My Music Diary

http://www.thestatesman.com/features/revelling-in-sonic-splendour-1500680586.html -------------------------------------------------------------- As is their annual ritual, the disciples of Pandit Arvind Parikh organised a musical congregation on the auspicious occasion of Guru Purnima at Rangeshwar Hall, YB Chavan Centre, Nariman Point, Mumbai. This year there was another special reason for the celebration, as their world-renowned Guru has been awarded the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Ratna Sadasyata (Fellowship) for his vast knowledge and passion-driven selfless service to classical music. It was led by Dr Suvarnalata Rao (a scientist-musician who heads programming, Indian Music, NCPA), Deepak Raja (eminent musicologist-musician and author), renowned columnist-musician and composer Tushar Bhatia, most of whom are straddling parallel careers following in the footsteps of their revered Guru. On behalf of the entire Parikh Parivar in her welcome address...

http://www.thestatesman.com/features/musical-tribute-to-a-guru-1499928663.html The disciples of Pt. Arvind Parikh, himself a dedcated disciple of Ustad Vilayat Khan, celebrated Guru Purnima by honouring their mentor in a two-day festival of melodious recitals, say Manjari Sinha. The Guru has always been the source of knowledge and wisdom in the oral tradition that prevailed in ancient India from the time of the Vedasand Upanishads. The Guru Shishya Parampara or the tradition of transmission of knowledge from the Guru or mentor to the Shishya or disciple is followed in our classical arts till date. Guru-Purnima is celebrated to honour the Guru who is considered not just the provider of information, but also the transmitter of knowledge and wisdom from one generation to the next. Pt Arvind Parikh, the dedicated disciple of Ustad Vilayat Khan, has been an equally devoted Guru, who has passionately carried forward this great lineage of the Itawa Imdadkhani Gharana to the next gen...

Recitation: Bratati Bandyopadhyay Music Direction: Prattyush Banerjee (Sarod Player) Sitar: Ramprapanna Bhattacharya Sound Recording: Goutam Basu Released by: Asha Audio Duration of the poem which is dedicated to Ustad Vilayat Khan: 9:47 to 17:35 Other slots Ramprapanna's Sitar: 0.56 to 1:41 2:00 to 2:14 2:36 to 2:55

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copy Right belongs to: www.thehindu.com http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-fridayreview/a-chain-of-gratitude/article19275907.ece The disciples of the Vilayatkhani tradition gave a rich offering of music to the legendaryUstad Vilayat Khan, at a two-day event in Mumbai last week Tradition means several things. It also has several layers. Let’s take one of its strands, for instance. There is a guru and a disciple. The guru has a guru, and the disciple is also a guru. It continues thus. In these innumerable levels of gurus and disciples, if there is one common emotion that binds all of them, it is the reverence to that source of tradition which is often embodied in a divinely gifted human being. Last week in Mumbai, nearly 50 practitioners of the Imdadkhani Gharana of sitar – gathered to pay tribute t...

This article is written by friend Mohammad Shehzad. I shared a small note on Ustad Rais Khan which was going to be part of the obituary article on the Ustad who left for his heavenly abode on 6th May 2017. Articles can be accessed using the links below: http://dailykashmirimages.com/Details/139675/rais-khans-departure-is-sitars-demise http://dailytimes.com.pk/life-and-style/14-May-17/rais-khans-departure-is-sitars-demise

This article was published on 21st May 2017 on Kannada News paper Vishwavani. http://epaper.vishwavani.news/bng/e/bng/21-05-2017/21/add

Tribute to Ustad Rais Khan (1939 - 2017) This is a short note to convey my personal thanks, gratitude and regards to the immortal Sitar Wizard for being one of the most important inspirations to play the Sitar. Ustad Rais Khan was probably one of the most versatile, naturally talented and gifted sitarists ever born in our planet. Though he played Gandhar-Pancham Sitar (most suitable for Gayaki Ang) which was actually introduced by another supreme genius - Ustad Vilayat Khan, he wanted a different tonal quality out of it. Hence he used 4# string as the main string, whereas 3#or 3.5# was the standard gauge for Sitar main string. Also He tuned his Sitar at 'D'. This gave a unique melodious tonal quality in his sitar which was his own. Ustad ji had a unique balance between two hands. His 'Andaaz' and execution of Murkis, Gamaks, Chhut Taans and Sapat Taans had a different dimension. Any musical phrase even in tremendous speed was executed with superl...