CALCUTTA QUARTET 05/07/11

CALCUTTA QUARTET Calcutta Quartet is a unique quartet of North Indian Classical Music with a blend of North and South Indian rhythm. Four master musicians join hands to make one of India’s best known Quartet on North Indian Classical Music with wonderfully rich blend of North/South Indian rhythm. Dev Shankar and Jyoti Shankar, senior students of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan/popularly known as violin brothers, provide rich traditional ragdaari and contemporary melodies. Violin brothers have done doctorate from Trinity College of Music, London and are proficient in both Eastern & Western Classical Music. They have worked in major recordings with Pt.Ravi Shankar, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Oscar winning film director Late Mr.Satyajit Ray, etc. They have also been certified as finest violin players by none other than Mr.Zubin Mehta. They have played in such major music festivals as Dover Lane Music Conference, Salt Lake Music Conference etc. and travelled in US, Europe, UK & other countries quite successfully. Some of the press comments about violin brothers: “Those present were just stunned by their performance” – Times Of India. “Create magic with their nimble fingers on the strains of the violin” – The Telegraph. The brothers Jyoti and Deb today are much involved violinists, tuneful and clean with precise articulation – Business Standard. Violin Brothers will be accompanied on Mridangam by N. Shankar and on Tabla by Pt. Subhen Chatterjee. Subhen Chatterjee bases his style of playing to Lucknow Gharana that he learnt from his illustrious Guru tabla maestro Pandit Swapan Chowdhury. Not restricting himself to one single Gharana-Subhen went on to learn the intricacies & beauty of other Gharanas that he introduced in his playing & which has made his style of playing so unique & distinctive. Subhen has also created India’s leading fusion band, KARMA, which is still the only of its kind from the eastern part of India. Subhen’s recent collaboration with renowned percussionist, SIVAMANI, has enabled him to form another unique fusion band called FRIENDS OF DRUMS whose main objective is to help the lesser known yet very talented musicians sharing stage with renowned ones. Saturday, May 07, 2011 7:30:00 PM Davidson Auditorium, The University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75080

Madhya Laya – A Taal Vadya Ensemble presenting Rhythms and Ragas of India Madhya-Laya is a group of young percussionists with various instruments. It is a dailogue between various performers creating a new dimension in the field of Tala Vadya. This group consists of both folk and classical instruments like Pakhawaj, Tabla, Dholak, Harmonium, Sarangi, Hudka, Daff (with stick), Madal, Dafali and Matka. Madhyalaya creates new aspects of Tala Vadya Kachahari where instruments crafts innovative rhythms and sounds by floating with each other. This is a group led by Akhilesh Gundecha. Sarwar Hussain (Sarangi); grandson of late sarangi maestro Ustad Abdul Latif Khan; adds mystic touch of beautiful melodies and also present some solo raga presentation. . The conception, planning, preparation, coordination and execution have received very high praises among music lovers and artists circle. This group has performed at Saptak Music Festival, Ahmedabad; World Trade Fair, New Delhi; Shivpuri Festival, Shivpuri; Shravan Mahotsava Ujjain;Chakradhar Festival, Raigarh; Ustad Allauddin Khan festival, Maiher; The Rotary Music Festival, Aurangabad; Bharat Bhavan, Bhopal;Bangalore Habba and Sawai Gandharva Festival- Pune. The conception, planning, preparation, coordination and execution have received very high praises among music lovers and artists. Saturday, April 23, 2011 7:30:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013

Ustad Shahid Parvez (Sitar) – Live in Concert Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan is privileged with both belonging to an illustrious musical family, and for achieving success in not only preserving the tradition but in pushing its boundaries to even greater heights of aesthetic beauty. He is one of the most brilliant musical gems of the famous Etawah Gharana and belongs to the seventh generation of this musical lineage. His family has produced the most revered and influential figures in Hindustani Classical Music including the likes of Sahabdad Khan, Imdad Khan, Enayet Khan, Waheed Khan and Vilayat Khan. A very young Shahid Parvez was initiated into the rich music of the Gharana by his illustrious father and Guru Ustad Aziz Khan, a famous musician and a noted composer and the son of the legendary Sitar and Surbahar virtuoso Ustad Waheed Khan. As is the custom, Ustad Aziz Khan first initiated his son into vocal music and tabla, before training him on the Sitar over many years with all the intensity and rigor that had made this Gharana famous. The young Shahid Parvez was recognized as a child prodigy and had started performing in public by the time he was only eight years of age. For Ustad Shahid Parvez, the Sitar and Self are identical entities, and music is not just a discipline but life itself – vibrating and pulsating and full of color. Few instrumentalists have enjoyed so much of love and admiration as Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan has, from the music loving fraternity worldwide. He is a Top Grade artist of All India Radio (AIR). and a recipient of numerous national and international awards. He has performed in all major musical festivals in India and abroad including the Festival of India held in the US, Europe, USSR, Canada, Middle East, Africa and Australia, enthralling the audience everywhere. With numerous LP records, audio and video cassettes, CDs and DVDs, numerous awards and accolades, and a distinguished performance career in India and around the world, he is widely recognized as one of the greatest sitar-players of the world. Sunday, April 10, 2011 Venue: Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 4:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013

Vocal Recital Shounak Abhisheki is the gifted son and disciple of the Maestro Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki. Shounak a leading vocalist of young generation has a beautiful combination of Agra and Jaipur styles of Hindustani Classical Music. Already considered a young maestro , this sought after young vocalist had the privilege of training under Smt. Kamaltai Tambe of the Jaipur Gharana and of course under his illustrious father. Shounak has carried forward his father’s musical legacy, giving it new dimensions. Shounak’s voice is a great combination of power and emotion which is enhanced by his impressive diction. He also performs special programs like Swarbhishek, Tulsi ke Ram & Kabir and Marathi Abhangwani. Not only has he performed in all the major music festivals in India,but also for a series of concerts in USA, UK, USSR, the Arabian Gulf, Thailand, etc.. Shounak has been recorded by reputed recording companies. Sunday, March 13, 2011 4:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 Shounak will be accompanied on Harmoium by Uday Kulkarni. Uday had started training in music from his father Late Shri.Govind Kulkarni. After that he started taking advance lessons from Shri.Pramod Marathe. He has done “Sangeet Visharad” from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. He is also a graded artist on All India Radio. He has accompanied many artists like Pt. Ajay Pohankar, Devaki Pandit, Shounak Abhisheki, Manjiri Alegaonkar etc. Shounak will be accompanied on Tabla by Harshad Kanetkar. Harshad began his initial training in Tabla at the age of five with Shri Mukhade. For the past twelve years he has had intensive training under Shri Palsule and Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. He has accompanied many leading artists like Pt. Jasraj, Pt. Birju Maharaj, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Ud Shahid Parvez, Veena Sahastrabuddhe, Shama Bhate (Kathak), Aarti Tikekar, Sanjeev Abhyankar, Ashwini Bhide, etc. in prestigious music conferences all over India. He has traveled and performed extensively in the US, Canada, Europe, China and Middle East. His recordings include solo works and fusion of musical traditions of the East and West.

Santoor Recital Dr. Dhananjay Daithankar is one of the most renowned Santoor artists in the world. At the age of 10, he started learning tabla from Pt. G.L. Samant in Pune, India. Learning Tabla provided him strong foundation of tala and rhythm. While studying Ayurved medicine the scintillating sound of Santoor attracted him. In 1977, he built Santoor for himself and presented it to Pt. Shivkumar Sharma. Looking at his strong desire towards Santoor; Shivji suggested learning initial lessons from Pt. Ratanlal Tikkoo (Disciple of Pt Shivkumar Sharma). In 1981, very much impressed by his devotion, hard work and skills, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma invited him as a disciple and started shaping his musical talent. Since then Dr. Dhananjay is learning Santoor in Guru-Shishya parampara for more than 30 years. Shivji encouraged him to take up Santoor as a career after recognizing his ability and command over the instrument. Representing rich tradition of Banaras Gharana his recitals offer audience a wonderful exemplification of purity of Raga. His extra-ordinary ability to express different emotions through creation of own compositions in different raga, offers music lovers a unique experience. His command over Layakari, improvisation and exploration of raga take audience to musical paradise. Apart from being a national scholarship holder he has been awarded by “Surmani” kitab, Pune ki Aasha Puraskar, Dattopant Deshpande award. For last 26 years Dr. Dhananjay is performing on the most prestigious platforms throughout the world. Concert with Pt. Shivkumarji Sharma, Sawai Gandharva Festival, NCPA, Goa Kala Academy, Tansen Sangeet Samaroh, Vishnu Digambar Jayanti Samaroha New Delhi, Pune Festival, Maniram-Motiram Festival, Kesarbai Kerkar Music festival are few of them. He has also offered rich musical experience to audience in US, Europe, and Middle East. Saturday, December 11, 2010 7:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013

Kathak Dances by Archana Joglekar Archana Joglekar is a celebrated Kathak Dancer of India. Born a child prodigy, she was schooled in detailed nuances of Lucknow & Jaipur Gharana by her mother and ‘Guru’ Asha Joglekar. This multi-talented dancer was honored with titles “Shringar Mani’ by Sur Singar Samsad and ‘Nritya Bharati’ by Hindi Sahitya Parishad, Prayaag. Her perfection, capacity to perform intricate footwork with unbelievable ease, Abhinaya of par excellence, uncanny ability to move from one character to another within a flicker of an eye has won over the pundits, critics as well as masses at home and abroad. She is the first Kathak dancer to perform at The Elephanta Festival, Mumbai, the first and perhaps the only Indian classical dancer to perform at the Reikjawik Art Festival in Iceland. Besides, various prestigious art festivals in India she has won over applause around the world. She is an accomplished choreographer in the field of live stage shows, feature films and television.Her choreography like “Ritu Rag Dershan”- the ballet, “Saura – Sukta”: based on the Sanskrit verses(Richas) from Rig-Veda, “Ganapathy Atharvasheersha”- Sanskrit Shlokaas praising Lord Ganesha, “Ardha-nari Nateshwar”- the half woman-half man form of Lord Shiva, have been highly acclaimed by the critics. Archana is a well known film actress and has featured in several Hindi films as well as other Indian language films. She has won many awards such as ‘Best Actress Award’ for her performances in feature films as well as TV serials. Behind the camera, she is a successful director, and a producer of TV serials. Saturday, November 13, 2010 7:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013

Ustad Irshad Khan (Sitar) – Live in Concert Ustad Irshad Khan is considered among the world’s best Sitar players and the leading Surbahar (Bass Sitar) player of his generation and among the finest instrumentalists of the world. His individual stamp in both these instruments ascends from the distinctiveness of his technique and mental prowess. Is renowned not only for his mastery of these two instruments, but for his unique presentation of the different genres of Indian classical music, and his mastery of the intricate “gayaki-ang”(vocal) and “tantra-ang”(instrumental) styles, makes Irshad Khan one of the most dynamic musicians of today. He is one of the most brilliant musical gems of the famous Etawah Gharana and belongs to the seventh generation of this musical lineage. His family has produced the most revered and influential figures in Hindustani Classical Music including the likes of Sahabdad Khan, Imdad Khan, Enayet Khan, Waheed Khan, Imrat Khan and Vilayat Khan. Irshad Khan is son and disciple of Sitar Legends Ustad Imrat Khan and nephew of Ustad Vilayat Khan. Irshad’s ancestors had been among the best musicians and leading sitar players of India and are credited for the introduction of the ‘gayaki-ang’ vocal style on the sitar. His family has been paramount in the evolution of the sitar into its present form. Whether he is performing pure classical, folk, or world-beat/new-age, audiences are stunned by his breathtaking virtuosity and profound musicality. This remarkable versatility allows him to transcend cultural barriers and turn each performance into a spellbinding and unforgettable experience for audiences everywhere. Through his performances and international press accolades and groundbreaking albums, he has proved to be an outstanding World musician. Saturday, August 28, 2010 7:30:00 PM University Theater University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), Richardson, TX

Vocal Concert – Khayal Sangeet Amongst the vocalists of the current generation of the Jaipur-Atrauli tradition of Khayal singing, Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande is an artiste of great caliber. Ashwini began her training at the age of five under the guidance of Pandit Narayanrao Datar. After graduating with a “sangeet visharad” from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, she started receiving guidance and meticulous attention from her mother, Smt. Manik Bhide, a great Khayal singer herself. Ashwini has inherited all that was best in her mother’s style and was able to add a lot to her repertoire with great sensitivity and intellect. Presently she is receiving guidance from Pandit Ratnakar Pai, a veteran of the Jaipur gharana. A resident of Mumbai, Ashwini is a graduate in Microbiology and also holds a Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry. She has recently published a book of ‘Bandishes’ written & composed by herself. She has been performing in a number of prestigious music conferences in India for over fifteen years and has had successful concert tours of Europe as well as of North America. Saturday, June 12, 2010 5:00:00 PM Jonsson Performance Hall, UT – Dallas