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Musical treat in store for Mumbai at 41st Gunidas festival

Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan is one of the most prestigious classical music festivals of India

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Pandit Hariprasad Chourasia, Pandit Satish Vyas and Ustad Rashid Khan
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The 41st edition of the Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan will see performances by doyens of Hindustani classical music like flute legend Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia , ace vocalist Ustad Rashid Khan, santoor maestro Pt Satish Vyas as also other leading artistes including vocalists Jayateerth Mevundi and Shashwati Mandal, Saylee Talwalkar Sarod Player Amaan Ali Bangash, sitarist Shubhendra and cellist Saskia Rao.

Speaking about the three-day soiree, starting from 30th November 2017 at Nehru Centre, Worli, santoor maestro and Maharashtra Lalit Kala Nidhi secretary, Pt Satish Vyas, said: “My father Pandit C.R. Vyas started the Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan in 1977 under the aegis of the Maharashtra Lalit Kala Nidhi (MLKN), a Charitable Trust founded by him. This annual music festival is held in memory of yesteryear’s doyen of the Agra gharana, the late Pt Jagannath Buwa Purohit alias Gunidas. Pt Jagannath Buwa was not only a great performer but was also an acclaimed guru and composer who had composed several ragas, bandishes under the penname Gunidas; which is where the name of the festival is drawn from.”

On Thursday, 30th November the first day of the sammelan will begin with the santoor recital of Pt Satish Vyas who will be accompanied by Mukundraj Deo on tabla. Under santoor legend Pt Shivkumar Sharma's tutelage, Satish honed his musical skills and with a strong foundation laid down by his father at home, he developed his own unique style of playing. The first day will conclude with most sought after vocalist Ustad Rashid Khan with Satyajeet Talwalkar on tabla, Murad Ali on sarangi and Ajay Joglekar on harmonium. Ustad Rashid Khan’s disciplined training reflects in his mastery of taan and layakaari. He has also experimented with integrating Hindustani classical with sufi music, jazz, etc and is known for beautifully expressing emotions and being in conversation with the self through his soulful voice. He has released many albums and concert recordings.

On Friday 1st December, the evening will begin with a sarod recital by young and talented Amaan Ali Bangash with Aditya Kalyanpur on tabla. Amaan Ali Bangash is the son and disciple of sarod legend Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. He and his brother Ayaan are the torchbearers of a great legacy, represent the seventh generation of the musical lineage – the Senia Bangash gharana. This performance will be followed by a Vocal Recital of the melodious Gwalior Gharana vocalist Shaswati Mandal with Mandar Puranik on tabla and Niranjan Lele on harmonium. Shashwati was fortunate to training with her mother Kamal Mandal and Doyen of Gwalior Gharana Pt Balasaheb Poonchhwale. The second day will conclude with divine and spiritual notes of the flute by legend Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia with Arvind Kumar Azad on tabla.

The last day of the sammelan will begin with the vocal recital of talented vocalist Saylee Talwalkar who will be accompanied by Mayank Badekar on Tabla and and Niranjan Lele on harmonium. Saylee has been trained by Usha Deshpande of Kirana gharana, Arti Ankalikar Tikekar of Jaipur and Agra gharana and Padma Talwalkar of Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana.This will be followed by unique musical jugalbandi and soul stirring music based on ragas by Shubhendra Rao on Sitar and Saskia Rao on Cello with Ojas Adhiya on tabla. While Shubhendra is a senior disciple of Bharat Ratna Pt Ravi Shankar, his wife Saskia is the disciple of Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia.

The 41th Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan will conclude with the gifted and popular singer with a mellifluous and sonorous voice of Jayateerth Mevundi with Ojas Adhiya on tabla and Niranjan Lele on Harmonium. Jayateerth is following the footsteps and lineage of the Kirana Gharana who received training from Shripati Padegar a disciple of Pt Bhimsen Joshi.

Flautist Pt Chaurasia said: “It gives me great pleasure to be a part of 41st Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan on December 1st, 2017. I'm most surprised to realise that it is the 41st edition! How time flies! I still remember participating in the 1st Gunidas sammelan held in 1977. I felt so honoured and privileged to be a part of such a festival and the same feeling remains till date. I feel humbled and honoured to be a part of this prestigious festival‘s journey for the last four decades and congratulate Pt Satish Vyas who has singlehandedly brought this festival to such a zenith. It takes a lot of passion and hardwork to put together a music Festival and to bringing world class Indian classical music to music connoisseurs not only in Mumbai but also in other cities of India for four decades is no mean feat. As always I look forward to my recital on December 1st with great anticipation.”

Echoing the legend, the young vocalist Saylee Talwalkar also expressed happiness at being part of the Gunidas festival. “I grew up attending this festival where I have heard so many legends and new talent. It is indeed a great honour to be part of this most prestigious music festival of India.”

Young sarood exponent and Amaan Ali Bangash feels that the Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan needs no introduction to music lovers of Mumbai. “In the last 40 years, the hugely acclaimed classic music festival has acquired a reputation for those who venerate classical music. I'm so honoured to be performing at this festival of which I have so many fond memories of my past appearances at it in Mumbai and New Delhi. I’d like to thank Maharashtra Lalit Kala Nidhi and Pt Satish Vyas for inviting me.”

Gunidas Sangeet Sammelan is one of the most prestigious classical music festivals of India and over the last 40 years legendary artistes like Pt Ravi Shankar, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pt Bhimsen Joshi, Gaansaraswati Kishori Amonkar, Pt Jasraj, Pt Shivkumar Sharma, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Begum Parween Sultana, Pt Kumar Gandharva and many other legends and young artistes have performed here.

No wonder the annual festival is such a major milestone on the city's cultural calendar and such a big draw with audiences.

(From 30th November onwards at Nehru Centre, Mumbai)

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