Hindustani & Carnatic Jugalbandi – Violin & Shehnai Duet
VVS MURARI, born into a family of musicians with rich lineage and steeped in pedigree music, Maestro VVS Murari represents the fourth generation of music practitioners in his family. Murari has been groomed under the guidance of his father and guru the legendary violinist Nadayogi VV Subrahmanyam, famously known as VVS and later from the doyen of Carnatic music Padma Vibhushan’ Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. Murari was initiated into classical carnatic music by his paternal grandfather and musician Vadakkencheri Veeraraghava Iyer, and also mentored by his mother Janaki VVS who hails from a family of great connoisseurs of music and arts in Kozhikode. He not only bears the torch of the famous VVS tradition but has also evolved as a sensitive, thinking and emotive musician, giving a distinct style of his own. In his voyage of almost four decades as a cultural ambassador of India’s rich heritage, Murari has performed extensively in India and abroad in the most prestigious fora, drawing critical acclaim wherever he has performed. He has won several accolades from many reputed institutions. Not only an acclaimed musician, Murari is also an art entrepreneur and educator. He does service to music and classical music industry by encouraging and featuring young musicians in various platforms worldwide. He has been involved in several unique projects combining classical Indian music and western classical to jazz thus bringing the world together.
Ashwani Shankar – Born in an illustrious lineage of musicians of the ‘Banaras Gharana’ which has given many outstanding musicians to the world of music, Ashwani displayed his strong affinity towards music at a very early age. His father, the internationally acclaimed Shehnal Maestro Guru Pt. Daya Shankar nurtured his sons’ blooming talent. He also had the privilege to learn Shehnai and take vocal lessons under the capable tutelage of his highly respected grandfather, the legendary Shehnai Virtuoso Guru Pt. Anant Lal a disciple of Thumri Samrat Guru Late Pandit Mahadev Prasad Mishra of the ‘Banaras Gharana’. As torch-bearers of the precious Gayakl Ang (vocal style) of the Banaras Gharana, his scintillating performances are the perfect platform to immerse oneself in this rare vocal style as their influence of it is clearly visible. Regarded as innovators whose efforts have widened the repertoire of Shehnai manifold with the introduction of Sitar’s technique and beautiful features like Jod, Jhala and building up the Ragas in Dhrupad style, which shows the profound influence and inspiration of their Guru The legendry Sitar Maestro Pt Ravi Shankar. Hailed as one of the foremost and serious young musicians in the country today who is carrying the 300years old family tradition and the art of Shehnai playing forward to a new level, Ashwani’s music represent an unparalleled blend of traditional classical music with modern approach
Kuchibhotla Sai Giridhar, student of Sri Sathya Sai Mirpuri college of music is an ‘A’ grade artist of All India radio for Mridangam. He is the disciple of legendary guru Sri M.L.N. Raju and Parupalli S.Phalgun and has travelled extensively both within India and abroad. He has been a part of prestigious festivals like Darbar festival at London, Copenhagen Jazz festival, Ojai Festival LA, the ITC Dhaka festival, Cross Culture festival in Poland, Esplanade Theatre in Singapore, Doverlane festival and Sawai Ghandarva at Pune, etc. He has accompanied all the frontline musicians in carnatic music like Mangalampalli Balamurali Krishna, Nedunuri Krishnamurthy, OS Tyagarajan, TV Sankarnarayanan, Ranjani Gayatri, Shashank flute, Ganesh Kumaresh, Jayanthi Kumaresh, Priya sisters, Lalgudi Krishnan and Vijayalakshmi, Abhishek Raghuram, Rajesh Vaidya, Sriranjani Santhanagopalan, Akkarai sisters, Sandeep Narayan, flute Jayanth, etc. He has also performed with Pandit Jasraj, Pandit Ronu Majumdar, Rakesh Chaurasia, Purbayan Chatterjee, etc
Amit Kavthekar is a “ganda-bandh shagird” (anointed student) table legend Ustad Alla Rakha. He has been fortunate to also be taught the intricacies of tabla by Ustad Zakir Hussain, the global phenomenon tabla maestro celebrated as the greatest percussionist in world music. Amit has played with legendary maestros of Indian Classical music including Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Pandit Jasraj, Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan, Pandit Buddhadev Dasgupta, Pt Kushal Das, Pt Tejendra Narayan Majumdar and Pt Ronu Majumdar. He also performs with the leading young maestros of Indian Classical music like Amaan and Ayaan Ali Bangash, Niladri Kumar, Purbayan Chatterjee, Rakesh Chaurasia, Ravi Chary, Rupak Kulkarni, Pravin Ghodkhindi, S. Akash, and Manas Kumar. Amit also frequently collaborates with leading virtuosos of western classical, jazz, and fusion music. He has toured the Americas, Europe, and Asia with legendary guitarist Al Di Meola. He is an ensemble member of the Purnaloka Quartet with David Balakrishnan of the Grammy Award – winning group Turtle Island Quartet. Amit is a founding member of the fusion band Sawaari. He is also a prolific music educator and leads the New England School of Music in Boston where has taught tabla to more than 400 students over the past decade. He also teaches masterclasses and workshops at primary schools, universities, and private sessions around the world.