Pt Sharma's musical odyssey launched

Monday, December 04, 2006

New Delhi (UNI): Melodious notes emanating from the Santoor cast a mesmerizing spell over an audience of music lovers here last night.

For hundreds of people present at the Siri Fort auditorium, it was a rare occasion as Santoor legend Shiv Kumar Sharma, the celebrated maestro of Hindustani classical music, treated them to an enthralling play of 'vintage Indian' melody echoing from his Santoor.

The occasion was the launch of Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma's musical life story in a commemorative album called 'Lifestory of a Legend- Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma' at the hands of ICCR president Karan Singh.

It was pure 'musical magic' at play as the maestro, in a concert held on the occasion, rendered the folkish raag Pahari from the strings of his santoor to the accompaniment of beats of tabla by young tabla maestro of the Banaras Gharana Sandeep Das.

The concert also saw performances on the santoor by two disciples of Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma, Kunal Gunjal and Dilip Kale - from Pune.

Launching the album, which presents four hours of the doyen's previously unreleased archival recordings from the last four decades, Dr Karan Singh said his association with Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma had been a long one, having learnt the nuances of music from the maestro's father Uma Dutt Sharma, a raag Pandit at the court of Dr Singh's father, Maharaj Pratap Singh of Jammu and Kashmir.

''I am proud to have been associated with Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma as he has made the state of Jammu and Kashmir, from where both of us hail, proud by taking the santoor from the confines of Jammu and Kashmir to all over the country and abroad,''Dr Singh said.

Over the years, Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma, through his constant experimentations with new techniques and distinct styles in the playing of santoor, had helped make Santoor a globally acclaimed instrument and an intergral part of the classical genre.

Recent Stories
Danish singer sings Punjabi
Tribute to Tansens curers

Archives