Music Festival of India 10/15/11

Music Festival of India Anupama Bhagwat, a refreshingly versatile sitarist of the current generation, has performed to critical acclaim in India, USA/Canada, UK, Italy, France, and Brazil. One of the leading disciples of the world-renowned Pandit Bimalendu Mukherjee – a doyen of the famous Imdadkhani Gharana, her sensitivity and erudition has taken her to the highest echelons of the modern genre, while remaining true to tradition. She has imbibed the vigor that is a hallmark of her Gharana: scintillating fast taans, mastery of the meditative alaap and brilliant fluency of melody (raag bhava), all the while maintaining her technical virtuosity. Academically she has completed the Sangeet Visharad and obtained her Masters in music from Indira Kala Sangeet Vishwavidyalaya. During this span of time she had successfully completed the M.A. (music) and obtained her B.Sc. in mathematics. Anupama has established herself with performances at prestigious festivals and venues worldwide, including: Ustad Amir Khan Smriti Samaroh (Indore), Assisi, Turin (Italy), Nice (France) Swami Haridas Samaroh, Saptak (Ahmedabad), Sankat Mochan Samaroh (Varanasi), India International Center (New Delhi), Sangeet Research Academy (Kolkata), Lotus World Music Festival (USA), MIT Fall Concert Series (USA), Baba HarBallabh Samaroh-Vasant Utsav (Jalandhar), and many others. Saturday, October 15, 2011 7:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 Hailing from Silchar in Assam, Pritam Bhattacharjee is a young rising star in the Hindustani music firmament. Pritam began his initial training under his mother Smt. Monjushree Bhattacharjee at the tender age of three. He was then trained under Shri. Amarendra Chakraborty of Kirana Gharana. His lifelong ambition of learning under the Mewati Maestro Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasrajji realized, when the living legend accepted him as his disciple. Pritam has performed solos in many a concerts and prestigious festivals in India and abroad. Prominent among them being the Motiram Sangeet Samaroha in Hyderabad, Harballabh Music Festival in Jalandhar, and many festivals. He has also traveled extensively and performed with his Guruji all over India and abroad. Prominent among them being the Doverlane Music conference in Calcutta, Gunidas Sangeet Samaroha in Delhi, Saptak Music Festival in Ahmedabad, Swar-Utsav in Delhi, Jaipur, Indore, Mumbai etc., in India and at the ICCR’s 50th anniversary celebrations in South Africa (Cape Town, Durban, Johannesburg), Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, Mauritius and the United States. In 2001 Pritam has composed more than 200 compositions in different forms of music .He has several CD’s released in his credit. Currently he is faculty at the Pandit Jasraj school of music in Atlanta.(USA)

Santoor Concert Tarun Bhattacharya has been a pioneering and revolutionary musician who has changed the face of Indian classical music, he has been truly an unparalleled music ambassador of India. The famous Maihar Gharana’s only Santoor player, Tarun Bhattacharya has revolutionized Santoor, the instrument, as well as it’s style of play. He displayed for the first time ever (1980) that one could ‘meend’ or glide notes at the lower octave in a hammered instrument like Santoor. He changed the art of playing santoor for ever. Tarun Bhattacharya is the inventor of “mankas” or fine tuners that help in the tuning of this 100 stringed instrument fast, with a long lasting effect and a very high degree of accuracy. His improvisations on the shape and string arrangements have resulted in deeper and more classical sound for the Santoor. Saturday, September 10, 2011 7:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 A tabla player of note on the Indian classical music scenario, Subrata is amazingly talented and his accomplishments and achievements in the field of percussion music have earned him name and enviable fame. Subrata is one of the leading tabla players in India today. He has received his taalim under Shri Tamal Krishna Chatterjee, Shri Nripen Karmakar and Shri Tapan Kr. Banerjee before he was finally accepted as a pupil of tabla maestro Pt. Shankar Ghosh, all of whom honed his talent to the level of refinement now witnessed by audiences everywhere. He has since proved himself a worthy exponent of the Farukhabad Gharana. Recognition of his talent has come in the form of such awards as the Sangeet Prabhankar and the Gold Medal and the Saangeet Praveen from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahadad, and Sangeet Bhushan from the Bhatkhande College, Lucknow. Renowned artists whom he has accompanied in the past few years are Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Dr. L. Subramaniam, Dr.N.Rajam, Pt. Buddhaditya Mukherjee, Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, Ustad Ali Ahmed Hussain, Tarun Bhattacharya, Pt. Ronu Majumdar, Chitraveena Ravikiran, and Pt. Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, Pt. Samaresh Chaudhury. He is a visiting professor at the University of Urbana Champaign ,IL.

Kathak Dance Festival Kathak Festival will present several fine dance performances by some of the leading artists featuring Kathak style. Kathak, the dance style from north India has the charm and subtlety associated with miniature paintings. Nurtured in the holy precincts of the Hindu temples Kathak was further enhanced with Persian influence during the Mogul reign in India. Over the centuries, it has attained refinement and enriched itself by the establishment of distinct styles and gharanas. Saturday, August 27, 2011 7:30:00 PM University Theater, University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), Richardson, TX Prashant Shah is one of the most promising male Kathak dancers of India. Since last two decades, Prashant has been training under the tutelage of Padmashree Kumudini Lakhia, a world renowned Kathak exponent, Choreographer and founder of the Kadamb Centre for Dance and Music in Ahmedabad, India. Prashant’s virtuosity in Kathak technique, especially ‘takkaar’ (rhythmic footwork) and ‘chakkar’ (pirouettes) and his excellent understanding of ‘taal’ and ‘laya’ (rhythm and meter respectively) make him a versatile dancer and enable him to perform a vast repertoire with masculine grace without flowery affectations. Prashant has toured extensively in India and other countries like USSR, UK, USA, France, Holland, Brazil, Italy, Switzerland, China, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and others as a solo dance artist as well as a leading dancer of Kadamb performing unit. He has also been part of various dance compositions choreographed by Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar and Pandit Birju Maharaj. Few of the prestigious organizations based in India like Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi has also invited Prashant to perform in their prestigious festivals. Prashant’s ‘Independence’ -dance production with Nina Rajarani (Bharata Natyam dancer based in UK) , ‘Kathak Pravas’-dance production with Kelly Verma (Kathak dancer based in Holland) and ‘Anokha’ -a joint production of Hip-Hop, Bharata Natyam and Kathak with Kader Attou (Hip Hop dancer- choreographer based in France) are some of the productions which have been successfully performed, toured and critically acclaimed extensively in India and Europe. A rare combination of talent, intellect and beauty, Yogini Gandhi is amongst the very few dancers who perform two Indian classical dance styles – Kathak & Odissi with equal dexterity and virtuosity. She has received guidance from India’s legendary dance maestros Pt. Birju Maharaj and Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra. Yogini has performed at some of the most prestigious festivals in India like the Sawai Gandharva Mahotsav, Ellora Festival, Kathak Kendra Mahotsav etc. Through the years her performances have received critical acclaim as also appreciation from audiences in India and abroad. She has presented dance concerts and lecture demonstrations in the USA, Australia, Sweden, Denmark etc. Yogini has a unique command over both the rhythmic as well as emotive aspects of dance. A noteworthy feature of her exposition is that she creates an instant rapport with the audience through her articulate oratory. This has also resulted in Yogini becoming a much sought after compere. She has been bestowed with a number of awards and honors to name a few The Rotary Vocational Excellence award, The Shingaar Mani, Outstanding Young Person Award. She is also empanelled with the I.C.C.R. Indian Council for Cultural Relations, A Govt. of India organization in New Delhi and Member of the International Dance Council – UNESCO To share her love and joy of dance, Yogini established ‘Kalanidhi’ an institute where she imparts training in Kathak & Odissi. She is also a visiting faculty at the Centre of Performing Arts, Pune University.

Vocal Recital Pandit Sanjeev Abhyankar, the maestro from the Mewati Gharana, is an artist of international acclaim in the field of Hindustani Classical Music. An extremely popular artist, he is the inspiration for the young generation. Blessed with an exceptionally sweet voice, his vocation in life was clear right from the age of 3. Born in 1969, Sanjeev started learning Hindustani Classical Music, from the tender age of eight. He has been groomed by his mother Smt. Shobha Abhyankar, Pandit Pimpalkhare ji and Padmavibhushan Pandit Jasraj ji. Though his aim had been to pursue a career in music since childhood, he has acquired a bachelor’s Degree in Commerce. Sanjeev rendered his first stage performance in Mumbai, at the age of 11. Since then, he has traveled extensively all over India, performing in all the prestigious conferences and art circles, several times. He has spread the fragrance of Indian Classical music in USA, Canada, Australia, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. He has received many awards which include the President’s award from the All India Radio in 1990, the prestigious F. I. E. Foundation National Award 1996, The coveted National Award 1998 as the best male playback singer, for the Hindi film ‘Godmother’, the title ‘Sur Ratna’, Rotary Vocational Excellence Award 2002 and Pandit Jasraj Gaurav Puraskar, to name a few. He has also given playback for films such as ‘ Maachis’, ‘Nidaan’, ‘Sanshodhan’ , ‘Dil Pe Mat Le Yaar’ and ‘Banaras’. Sunday, May 22, 2011 4:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013

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.