Wednesday recitals in March
The third Wednesday in March featured a sitar-sarod jugalbandi by Shri Ganesh Mohan and Shri Pradeep Barot. Shri Mohan’s playing style aims at a synthesis of three Gharanas, as he has learnt from Pandit Gopal Nag, Pandit Manilal Nag, Pandit Ajay Sinha Ray and Pandit Arvind Parikh and is greatly influenced by Pandit Nikhil Banerjee. Shri Pradeep Barot’s approach to music is traditional and yet highly creative. Initiated by his father, he also learnt from Shri Vasant Rai, a disciple of Ustad Allauddin Khan, before becoming a disciple of Vidushi Annapurna Devi. That evening they began with alap, jod, gat and jhala in Raga Shree, followed by a gat in Raga Gavati and a dhun. They were accompanied on the tabla by Pandit Samar Saha.
Ex-scholar Janab Waseem Khan performed in the last Wednesday of the month. Grandson of Ustad Basheer Khan Sahib, he took his initial taalim from his maternal grandfather Ustad Ata Hussain Khan Sahib at the age of six. Thereafter, he learnt from his father Ustad Naseem Ahmed Khan Sahib. In July 1999, he became a scholar of ITC -SRA under erstwhile Guru Ustad Shafi Ahmed Khan Sahib, who is one of his grandfathers. He left the Academy in April 2003, after becoming an A grade scholar. That evening he presented khayals in Ragas Jayjaiwanti, Yamani Nat and Sohini. He was accompanied on the tabla by Shri Sandip Kumar Ray Chaudhuri while Shrimati Rupashree Bhattacharya provided harmonium support.
Holi Programme
Every year, ITC Sangeet Research Academy organises a cultural programme to celebrate the advent of spring. This year’s programme was held at 6.30 p.m. on Friday, March 13, 2009, at the lawns of the Academy. The concert began with vocal performances by ITC-SRA scholars. Guided by Guru Falguni Mitra, scholars Sucheta, Manali, Anal, Deborshee, Adarsh and Pinaki presented a dhrupad in Raga Bahar, teevra tala “Aaj bahata sugandh pavan” and a dhamaar in Raga Adana “Bajata mridanga gavata dhamaar”. This was followed by khayals in teentala, Raga Sohini “Rang na daro shyamji” and Raga Basant Bahaar “Aayi basant ki bahaar” which were sung by scholars Samarth and Sameehan, guided by Guru Ulhas Kashalkar. Scholars Sucheta and Manali and general class students Kasturi, Sohini and Priyanka sang khayals in Raga Desh, teentala “Khelana aaye hori” and Raga Shahana, ektala “Ata jhum jham kar aayi”. Both these compositions were by Guru Arun Bhaduri who had also trained the scholars.
Under Guru Mashkoor Ali Khan’s guidance scholars Arshad, Sandip, Samarth, Sameehan, Adarsh, Anal, Deborshee and Pinaki presented a bandish ki thumri in Raga Kafi “Dekho roko na chhail, gail mori” and a khayal in Raga Basant, ektala “Gaili gaili aindi aindi”. Scholars Sucheta, Manali, Anal, Deborshee, Samarth and Sameehan along with general class students Kasturi, Sohini and Priyanka performed the last few compositions which were under Guru Ajoy Chakrabarty’s guidance. These included a hori dadra in Raga Tilak kamod “Kaun khele tumse hori kanhaiya”, a bandish ki thumri in Raga Kafi “Dekho aali hori khelata nandalal” and a hori rasiya “Najo naina ri nukeeley”.
The performers were accompanied by Shri Jyoti Goho and Shrimati Rupashree Bhattacharya on the harmonium, Shri Gopal Mishra and Shri Sandip Kumar Ray Chaudhuri on the tabla, Shri Babua Lodh and Shri Biswanath Das on the dholak, Shri Sanjiban Achary on percussion and Shri Apurba Lal manna on the pakhawaj.
After a short interval, Shrimati Prabhati Mukherjee presented semi-classical music including thumri, dadra, geet and a Bengali song on request. She was accompanied by Shri Manas Chakrabarty on the tabla, Shri Pratap Roy on the accordion and Shri Pradip Mukherjee on percussion.