CONCERT: Pt. Uday Bhawalkar

Dharohar - Dhrupad concert

Pt. Uday Bhawalkar

Tabla: Sukwindarsing Namdhari

24th Jan, 2010 , 6 PM

Venue: Garware college, Karve Road, Pune

About the artist: Highly praised by music critics, the singer Uday Bhawalkar counts in present-day India as one of the younger generation´s leading exponents of dhrupad, one of the oldest forms of classical song still current in the north of India. Bhawalkar, born in 1966 in Madhya Pradesh, was taught classical Indian music from the age of eight, and a grant from the Ustad Allauddin Khan Sangeet Academy enabled him to be taught dhrupad singing by Ustad Zia Fariduddin Dagar from 1981 on. He then spent years in being taught by Ustad Zia Mohinuddin Dagar the veena - a lute esteemed for being perhaps the oldest and most difficult Indian instrument. Uday Bhawalkar has received many honours and prizes, including the prestigious Young Musicians´ Award of the Indian ministry of culture, and has been heard outside India since the mid-80s. He has appeared for instance at the Sangeet Parampara Festival in Berlin , the World Music Festival in Switzerland, the Raga Mala in Seattle in the USA and in the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London. Bhawalkar counts as being an outstanding dhrupad singer who not only maintains the old form´s elegance and refinement but, owing to his musical curiosity and wide range of interests, is able to add to it.

Sukhvinder Singh Naamdhari is one of the best tabla players from the Benaras Gharana and suitably emulates his Guru's style. He received his initial training in saath from Ustad Nihal Singh Ji, and went to Varanasi (Banaras) where for several years he received intensive training and guidance from none other than the legendary Pt. Kishen Maharaj, the best known and internationally acclaimed exponent of the Benaras Gharana of tabla playing. Sukhvinder is a shining star in the world of tabla accompaniment and tabla solo playing. He had performed with most of the leading artistes, such as Pt. Ravi Shankar, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ustad Shahid Parvez (Sitar), Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Rajan & Pt. Sajan Misra, Pt. Jasraj to name a few.

Pandit Dinkar Kaikini passed away

Leading singer, composer and Guru of Agra-Bhatkhande tradition Pt. Dinkar kaikini fondly known as “Dinarang” passed away this morning at around 10. 15 a.m. on Saturday. He was 82.

Dinkar Kaikini was born in 1927 at Kaikini, a village in South Karnataka. At the tender age of seven, Dinkar attended a concert that was to change his life forever. In one evening, he had the rare opportunity of hearing three greats of a Golden Age in Hindustani Sangeet: Ustad Alladiya Khan, Ustad Faiyaz Khan and Ustad Abdul Karim Khan. Upon hearing Ustad Faiyaz Khan, the young boy knew that he must devote his life to this art form and to the particular style of Faiyaz Khan Saheb himself. And thus began a lifelong journey dedicated to the mastery, propagation and furthering of Hindustani Raagsangeet.

His first guru was Pandit Karekatte Nagesh Rao, a veteran exponent of the Patiala Gharana. He then trained under Pandit Omkarnath Thakur of the Gwalior Gharana for a couple of years. He was about eleven years old when he joined Marris College, Lucknow, where he received the heart of his taalim from his Guruji, Pandit S.N. Ratanjankar, disciple of Pandit Vishnu Narayan Bhatkhande and Ustad Faiyaz Khan. Along with other shishyas, like S.C.R. Bhatt, Chidanand Nagarkar and K G Ginde, Kaikini spent his formative years receiving the rigorous training that helped him develop a keen sense of aesthetics as well as a passion for teaching and imparting knowledge. As a grand finale to this, he received the prestigious Bhatkhande Gold Medal for Khayal singing in 1943, following his performance in the final Bachelor of Music examination.

Kaikini was able to realize the grandeur and magnitude of the traditional music of North India. Endowed with the rich voice, Shri Kaikini has the versatility to shape anything from Dhrupad, Dhamar and Khayal to Tappa, Tumari bhajan into marvels in sculptured music. He has also to his credit many self composed ragas like 'Guna-Rnajani', 'Bhoopavali', 'Gagan Vihag' and 'Khem Dhawani'. He has written 150 compositions and set to traditional and self composed ragas

Dinkar Kaikini`s career as a musician is a testament to his limitless creativity: it exhibits a profound versatility and commitment to the art. He has devoted his life to performing, composing and teaching. His performing career started in 1946 and has flourished since. He has toured internationally, including the US, UK, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia and Europe. He has served as an ambassador for Hindustani music, not only as a performing musician, but also as an educator. In 1974, he was selected by the Government of India to represent the Hindustani classical music tradition in the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, and East Germany, where he gave performances and lecture demonstrations at Universities and cultural centers. He gave a second similar tour in the US, performing extensively in the academic communities.

He has also held prominent positions in the music field. He spent long years with All India Radio, starting in 1954, first as composer and then Producer. He was also Assistant Director for the Directorate, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. This was followed by a long tenure as Principal at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan`s Music and Dance School, Mumbai. As Principal, Kaikini furthered his long-standing belief in promoting music through education and awareness.

Throughout his life, Kaikini has been a prolific composer, having composed hundreds of compositions in styles like khayal, dhrupad, dhamar, thumri and bhajan, as well as several new ragas. His compositions have also been pioneering: he has composed for large choruses and set music for films and the ballet production, `Discovery of India` with Pandit Ravi Shankar.

In recognition of his tremendous contribution to music, the honours that have come his way have been numerous. These include the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Tansen Award, Sangeet Ratna (Swar Sadhana Samitee, Mumbai), Sharangdev Award (Sur Singar Samsad) and the ITC Award, to name just a few.

He left behind him, his daughter and disciple Smt. Aditi Kaikini Upadhya, A renowned exponent of Hindustani Sangeet and the son Pandit Yogesh Shamsi, a renowned tabla player.

May his sould rest in peace