Island, New York

Performances

* Orient Arts Festival, Estonia
* Edinburgh festival, Scotland (2003)
* Earagal Arts Festival, Ireland
* Jazz Yatra, Mumbai
* Great Lakes Folk Festival, Lansing, Michigan
* Saptak Festival


More About Aditya Kalyanpur.

Having age by his side, young tabla percussionist Aditya Kalyanpur has turned miles into milestones.

The Tabla, one of the most versatile of world percussion instruments, is a very important accompanying instrument in the world of Indian classical music. It is absolutely essential for the main artist and the accompanying Tabla player in any performance situation to vibe well on stage in order to reach the audience at large.

Beginning his studies at the age of five under the vigilance of Tabla Maestro late Ustad Allarakha and tabla Maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, Aditya is considered as one of the most promising torchbearers of the Punjab Gharana style of tabla performance.

Aditya was first seen with his Guru Ustad Zakir Hussain for the famous “Wah Taj!” television commercial at the age of 11. Having the honor of being recognized as an “A” Grade Artist of All India Radio, he has given public performances along with his Guru. Since then he has lent the enchanting music of his tabla to numerous commercials. We hear his Tabla ringing in the background of the film “Everybody Says I am Fine” where Zakir Hussain composed the background score.

To quote the acknowledging words of Tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain for his young, talented disciple; “Even a young player like, say, Aditya Kalyanpur has the ability to approach the instrument with much more expertise than someone of his age would do 30 years ago.”

As a young man, Aditya has lived up to the words and reputation of his teachers, mastering the intricacies of the tabla to smoothly accommodate himself to the requirements of the main artist. His style consists of bold and clear execution of syllables, pinpoint precision in rhythm coupled with a colossal repertoire of compositions and improvisational techniques, making his concerts a sheer joy.

As a young Tabla player, Aditya has had the honor of accompanying great maestros of Indian classical music such as Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Dr. Prabha Atre, Dr. Mrs N Rajam, Ustad Shamim Ahmed Khan, Ustad Sultan Khan, Ustad Shahid Parvez, Pandit VishwaMohan Bhat, Pandit Satish Vyas, Ustad Shujaat Khan, Pandit Nayan Ghosh as well as Kathak dancers such as Shama Bhate, Sunaiyana Hazarilal, Late Madhurita Sarang, and many others as time has passed, such as Carnatic music legends Vidwan TN Krishnan, N. Ramani, U. Srinivas and Lalgudi Krishnan.

Honored with the title of ‘Taal – Mani’, Aditya Kalyanpur is the recipient of I.T.C’s prestigious “Vidyasagar Award” as well as the “Sangeet Visharad.” A commerce graduate, Aditya Kalyanpur pursued and has also achieved distinction grades as a Music Diplomate from Mumbai University. He has received scholarship from the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training, New Delhi. A recipient of the National Scholarship for Advanced Training instituted by the Government of India, Aditya has also won the prestigious Pandit Jasraj Competition held at the Vedic Heritage Center, Long Island, New York.

In addition to many awards given in India and the United States, Aditya is one of the first tabla players ever to be invited to Estonia for the prestigious Orient Arts Festival. As a soloist and accompanist, Aditya has performed at other prestigious music festivals in India and abroad including the Edinburgh festival in Scotland (2003), the Earagal Arts Festival in Ireland, and the Jazz Yatra (Bombay).On a more local scene, Aditya has also appeared at the Great Lakes Folk Festival held every year in Lansing, Michigan, and many other such festivals and competitions held across the United States.

As a mark of his true versatility and the regard which many different groups in many different genres have for Aditya as a performer, he has performed solo for many bands and instrumental groups, to include the world famous rock and roll group the Rolling Stones and also recorded for their saxophonist, Tim Ries.

Aditya is currently a band leader of his fusion band ‘Fuzikk’, and a member of the world renowned group ‘Bombay Jazz’ comprised of Jazz legends Larry Coryell, George Brooks and Indian Flute Maestro Pandit Ronu Mazumdar. Aditya has made several guest appearances with many other groups over time, including the Boston-based world renowned Jazz group ‘Natraj’.

Wanting to give back as one who has been offered so much, Aditya has been part of several fund-raising and charity events for Asha Foundation’s Notes of Hope with Santoor Legend Padmavibhushan Pandit Shivkumar Sharma and Amma Foundation’s fund-raising events with Rahul Sharma for the 2005 Boxing Day Tsunami victims.

Based in Mumbai, India carving a niche for himself on the United States and international circuits. His schedule finds him giving numerous solo performances, and accompanying artists in overseas and stateside venues such as MIT, Harvard, Cornell, and Yale just to name a few. He also has the honor of being a Tabla Faculty Member at the prestigious Harvard University’s Sangeet Music School and Raganjali School of Music, Boston.

Aditya Kalyanpur can be reached via email at aditya@adityatabla.com Please allow time for him to respond to queries and emails, as his schedule requires long hours and traveling.


Aditya Kalyanpur goes beyond borders

Aditya Kalyanpur

'Mumbai Saptarang'...State Golden Jubilee Celebrations...A variety of Cultural Programmes..Including Drama...

Seven Days Cultural Festival at Seven Venues
Starting 22th January to 28th January 2010


As a part of the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of Maharashtra, the State Government has organized a week-long cultural festival, entitled, 'Mumbai Saptarang, from January 22 to 28th Jan.

The gala event will showcase Maharashtra's arts, culture and traditions at seven different venues across Mumbai. Over 250 artistes from the States, living in remote villages and the hilly areas will present their art in 'Saptarang'. Apart from them, an equal number of artistes from all over the country will highlight the glorious cultural traditions of India.

The distinguishing feature of this year's 'Saptarang' is the prominence given to rural folk artistes and participation of the talented young artistes. The programme is jointly organized in association with the South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur West Zone Cultural Centre, Udiapur, Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, Lalit Kala Akademi, Delhi, and the N.C.P.A., Mumbai.

The Saptarang event will be organized at the Gateway of India, N.C.P.A., Pu. La. Deshapnde Maharashtra Kala Academy, Nare Park-Parel, Jambori Maidan-Worli, Government Colony Maidan- Bandra, Kannamwar Nagar-Vikroli and Mumbai University's Complex at Kalina.

The grand innovative programme - Mahalokgatha, will have 200 traditional folk artistes present an integrated performance on the stage. Besides, Mahalokgatha programmes like Sufi Quawwali, Special programme of Zee TV's SARAGAMAPA, performance by Shankar Mahadevan, Pankaj Udhas, Bhavani Shankar and Rajashri Shirke will be the attraction at Gateway of India. Each of these programmes will be held every day at 6.30 pm from January 22 to 25. The programme by Shankar Mahadevan will be held at 6.15 a.m. on January 22nd.

The festival of prize-winning one-act plays will be organized at the N.C.P.A. from January 22 to 24, under the title, 'Yuva Act'. The same one-act plays will be performed at Prithvi Theatre on January 24, throughout the day. At the N.C.P.A., folk artistes from Maharashtra will perform Lokdharmi on January 23, and on January 24. Drishyapat - a festival of short films of young directors will also be held. An exhibition of paintings by painters from Maharashtra, under the title of Rang pat will be organized from January 22 to 28. On January 27, in the programme captioned 'Ekapatri', Bharud, Pandawani, Phadwachan will be performed. Marathi 'Natya Sangeet' will be organized on January 28.

Although the entry to all these programmes is free, it is necessary to have entry passes. For 'Yuva Act', and 'Natya Sangeet', there will be tickets at a nominal rate. For all other programmes limited entry passes are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at the Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi, Maharashtra Watch Colmpany, Dadar (West), and Rhythm House, Fort, Mumbai.

At the Pu.La.Deshapnde, Maharashtra Kala Academy, various programmes like 'Nrityotsav 2010, 'Athavaninna Ujala', audio-visual recording of old musical dramas done 15 years ago, will be presented. All these programmes have no entry fee.

At Parel, Worli, Bandra, Vikroli and Kalina, programmes like Santwani, folk arts, Adowa's music dance festival, 'Sankahipta Mee Natsamarat', Kathakkerang Bhaktike Sang, Agthanayika, will be organized daily at 7 p.m. from January 22 to 28. This year, people from Dombivali and Thane can also enjoy the programmes under 'Saptarang'. The Mahalokgatha programme will be held at Savitrai Phule Natyagriha, Dombivali on January 27 at 8 p.m. and at Gadkari Rangayatan, Thane on January 28 at 8 p.m. Free entry passes are available at these two places.

*Mumbai Theatre Guide takes no responsibility for change in schedule

Aman ki Asha at PURANA QILA

MITWAS AT PURANA QILA - Arpita Nath

The Purana Qila, lit by soft purple and saffron lights, made for a beautiful venue for the Aman Ki Asha concert – a joint initiative by The Times of India and the Jang Group of Pakistan – which saw even the Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit sit through the performances. Hours ahead of the concert, people had queued up at the venue to hear Bollywood singer-composer Shankar Mahadevan and Pakistani singer Shafqat Amanat Ali perform.Aamir Raza Husain,eminent theatre personality, welcomed the people for a “quest to find the Holy Grail that will end the hatred” between the two nations. “We cannot deny that problems exist, but we should not stop prosperity and growth in the fields of culture and commerce,” said Raza, adding, “Dehshatgardi ke liye nahin yeh zameen humari, aur nafrat ke liye hum taiyaar nahin… hum mohabbat hain, hum mohabbat le kar aayenge.” And this set the mood for the evening as Mahadevan took to the stage to a thunderous applause by music lovers, who started requesting for songs the moment the singer took the mike.
Said Shankar, visibly surprised by the reception from the crowd, “Such cheerful fans – they sound so much better!” as he started off with the Aman Ki Asha theme song “Nazar Mein Rehte Ho”. Next came in the title track from the movie “Lakshya” which got everyone singing along “Lakshya Toh Har Haal Mein Paana Hai”, followed by songs from “Dil Chahta Hai” – “the most flop movie with which we started out,” joked Shankar. The singer got the audience to do sing along with him and said, “The Delhi audience gets a 10 on 10 in this test!”
Talking about the initiative for peace, Shankar stressed the fact that “Music is a powerful medium, it doesn’t have a language or religion. This is music for peace.”
The event, which was held at this historic venue thanks to the Archaeological Survey of India, saw a tremendous reception, and the people who could not be accommodated inside the demarcated area, were seen standing on either sides of the barricades, with some even scrambling up and perching themselves on the walls of an adjacent structure for a better view.
Shafqat took to the stage next, and keeping with the theme of the concert – of friendship and harmony – Shankar and Shafqat sang a duet, “Mitwa”. Said Shafqat, “Hum aise hi hope ke saath aate hain, for all the people of the world, to bring everyone together.” And as the audience sat in anticipation, wondering what to expect from the singer, he joked, “Agar aap itna khamosh baithe rahenge, toh mujhe tension ho jayegi!” He went on to sing “Bhula Na Paye” which had a soulful and romantic guitar solo in the middle, followed by a fusion of rock elements like heavy drumming, electric guitar, and classical elements like the flute. The romantic tunes followed throughout the rest of the evening, as Shafqat crooned audience’s requests like “Aankhon Ke Sagar” and “Khamaj” and rounded up with “Damadam Mast Kalandar” which saw many from the crowd get up and dance, bringing the beautiful winter evening to a closure.

Spiritual Morning with Amjad Ali Khan and Zakir Hussain

Aman ki asha at Ajmer Sharief

Sufi qawwals from India and Pakistan set to perform at Dargah Sharief on February 12
Chandna Arora


The members of Fareed Ayaz Abu Mohammad Qawwal and Brothers from Pakistan have spent the past few days in great excitement. It’s not just that they’re doing a concert for Indo-Pak unity, but also that they’re performing at the famed Dargah Sharief in Ajmer! This February 12 concert, organised by Aman Ki Asha, a joint initiative of the Times of India and the Jang Group of Pakistan, is particularly exciting to the two performers because of the venue.
Sabse badi cheez hai ki aman ka paigam hi wahan se shuru hua hai,” says qawwali singer Munawwar Masoom, who is to perform with the qawwal group from Pakistan at the Dargah Sharief in Ajmer the day after for a concert organised by Aman Ki Asha. “Jis cheez ko hum pesh karne ja rahe hain, woh
Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishti Rehmatullah Alai ke darbar se hamare liye zariya bana hai.” Masoom is a wellknown qawwali singer from the Mewati gharana of Bhopal. The gharana includes mostly renowned classical singers, and Masoom is among the few to have taken up qawwali. And he says that this form is the perfect and time-honoured vehicle for the message of aman, or peace. “Khwaja sahib ne jo ekta ka paigam diya – aman ki asha hi kahiye usse – woh logon tak pahuchaya gaya hai, chahe Hindu ho, Muslim, Sikh ya Isai. Qawwali woh paigam hai jiske zariye log ek chhat ke neeche baith kar ek rang mein rang jaate hain aur ek ho jaate hain,” says Masoom.
He says people often ask him why qawwali is not being able to go further ahead in popularity. “Main toh kehta hoon, woh kabhi peechhe gayi hi nahin. All these pop songs these days, they’re only copies of qawwalis. They’ve simply upped the tempo, and the way children dance to these songs has changed,” laughs Masoom.
He says he can testify that not only can music help narrow the gulf between the peoples of the two countries, it can heal pretty much anything. “Qawwali hi nahin, music har cheez ko jodne ka kaam hai. Sur mein hi qawwali hai, bhajan hai, azaan hai… Sur mein bolne se koi bhi baat samajh mein aati hai. Sur hi hai jo sabko ek maqam pe khada kar deta hai,” he says.
Masoom says he wants to present a song of unity at the concert, to be held on February 12, from 10am to 12noon, but adds that that’ll be decided as things go. We say it’s a great idea!
Says Abu Mohammad of Fareed Ayaz Abu Mohammad Qawwal and Brothers, “Bilkul kamaal ka venue hai! Dargah Sharief bahut hi ruhani jagah hai, aur main dua karunga ki hamara program wahan kamyab ho, aur hum zyada kareeb aayein.”
The group traces its roots to a qawwal group instituted by Amir Khusru about 750 years ago, which, incidentally, was formed in Delhi and was called Qawwal Bachhe. “Aman Ki Asha is a crucial undertaking, aur maine pichle ek saal mein hi isme bahut developments dekhi hain,” says Abu Mohammad. “When we performed with the Wadali Brothers in Ahmedabad, there were at least 20,000 people there, and they wouldn’t let us go back. This is the message that we want to give… In every religion, from Meerabai and Bulle Shah to Kabir, the message is the same – aman. We are very close to each other. Artistes
ko toh sarhad waise hi nahin hoti hai na!”
Has he seen music make a difference to people-to-people ties between the two countries? “Yes, yes!” says Abu emphatically. “In Ahmedabad, people said, we don’t know whether what you’re singing is from India or Pakistan, we only know that it’s from the subcontinent. Then we performed something that’s a great favourite in Pakistan and even abroad – “Padharo Mhare Des”. It’s a very famous song that we sing, and the public simply wouldn’t let us go! When we performed at Dilli Haat in Delhi during the Commonwealth Games, itna rush ho gaya ki logon ko apni dukaan sambhalna mushkil ho gaya. We say proudly ki humein Hindustan mein bahut mohabbat milti hai.”





WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER... WE SAY PROUDLY KI HUMEIN HINDUSTAN MEIN BAHUT MOHABBAT MILTI HAI
– FAREED AYAZ ABU MOHAMMAD QAWWAL AND BROTHERS, PAKISTAN





QAWWALI HI NAHIN, MUSIC HAR CHEEZ KO JODNE KA KAAM HAI. SUR MEIN HI QAWWALI HAI, BHAJAN HAI, AZAAN HAI…
– MUNAWWAR MASOOM, INDIA – FAREED AYAZ ABU
MOHAMMAD QAWWAL AND BROTHERS, PAKISTAN

Kala Ghoda Festival

The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival is an annual festival, usually around nine days long, held in late January or early February, in the Kala Ghoda area of South Mumbai, India.

From its inception in 1999, the Festival has grown in stature and popularity, attracting visitors and participants from other parts of the country, and the world.

The Festival is organised by the Kala Ghoda Association (a non-profit organisation that states its objectives as "physically upgrading the Kala Ghoda sub-precinct and making it the Art District of Mumbai") and curated by teams handling each of the sub-festivals.

The sub-festivals feature the visual arts, dance, music, theatre, cinema, literature, lectures, seminars and workshops, heritage walks, special events for children, and a vibrant street festival. Entry to all events is free to all (only restricted by the size of the venues) and costs are met through corporate sponsorship. Venues include The Jehangir Art Gallery, The National Gallery of Modern Art, the David Sassoon Library, Max Mueller Bhavan, Elphinstone College, the K R Cama Institute, the M C Ghia Hall, and the street area of Rampart Row. Rampart Row is closed off to vehicular traffic for the duration of the festival, with the entire area becoming a street mela, with food stalls, artisans selling their creations, artists who sketch instant portraits, street art installations and the like. In recent years, the Festival has expanded beyond the Kala Ghoda crescent, with events being held in Azad Maidan and Horniman Circle as well.

The success of the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival has, arguably, encouraged the setting up of several other arts and cultural festivals at that time of the year, when the weather in Mumbai is cool and the sun sets early. These include the Mumbai Festival, the Celebrate Bandra Festival, and in 2007, the Kitab Festival.

However in recent times, local residents have gathered up in arms to complain about the noise, and left over mess that is left at the end of the festival. If some reports are to be believed, the festival is slated to be moved to nearby Horniman circle. However, this change of venue has not been confirmed by the organizers.

Shubha Mudgal

Shubha Mudgal (born 1959) is a well-known Indian singer of Hindustani classical music, Khayal, Thumri, Dadra, and popular Indian Pop music.

She has been awarded the 1996 National Film Award for Best Non-Feature Film Music Direction for 'Amrit Beej', the 1998 Gold Plaque Award for Special Achievement in Music, at the 34th Chicago International Film Festival, for her music in the film Dance of the Wind (1997), and the Padma Shri in 2000. She is also close to progressive movements like ANHAD and SAHMAT.

Early life

Born in an academic family to Skand and Jaya Gupta in Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh. Both her parents were professors of English literature at Allahabad University, with deep interest in classical Hindustani music and Kathak. Her paternal grandfather, Prof. P. C. Gupta was also a professor at Allahabad University.

She attended St. Mary's Convent Inter College. As a young girl she started learning Kathak in Allahabad following the foot steps of her sister. She replied once to a dance examiner's routine query of "Aap kis gharaane ka naachti hain (what gharana (house/style) do you dance from?)" with the retort "Hum apne gharaane ka naachti hain (I dance from my own gharana)". She later switched to Hindustani classical music as her vocation of choice while maintaining the same individualistic attitude. Her first traditional teacher (guru) was Pandit Ramashreya Jha in Allahabad.

Mudgal moved to New Delhi and enrolled at the Delhi University. She continued her musical education under Pandit Vinaya Chandra Mudgalya at the urging of her first guru. After graduating from the university, her training continued under Pandit Vasant Thakar in Delhi, and more informally with other established singer as Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki, Naina Devi and Pt. Kumar Gandharva.

Performing career

Shubha Mudgal started performing as a classical singer in the 80s and gained a certain reputation as a talented singer. In the 90's, she started experimenting with other forms of music, including pop and fusion varieties. She says, "I believe in music. Khayal and thumari are my favourites, but that doesn’t mean I should not experiment with other forms, Why should I curtail my musical urges?" asks the singer and adds, "I want to allow the artist in me to come through. If you are a musician, how can you say, 'this one is from devotional poetry, so I'm not going to sing it. In addition to her recordings and concerts, she also briefly ran a website called raagsangeet.com aimed at lovers of traditional Indian music.

International Performances

On october 24, 2008, The kickstart of Deepawali festival by the melodious Shubha Mudgal. She sang great songs from her latest album "Pyar Ke Geet". Packed auditorium of Sunnyvale Hindu Temple and Community Center, community, visitors, devotees enjoyed the performance. Everyone danced to touching songs. Event started with Huna Huna, a song from the depth of heart.

Personal life

After graduating from University Shubha married Pt. Mudgalaya's son Mukul Mudgal who was a promising lawyer. Shubha Mudgal got divorced from her first husband, and got married to Aneesh Pradhan. Her only son from her previous marriage, Dhawal, is a member of a Delhi-based band.

Discography

* Ali More Angana (1996)
* Classically Yours (1999) ISBN: D4HV2718
* Ab ke Sawan
* Pyaar Ke Geet
* Mann Ki Manjeree
* Kisson Ki Chadar (2003)
* Shubh Deepavali (2005)
* Anand Mangal
* The Awakening (2006)
* Jahan-E-Khusrau (2007)


Shubha Mudgal ( Classical Singer )





Shubha Mudgal Dholna

MEERA PRASAD

A seasoned, well renowed artist, Meera Prasad has received appreciation for her pure rendition of the ragas and commendable control over the techniques of the sitar. Meera is a regular artiste with All India Radio and has performed at prestigious music festival all over India and abroad.

She is a disciple of Pt. Umashankar Mishra. Performed at the Pandit Chatur Lal Memorial in mumbai.

Sitar Recital by Meera Prasad, disciple of Ustad Ahmad Raza Khan. 27th January 2012

Ajay Pohankar

Ajay Pohankar (born 1948) is an Indian classical vocalist.

Early life

Ajay Pohankar was born in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh. He had his initial tutelage under his mother Sushilabai Pohankar, a classical vocalist and a musicologist of Kirana gharana.

Career

Ajay Pohankar is quite popular for his classical concerts. He is known for the musical video, Piya Bawari. He also interacted with legendary vocalist, Ustad Amir Khan, who use to frequent his house when he was young.

Personal life

Ajay Pohankar is married to Anjali Pohankar, a vocalist and musicologist. They have a son, Abhijit Pohankar, a classical instrumentalist.

Discography

* Sangeet Sartaj
* Faces Of Raga - Ajay Pohankar
* Raag Sindhu Bhairavi
* Raag Mishra Kafi
* Brij Mein Khelat Nandkishori
* Barjori Kar Rang Daari

About

Maestro Pandit Ajay Pohankar-Pt Ajay pohankar is one of the great Indian classical artist this country has produced. Ajayji was born in 1947 in a educated family that breathed and lived music.He has been singing the Kirana, patiala and Gwalior gharana gayakis and was trained by his mother, musicologist Dr Susheela Pohankar who is a double MA like Ajayji himself who has a Masters degree in English and Music.

Ajayji was a child prodigy and was introduced to Classical music scene by none other than Ustad Amir khan saheb in 1958 at the age of 10 at the Calcutta music conference. At the same age he was the youngest artist to be featured in the Mecca of Classical music conferences The Sawai gandharva festival wherin he sang with the likes of Ustad Salamat nazakat, Hirabai badodekar, Pt Omkarnath thakur, Begum akhtar and Pt Bhimsenji.A feat, which is extreamly rare in today’s generation of artists. Ajayji has since then been receiving love and affection from all these great artists who have heard him as a miracle in his younger years and as a living legend now.

Pandit Ajay pohankar has been in the Indian music scene since last 50 years now, has done innumerable concerts in India and around the world and has been a trendsetter in his own right. His singing impresses primarily for its aesthetic beauty and then for its impeccable technique. His voice has reached and touched the hearts of millions of listeners around the world.

Ajayjis has performed in almost all conferences and major festivals in India in his long career of 5 decades like Harvallabh festival-Jalandhar, Punes Sawai gandharva fest, Tansen Festival-Gwalior, Sankatmochan-Benares, Saptak and many more besides the prestigious tourism festivals and innumerable International concerts in some of the most prestigious venues of Africa, U.k and America.

Ajayji is one of the finest Thumri singers of the country. Being a Maharashtrian it was very difficult to imbibe the art but he has contributed to this genre unconditionally.

Ajayji has to his credit many awards given to him by various organizations .The quality of his voice is considered one of the best in the country and has been used for many international c.d compilations as well. His voice not only is traditional but has immense capability to sing numerous genres of music, his latest milestone being PIYA BAWARI, India’s most famous fusion album along with his son Indian classical keyboardist Abhijit pohankar wherin his singing reached even the common man and left a mark in there minds for many years to come

Ajayji is extreamly adaptable to new music styles and is always open about experimenting with new musicicans and new genre of music, His gayaki has crossed the geographical and cultural boundaries since many years and his voice is liked by people and artists from around the world, making him one of the great artists of India. This is his 60th anniversary year and Ajayji is performing some special concerts around the world to mesmerize the audience that loves him. Truly a simple but most glittering gems of INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC-Maestro Pt Ajay.pohankar


More about Ajay Pohankar

Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar

Pandit Ulhas N Kashalkar (born 14 January 1955) is a noted Hindustani classical vocalist. He has received training in the Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra gharanas, and is considered a legitimate representative of all three schools.


Early life

Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar was born in Nagpur. He received his first lessons in music from his father N D Kashalkar, a lawyer by profession and a noted amateur vocalist and musicologist. He went on to study music at Nagpur University, topping his post-graduate class. Around that time, he trained under Rajabhau Kogje and P N Khardenavis.


Tutelage

Indian music is contoured heavily by its pedagogic tradition of Guru Shishya parampara. An examination of an artiste's musical lineage often yields rich insights into his musical style and personality. Kashalkar studied principally under Pandit Ram Marathe and Pandit Gajananrao Joshi.

Ram (Ramchandra Purshottam) Marathe (1924–1989), popularly referred to as "Rambhau", was a vocalist in the Gwalior tradition. He was a disciple of Mirashibuwa, who in turn studied under the legendary Balakrishnabuwa Ichalkaranjikar, a key figure in the history of the Gwalior Gharana. Pandit Marathe also trained in the Agra style for fifteen years under Jagannathbua Purohit. That apart, he was a prominent actor and music director in the Marathi stage. Kashalkar undertook a long period of tutelage under him. Indeed, most characteristic features of his style can be traced to Gajananrao's vocalism.

Career

Ulhas Kashalkar initially worked as a programme executive at the Thane station of All India Radio. In 1993 he became a Guru at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, where he remains today.

As a Musician

Both Rambhau and Gajananrao were uncompromising traditionalists despite their eclecticism and diversity of tutelage. This finds ample reflection in Kashalkar's vocalism as well. He possesses the rare ability to switch between three distinct styles (namely Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra), at times even in the course of a single performance. At the same time, he adheres strictly to the aesthetic contours of each individual style, and also to the formal and aesthetic demands of the raga being presented. He is noted for his authentic presentations of obscure traditional ragas. In an uncharacteristically expansive passage, the veteran music critic Prakash Wadhera once noted:

Ulhas is a fabulous vocalist, still in his middle years and young, who has an old musical head stuffed with innumerable current and rare ragas and compositions. Like a computer he never errs in any raga or composition howsoever intertwined or tricky it may be. He, just seems to press one key and out comes a raga in the true Jaipur colours, another to obtain a melody attired in the Agra style and still another to get a raga in the Gwalior habiliments. One can only imagine Kashalkar's questionless loyalty to his various gurus, and his own prodigious capacity to assimilate and consolidate the incoming knowledge.

As a Teacher

Indian music today is witness to a disquieting trend, where senior musicians fail to produce disciples of adequate merit. Ulhas Kashalkar is a noted exception to this phenomenon. As resident Guru at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, he has mentored several excellent students (the Academy website lists him as one of their "most sought-after gurus")

Awards

* Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, 2008 awarded in 2009
* Padma Shri in 2010