Vocal Concert – Khayal Sangeet
Pt. Vinayak Torvi is a well known artist for Hindustani vocal music, who has carved a niche for himself in the realm of music. Gifted with powerful resonant voice with rare rhythm and rich melody , he has been capturing music lovers all over. Born in the family of Keerankaars, he absorbed the ‘Sanskaaras’ of music. A child prodigy, blessed with parents loving encouragement and deep involvement in music, Vinayak began early lessons at a tender age of nine, from Vidwan Tammanna Gurav and then continued with Vidwans Narayanachar Dandapur and Narayan Rao Muzumdar of Dharwad. What groomed him into this perfect singer are his twelve years of gurukulavasa under Gayanacharya Gururao Deshpande who was the doyen of ‘Gwalior Gharana’. He absorbed the intense, intricate treasures of classical music in the Gwalior as well as Agra Gayaki, from Gururao. Torvi acquired Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in music securing first rank, from Karnatak University, Dharwad. As a post graduate student at the university, he had the rare fortune of tutelage of stalwarts like Gangubai Hangal, Pt. Basavaraj Rajaguru and Pt. Mallikarjuna Mansoor. Talented Torvi well utilized this exposure to various styles of music and molded his singing to emerge as a versatile full-fledged musician. With his unique voice culture, he is proficient in presenting varieties of raagas with due justice. He has composed many Bandish and Taranas. He also excels in light classical music and bhakti sangeet in Kannada, Marathi and Hindi. He is an acclaimed AIR (All India Radio) and Doordarshan artist. He has participated in major music conferences and festivals all over India and toured abroad.
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. During his initial years as a Tabla player, Shantilal Shah remained a gold medalist from the Sangeet Natak Academy of Lucknow, and also won the National Talent Scholarship awarded by the Govt. of India. A Sangeet Prabhakar from the Prayaag Sangeet Samiti of Allahabad, he is also a graded artist of the All India Radio & Television. Shantilal Shah has been performing all over India and many western and Asian countries. He has had the opportunity to share the stage with some of the greatest names in Indian Classical music, like Sangeet Martand Pt. Jasraj, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Jeetendra Abhisheki, Rohini Bhate, Pt. Rajan-Sajan Mishra, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Smt. Laxmi Shankar, Ud. Sujaat Khan, Bhajan Sopori, Veena Sahasrabuddhe, Padma Talwalkar, Arati Ankalikar, Shama Bhate and others. Shantilal Shah has proven himself to be one of the most successful Tabla-Gurus of the present generation. He began teaching in Pune in the early 80s under the banner of one of the leading performing art organizations of the city, Nad-roop. Later he moved to Tampa, Florida, USA to join the faculty of the Pandit Jasraj School of Music as the resident Tabla Guru. In 2003, Shantilal Shah moved to Houston, TX to join the Anjali Center of Performing Arts, and present he is the Tabla Guru with Swaralayam Arts Forum.
Amit Kelkar’s musical education began at a very young age at home from his mother Smt. Suniti Kelkar and her father Shri. Narayan Gadgil. Amit taught himself to play the harmonium and performed for the first time on stage at the age of 14. He has provided harmonium accompaniment to several renowned artists over the years, including Pt. Sanjeev Abhyankar, Dr. Prabha Atre, Smt. Minoo Purushottam and Prasad Khaparde. Amit is also a versatile singer and music composer. He is currently learning hindustani vocal music from Dr. Mohankumar Darekar. Amit performs ghazals and light music frequently in the DFW metroplex. Amit holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and also has released three CD-albums released in the United States.