Sarod Jugalbandi – Footsteps 05/06/17

Sarod Jugalbandi – Footsteps Indian Sarode Maestro Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar is one of the most popular Indian Classical Maestros touring across the globe. One of the best known students of Sarode Legends Swara Samrat Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Ustad Bahadur Khan, Tejendra had first set foot on the soil of USA almost three decades ago for his first ever US Concert Tour. He did not have to look back since then. He has come to USA for numerous times every year for his Solo Concerts, Duets, Collaborative Projects, Workshops and Classes. Being awarded the President’s Gold Medal (for winning All India Radio Competition in his teens), Sangeet Mahasamman (the Highest Civilian Honor in the field of Music in the state of West Bengal), Banga Bhushan (the Second Highest Civilian Honor in the state of West Bengal), Tejendra is undoubtedly one of the best Sarode maestros of our times. One of his arranged albums was shortlisted for the Grammy Awards in 2010. For the FIRST TIME EVER, Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar would be touring USA with his Son, Indrayuddh in SPRING 2017. They would be presenting scintillating duet performances reverberating the exquisite feel of Indian Classical Music reflected through the Guru-Shishya Parampara. Saturday, May 06, 2017 4:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 Indrayuddh Majumder, the son of Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar, has been learning Sarode from his father since he was five years old. He has also been learning from his mother, Vidushi Manasi Majumder, who is a renowned Indian Classical Vocalist. He had developed keen interest in every genre of music right from his childhood. He has taken up Sarode as his primary choice because of his sheer love for the instrument. He concentrates on maintaining the purity of Indian Classical Music coupled with his smart presentation in his concerts. He had also the privilege to perform in front of Dr. Manmohan Singh (the former Prime Minister of India). An MBA in Marketing, Indrayuddh is also the Co-Founder and CEO of a booming Indian startup, ShowVelvet, which serves as an interactive platform for Artists and Fans all over the world. Title #1 Item content. Click the edit button to change this text. Title #2 Item content. Click the edit button to change this text. Title #3 Item content. Click the edit button to change this text.

The Art Stage ICMC presents its annual event presenting a medley of several short vocal, instrumental and dance performances, by performing and amateur musicians of the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. This event is FREE to general public. The primary reasons for this concert are to bring awareness about Indian classical music in the community and also to stage upcoming talent. Since its inception in 1983, ICMC has built the most comprehensive concert series and is regarded as the premier producer of Indian classical music and dance in Dallas/Fort Worth and the surrounding area, by consistently presenting more than seven culturally diverse concerts a year for the sole benefit of its members and the general public. ICMC’s mission is to entertain, to interest, to educate, to train and to provide spiritual nourishment to its members and the general public, and to significantly contribute to the multiethnic heritage and the cultural vitality of the city, through its concerts. Saturday, April 22, 2017 2:00:00 PM Next Gen Theater, Legacy Church 4501 Legacy Drive, Plano, TX 75024

Hindustani Sitar Recital – Singing Strings Pandit Kushal Das is one of the iconic maestros of Indian Classical Music across the globe. He plays Sitar and Surbahar. He is a Top-grade musician at All India Radio and Doordarshan. Kushal Das was born in a highly enriched musical family of Kolkata. His grandfather Late Shri Bimalchandra Das was a renowned ‘Esraj’ player and his father & uncle were both sitarists of high repute. His father Late Shri Sailen Das was a disciple of Late Pt. Lakhsman Bhattacharya & Bharat-Ratna Pt. Ravi Shankar. His uncle Late Shri Santanu Das was a disciple of Swar-Samrat Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. He started his training at a tender age of five under the guidance of his father and uncle. Later he received intensive & rigorous training in advanced sitar techniques and the art of creating music, under the affectionate guidance of Pt. Sanjoy Banerjee. Kushal is also proud for having the privilege of learning from great musicians like Late Pt. Ajoy Sinha Roy (a disciple of Ud. Allauddin Khan), vocal lessons from Late Pt. Manas Chakraborty and Late Pt. Ramkrishna Basu. Kushal Das has performed at all major music festivals and music conferences in India. He has been touring all over the world extensively for past two decades. He has many commercial albums to his credit. Saturday, April 08, 2017 4:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 Ramdas Palsule has been recognized as one of the most senior disciples of world famous Tabla Maestro Taalyogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. Being an accomplished soloist as well as a versatile accompanist, he has performed widely in all the eminent music festivals of India. Outside India, he has performed practically all over the world including USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Australia, Africa and the gulf countries. His Tabla accompaniment ranges from distinguished vocalists to prominent instrumentalists and also to renowned Kathak dancers of the country. He has accompanied with almost all the top notch musicians & dancers of today. Besides performances, Ramdas imparts training to the younger generation of students of Tabla. He is also appointed as a Guru in the Center for Performing Arts of the University of Pune, for last almost 20 years. Ramdas has been instrumental in conception of AVARTAN GURUKUL, which has now commenced this year in Pune..Stalwarts like Taalyogi Pt. Suresh Talwalkar, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Pt. Uday Bhawalkar, Pandita Shama Bhate , Pandita sucheta Bhide Chapekar & Ramdas himself are the Gurus of this Gurukul.

Hindustani Vocal Recital – Khayal Sangeet Brajeswar Mukherjee is one of the most promising young vocalists of Hindustani Classical Music and a foremost disciple of the great Guru Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty. He is a regular artiste of All India Radio & Television and currently working as a junior Guru at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata. He has performed at several prestigious concerts in India and UK, USA, Canada, France, Greece, Middle East, Singapore and many more places. He has received the most Prestigious Ustad Bismillah Khan Puva Puraskar from Sangeet Naatak Akademi, Govt of India. He is also a recipient of Gaanwardhan award from Pune, Dhananjay Bhattacharya award from Calcutta University and National Scholarship from Govt. of India. Saturday, March 25, 2017 4:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 Gourab Chatterjee is one of the best young Harmonium accompanists of India and a very versatile artiste of Hindustani Classical Music. He learnt vocal music from the eminent Gurus like Shree Jainul Abedin, Late Pt. Sunil Bose and then after joining ITC SRA he started learning from Pt. Arun Bhaduri. With his natural gift of playing Harmonium he started playing with all the vocalists and became so popular within a very short time. He has accompanied with the stalwart musicians like Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty, Ustad Rashid Khan, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Vidushi Girija Devi, Vidushi Kaushiki Chakraborty and many more in India and USA, Canada, Europe, Middle East. Gourisankar Karmakar, a leading tabla maestro of the present generation, studied tabla under the able guidance of his father, Pandit Shib Sankar Karmakar. Since 1979, he has been under the tutelage of the tabla Maestro Pandit Sankha Chatteriee. Gourisankar is an “A” grade Artist of All India Radio and Television. His talent and creativity are manifest in classical performances, experimental East-West World Music collaboration, and North- South musical interactions. He has performed with most of India’s eminent artists, as well as many famous artists from around the world. In 2008, Gourisankar established the “School of Indian Percussion & Music” in Austin, Texas. Many of his students have benefited from his teaching expertise, and perform regularly. He has joined University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) as a music faculty since 2014.

Nritya Arpan – A Kathak Repertoire Presentation of Nritta, Nritya and Natya by Kathak Rhythm ensemble accompanied by live music ICMC of DFW and Kathak Rhythms have together embarked on a mission to spotlight, promote and institutionalize the Kathak form of Indian Classical dance. Kathak has evolved into its present rich and beautiful form absorbing style, music and culture over the ages from Hindu, Mughal and regional Indian Folk styles, making it into a true representation of our culture. Your support is sought for the unique presentation, to help preserve our culture, art and heritage, by encouraging our talented local artists trained in this beautiful dance. The offering of pure Kathak Nritya, Nritta and Natya set to live music will enthrall you. Events Tickets, Donor and Sponsor Information: (1) Kathak Rhythms, (469) 443 – 8225; www.kathakrhythms.com or (2) ICMC, (214) 336 – 3459 Sunday, October 16, 2016 4:00:00 PM Granville Arts Center, 300 N. Fifth Street, Garland, Texas 75040

Hindustani Flute Recital – Magical Bamboo Flute Rakesh Chaurasia, the nephew and child prodigy of flute maestro Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, has a famous name to live up to. Amongst the promising musicians of the second generation, Rakesh has carved a niche for himself , as an accomplished flautist. Incorporating the tradition of his renowned uncle and infusing his personal style , he has evolved a style which while maintaining the purity of the flute manages to capture the attention of the young listeners too. The most accomplished of disciples of his uncle, however, shows all the promise to carry the Chaurasia legacy to new heights. Rakesh has already globe trotted many times over, enthralling audiences at classical and non-classical concerts .He is also an accomplished studio musician having recorded with most of the leading stalwarts of the Indian film industry. Rakesh has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades. He received the Indian Music Academy Award, presented by the Honourable President Of India, Dr..A.P.J Abdul Kalam in 2007, the Aditya Birla Kalakiran Puraskar in 2008, the Guru Shishya Award in 2011, IWAP-Pandit Jasraj Sangeet Ratna Award in 2013 and the Pannalal Ghosh Puraskar 2013. Recently Rakesh toured as a duo for classical concerts as well as for The Masters of Percussion with legendary tabla virtuoso Ustad Zakir Hussain at some prestigious venues globally. Rakesh has also had the priviledge of performing with some international names such as Bela Fleck, Edgar Meyer, Joshua Redman. Rakesh’s most recent venture is his fusion band Rakesh and Friends(RAF) which creates music that appeals to the young without sacrificing the essence of classical music. He is destined to carve a niche for himself in the realm of Indian Classical Music with the simple yet extremely challenging instrument, the Bansuri. Sunday, October 02, 2016 4:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 Aditya Kalyanpur is a talented tabla player and percussionist beyond his years, who has made a distinguished career working with some of the most prestigious names in Indian classical, jazz, and fusion genres such as Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, AR Rahman, Shankar Mahadevan, Pandit Jasrajji, Larry Coryell, George Brooks, Kenwood Denard, Boston based jazz band Natraj, Mickey Hart, John Mclaughflin. Kalyanpur 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. Honored with the title of Taal – Mani, Aditya Kalyanpur is the recipient of ITC’s prestigious Vidyasagar Award as well as the Sangeet Visharad. A commerce graduate, Aditya Kalyanpur has also achieved the distinct title as a Music Diplomat from Mumbai University. He has received scholarship from the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training in New Delhi. In addition to many awards given in India and the United States, Kalyanpur is one of the first tabla players ever to be invited to Estonia for the prestigious Orient Arts Festival. As a soloist and accompanist, he has performed at other prestigious music festivals in India and abroad including the Edinburgh festival in Scotland, the Earagal Arts Festival in Ireland, and the Jazz Yatra in Bombay, India.On a more local scene, Kalyanpur has also appeared at the Great Lakes Folk Festival held every year in Lansing, Michigan, and many other festivals and competitions held across the United States. As a mark of his true versatility as a musician, Kalyanpur has performed solo for many bands and instrumental groups, including the world famous The Rolling Stones and also recorded for their saxophonist, Tim Ries. Aditya Kalyanpur is currently the 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.

Shaam-e-Qawwali – Farid Ayaz & Abu Muhammad Ensemble – Live in Concert Qawwali is an ancient musical tradition that integrates spiritual, philosophical, religious, musical, and poetic elements to create an atmosphere that facilitates a spiritual connection between participants in a mehfil-e-samaa – a gathering of listeners of qawwali – and the ones they truly love. Qawwali has existed in a number of forms – samaa, zikr, Vedic chants and many others – for at least thirty-two centuries. The form of qawwali practiced today was invented by Hazrat Amir Khusrao in the thirteenth century. A poet, scholar, philosopher, politician, and musician, Khusrao defined, documented and established the tradition of Khusravi qawwali. He trained twelve young men – the Qawwal Bachay – in the art of qawwali to help propagate qawwali. Miyan Saamat Bin Ibrahim was the leader of this first group of qawwali performers. The tradition thus established has been preserved for more than eight centuries by the descendants of the Qawwal Bachay. It is followed by performers of qawwali in Pakistan, India and the rest of the world today. Farid Ayaz Qawwal & Abu Muhammad Qawwal are direct descendants of Miyan Saamat Bin Ibrahim and represent the twenty-seventh generation of the original qawwali performers trained by Amir Khusrao. Masters of music, poetry and rhythm, heirs to the original tradition of Khusrao’s qawwali, expert musicians, and the torchbearer’s of the tradition of Khusravi qawwali, the brothers are considered to be the foremost qawwals in the world today. They are known for their tremendous loyalty to Khusravi qawwali, their immense knowledge of Hindustani Sangeet, and for the remarkable fidelity and purity of their song; the qawwali that they perform is the same one that was practiced more than eight hundred years ago. Nothing has been allowed to change. Saturday, August 27, 2016 7:30:00 PM University Theater, University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), Richardson, TX

Hindustani Violin Recital – Singing Strings Pandit Milind Raikar is a renowned Violinist in today’s generation. He is mainly Disciple of Padmashri Pandit D.K.Datar and Gaansaraswati Kishori Amonkar. Today, Milind has devised his unique style of playing violin. He has evolved a way peculiar to him of wielding the bow. The listeners rejoice his soothing, scintillating, brilliant and soul touching performance having a very different style. Initially he studied Hindustani Classical Music under the able guidance of his father Late Shri Atchut Raikar. Thereafter, Milind learnt from Pt. B.S.Math (Dharwad) and Pt.Vasantrao Kadnekar ( Goa). He has also learnt Violin in the Western style and has passed Grade Four of the renowned Trinity College of London, under the tutelage of Prof A. P. De Costa. He feels lucky that since 1997 He started learning from Gaansaraswati Kishori Amonkar who taught him all the nuances of the Raag performance, approach of raag, its delicacy, better way of developing the notes, and many more. He has been accompanying Kishoritai on Violin in her concerts and recordings, in India as well as Abroad. He has provided Music Direction to a documentary film, “In Search Of Truth”, in which he also has played the role as a singer. He has received numerous prestigious awards in India and abroad. He has performed extensively not only at major festivals in India, but also at various fine venues in Germany, Italy, USA, Switzerland, etc. Sunday, June 05, 2016 4:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 Master Yadnesh Raikar started learning violin at the age of 1 year and started performing at the age of 4 years under the guidance of his Father Pt. Milind Raikar. He is studying in 10th grade in high school (SSC) at Bombay Cambridge School (Andheri, Mumbai).He is lucky to have guidance from Ganasaraswati KishoriTai Amonkar. He has given his first solo recital at the age of 4 At Karnataka sangh in front of a crowd of 600 people. He has also given his performances in Delhi, Nagpur, Dharwad, Goa as well. He is such a versatile musician that apart from violin he also avidly plays the keyboard, guitar and tabla very often. Has a very gifted voice and learns vocal from Shri Anand Pednekar and Pandit Vasantrao Kadneskar, Goa. He has sung in a album song along with Hariharan and Asha Bhosle. At present he is learning to play accordion from Amar Swamy. Has played a role of Young Pt.D.V.Paluskar in the documentary ‘Gaanyogi – Suvarna Yug’ where he sang and played Violin in the film too. He has performed his recitals in front of Honorable President Shri. Pranab Mukherjee, Chief minister Maharashtra Shri. Devendra Fadnavis, Governor of Maharashtra, chief of Army, Navy and Air force Chief. Pandit Shantilal Shah was born and raised in the culturally and artistically vibrant city of Banaras, India. His basic taalim was under Pandit Mahadev Prasad Mishra of Banaras Gharana. He is a worthy disciple of Taal-Yogi Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. Shantilal remained a gold medalist from the Sangeet Natak Academy of Lucknow and also won the National Talent Scholarship awarded by the Govt. of India as well as the Sangeet Prabhakar award from the Prayaag Sangeet Samiti of Allahabad. Over the years he has performed with Pt. Jasraj, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki, Pt. Rajan-Sajan Mishra, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Laxmi Shankar, Ud. Sujaat Khan, Bhajan Sopuri, Veena Sahasrabuddhe, Padma Talwalkar, Arati Ankalikar, Sanjeev Abhyankar, Shama Bhate, etc. Additionally, Shantilal Shah has been effective at branching out from his roots in Indian Classical Music and brought his unique sound and style to the world of Western Music. One of his initial forays into Western music was as a featured performer in the 2004 Hollywood Film Dancing in Twilight, which received a Gold Medal of Excellence for a feature film score from the Park City Music Festival. He has concluded in March 2014 a series of performances with the Houston Grand Opera, in their unique presentation, River of Light, receiving high acclaim. This extremely successful and one of a kind program exposed Tabla to sold out audiences in a new artistic medium, blending Indian Classical Music with the classical style of Western Opera.

Gundecha Brothers – Live In Concert Pandits Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha are the leading exponents of the Dhrupad style of music. They are among the most active performers in Indian and international circuits. They were conferred “Padmashri” in 2012 by the Govt. of India for their contribution in the field of Dhrupad and Indian Classical Music. Born in Ujjain in Central India, both were initiated into music by their parents. Gundecha Brothers received conventional university education and learned the Dhrupad vocal art under the renowned Dhrupad vocalist Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar and also with Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar (the distinguished performer of Rudra Veena) under guru shishya paramapara in Dhrupad Kendra Bhopal. The Gundecha Brothers have sung great Hindi poetry by Tulsidas, Kabir, Padmakar, Nirala in Dhrupad style . They have recorded about 50 cassettes and CDs by H.M.V, Music Today, Rhythm House, Times Music, Sony, Senseworld Music, Sundaram Records, IPPNW Concerts Berlin, Navras and Audio Rec London. They have also sung for many television channels in India and have been broadcasted on British, U.S., German and French, Japan and Australian Radio as well. As well as being an integral part of all of India’s prestigious music festivals, the Brothers have also performed and conducted workshops at many important international music festivals and institutions in about 25 countries in Europe, U.S.A, Australia, Japan, Egypt, Singapore, Bangladesh, U.A.E and Hong Kong. They have received M.P. Govt. Scholarship from 1981 to 1985, National Fellowship from 1987 to 1989, Ustad Allauddin Khan Fellowship in 1993, Sanskriti Award in 1994 and Kumar Gandharva Award in 1998 by Govt. of Madhaya Pradesh and Dagar Gharana Award by Mewar Foundation in 2001. Rajat Kamal – National Film Award for the Best Music Direction ( 2006), Puttaraj Gawai Award 2010 from Puttaraj Gawai Pratishthan, Dharwad. Saturday, May 14, 2016 4:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 Akhilesh Gundecha has learned Pakhawaj playing from Pandit Shrikant Mishra and Raja Chhatrapati Singh Ju Deo. He is post graduate in music and graduate in Law. Has also got scholarship from Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet Academy,Bhopal and Govt. of India. He has accompanied many of the Dhrupad Maestros like- Ustad Z.F. Dagar, Ustad Fahimuddin Dagar, Pt. Siyaram Tiwari, Shrimati Asgari Bai, Dr. Ritwik Sanyal and Bahauddin Dagar. He has also played solo recitals in Tansen Festival-Gwalior, Haridas Sangeet Samaroh Mumbai, Dhrupad Samaroh Bhopal and many other festivals. He has toured, USA ,Europe, Japan, Australia. He is regularly featured on Radio and Television. ”Sur Mani” award from Sur Singar Samsad received by Akhilesh Gundecha in 1990. He also achieved Gold medal from Dhrupad Mela, Banaras in 2008. Akhilesh Gundecha founded ‘Madhya Laya’ – a north Indian taal vadhya kachahari that has performed all over India and USA. He is currently teaches the pakhawaj at Dhrupad Sansthan, Bhopal.

Hindustani Vocal Recital – Khayal Sangeet Arshad Ali is one of the few prodigies to live up to their initial promise. Arshad, the grandson of the legendary sarangi maestro Late Padmashree Ustad Shakoor Khan, was absorbed into the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata, as a scholar at the age of six. Born in the family of the principal Kirana Gharana musicians, he received extensive talim from his maternal uncles, Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan and Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan in the true guru-shishya parampara system of training. Today, Arshad is one of the few contemporary singers of the Kirana Gharana to have assimilated the essence of the meer-khand vistar or development, typical to the gharana. As a child, he became one of the most celebrated “Little Ustad” of India. In the year 1993, at the age of nine, he was described as “the biggest sensation of Sawai Gandharva Sammelan” following his performance on a special invitation from Bharat-Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi on the occasion of his 75th birthday celebrations. With the judicious usage of the distinctive style of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan and Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan, Arshad Ali Khan is emerging as the leading vocalist of Kirana Gharana worldwide. Today his performances across continents of Europe, Asia and Africa are hailed with credit of offering a sound, polished and individualistic voice which is capable of reaching a wide spectrum of audience starting with a teenager to that of a nonagenarian. Saturday, April 23, 2016 4:00:00 PM Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen TX 75013 Harshad Kanetkar 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. Harshad is one of the few Tabla players of his generation who has equally adept and versatile in the art of accompanying vocal, instrumental and dance. He has accompanied many leading artists like Pt. Jasraj, Pt. Birju Maharaj, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Ustad Shahid Parvez,Veena Sahastrabuddhe, Shama Bhate (Kathak), Aarti Tikekar, Sanjeev Abhyankar, Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande etc.in prestigious music conferences all over India. He has also traveled and performed extensively in U.S., Canada, Europe and the Middle East. His recordings include solo works and fusion of musical traditions of the East and West. Harshad has received many accolades and honors including the National Scholarship from the Government of India. He also was a visiting faculty at the Pandit Jasraj Music Academy in the U.S. Currently he is on the faculty at the University of Pune. Uday Kulkarni had started training in music from his father Late Shri. Govind Kulkarni. After that he started taking advance lessons from Shri.Pramod Marathe. Uday has done “Sangeet Visharad” from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. He has accompanied many artists all over India. He is also a graded artist on All India Radio (AIR). He has accompanied many artists like Pandit Ajay Pohankar, Devaki Pandit, Shounak Abhisheki, Manjiri Alegaonkar etc. He has also accompanied in light music programs with renowned artists.