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