Sitar Player Dr. Chandrakant's blog

Pictures and report on concerts in Indore

yoshi — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 09:28:48 +0000

From: “Pooja Sardeshmukh”
Sent: Thursday, August 06, 2009 11:14 PM
To: News@list.darshanam.org
Subject: Pictures and report on concerts in Indore

Dear Friends
Here is a report from the Academy for Appreciation of Theatre, Music and Arts from Indore. The same report is also included in this email and in this link.

http://madhukali.com/aatma/malhar-2009/

Following is a collection of photographs from the Satya Sai School Concert on Aug. 1.

http://picasaweb.google.com/pooja.chandrakant/AATMA_Satya_Sai_School_Concert#

Following is a collection of photographs from the Pioneer Convent School Concert on Aug. 3.

http://picasaweb.google.com/pooja.chandrakant/03Aug_Pioneer_School_Indore#

Malhar 2009

Appreciative Generation | 1 Aug 09

In January 2009, Madhukali had organized appreciation events in Bhopal and Indore. Students of Trinity Engineering College, Bhopal were addressed by Mr. G. Raj Narayan, an engineer-cum-musician of Bangalore and Veena player Smt. Radhika Raj Narayan. The engineering students were captivated by the lucid presentation of the speakers who narrated the story of how music and electronics merged empowering performers and learners of Indian music. Dr. Chandrakant Sardeshmukh gave lecture-demonstration at Music College, Indore and Science College Indore. Story-telling and recitation by poets were planned along with film sessions in the two cities. At a media institution, after a show of his documentary “Shackled Motherhood”, Dr. Chandan Gupta explained in a lively discussion, why he superimposed images of pecking and flying birds with groups of laughing children.

Appreciation Event at Satya Sai Vidya Vihar, Indore | 1 Aug 09

With reopening of educational institutions, Madhukali planned the Malhar session of AATMA. Smt. Madhavi Chandolikar provided a back ground session before world renowned Sitar exponent Dr. Chandrakant Sardeshmukh enchanted the students of Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vihar in an interactive session. Tabla maestro Shri Ulhas Rajhans explained the concept of rhythm and gave tips on recognizing different patterns of Taal. Prathama (the first lady performer) Ms. Chitrangana Reshwal too gave her inputs. The same group also enjoyed a session with students of Pioneer institution. Children were keen to understand nitty gritty of sitat-playing. Queried one, “How much does it cost to learn sitar?” The other wanted to know whether the small gourd was to rest the instrument on shoulder. A girl complained that twice her finger bled pulling at the Sitar strings; was not there some way around it? The children also had deeper questions – why do they not find young people engaged in learning or playing Sitar?; how does one learn that one has talent for a particular instrument?

The Sound Within | 3 Aug 09

Says one of the AATMA coordinators, Swati Bharatiya, “For years now numerous organizations have been holding concerts of classical artistes, thereby helping the tradition of Indian music and dance. The modern generation, suffers from a serious handicap of multidirectional exposure leaving them impatient and confused. Faced with challenging circumstances a youth with such background is quick to lose control over self and likely to behave in a manner injurious to himself and others. Appreciation, learnt in stages through various forms of art, makes him more empathetic and controlled. When this idea can be recognized by UNESCO through its 2003 convention, why should not organizations include appreciation events to their routine activities?”

Concerts in Indore on August 1 and 3.

yoshi — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:32:56 +0000

From: “Pooja Sardeshmukh”
Sent: Thursday, July 30, 2009 10:22 PM
To: news@list.darshanam.org
Subject: Concerts in Indore on August 1 and 3.

Dear Friends

I am pleased to inform you that Dr. Chandrakant will perform two concerts organized by Academy for Appreciation of Theatre Music and Arts (AATMA) (http://opchourasiya.com/aatma.htm) for school children of age group 10-16 in Indore, Madya Pradesh, India.

Tabla accompaniement is by Mr. Ulhas Rajhans who is a student of Ustad Latif Ahmed Khan. Read more about him here.
http://omenad.net/page.php?goPage=http%3A%2F%2Fomenad.net%2Farticles%2Fulhas.htm

Starts at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday 01 August, 2009, Sri Satya Sai Vidya Vihar , A. B. Road, Indore. http://www.sathyasaiindore.com/
Starts at 10:00 a.m. on Monday 03 August, 2009, Pioneer Convent School, Mahalaxmi Nagar, Indore

Contact- Neal Jain, 986013895
Please do come if you are in Indore or inform your family and friends in Indore.

Thanking you and with warm regards

Pooja Sardeshmukh
www.darshanam.com
www.darshanam.org

Delhi Doordarshan (TV) National Telecast and other activities

yoshi — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:31:07 +0000

From: “Pooja Sardeshmukh”
Sent: Wednesday, July 29, 2009 3:57 PM
To: news@list.darshanam.org
Subject: Delhi Doordarshan (TV) National Telecast and other activities

Dear Friends

On 26th July Dr. Chandrakant gave a friendly performance for the Indian Army 6 Assam Regiment Commanding Officer and his subordinates in New Delhi Cantonment. He also did a jam session with the Jazz band members of the Regiment soldiers- Guitarists and Electronic Drums. After listening to him for a few minutes, one member of the audience immediately contacted Delhi Doordarhan Director General(DG) and arranged a meeting.

On 27th July when we met with the DG, she immediately contacted her staff and asked them to organize recording of Dr. Chandrakant.

On 28th July we got a call from producer of Delhi Doordarshan National Evening Live Show where Dr. Chandrakant was interviewed about healing music and his experiences. The show was telecast at 5:00 PM same evening live. It was an excellent interview and the producer later informed us that she got a lot of good feedback from the viewers and was interested in recording more of his Sitar and experiences.

On 29th July, along with other eminent dignitaries and artists from Delhi, Dr. Chandrakant paid homage to the veteran Indian vocalist of Kirana Gharana, Late Smt. Gangubai Hangal (97) in Sangeet Natak Academy, New Delhi in a tribute cermeony.

On 30th July, today, as per follow-up from the Delhi Doordarshan there will be a recording for Morning show. I will keep you posted for the date of telecast of this show.

Regards
Pooja Sardeshmukh

www.darshanam.com
www.darshanam.org

Shinagawa city cable TV broadcast of Sitar performance and teaching

yoshi — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:27:32 +0000

From: “Pooja Sardeshmukh”
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 12:01 PM
To: news@list.darshanam.org
Subject: Shinagawa city cable TV broadcast of Sitar performance and teaching

Dear All

I am happy to inform you that the Shinagawa, Tokyo Cable Television has taken notice of our promotion work of Indian music for so many years in Japan.

They came over to fully record one workshop of Sitar and Indian music teaching by Dr. Chandrakant. An excerpt of this is being broadcast on the cable TV in a variety program titled ‘Ano Mise Kono Mise O jama shimashita’. The timings of this broadcast are four times at 8:20, 17:10, 18:20 and 23:10 every day from 1/16 to 1/31.

Another program director of the same company also fully recorded the live Sitar, Tabla and Mridangam concert held on 16th January. An excerpt of the same will be broadcast on Shinagawa cable TV in a program titled ‘Shinagawa Ai’. The timings of this broadcast are four times at 8:30, 12:30, 14:10 and 18:30 every day from 1/20 to 1/26.

If you live in Shinagawa you can see this program. You can also recommend your friends living in this area to watch the program.

Regards
Pooja

6 March Healing Music Session in Tokyo

yoshi — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 08:25:06 +0000

From: “Pooja Sardeshmukh”
Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 1:20 AM
To:
Subject: 6 March Healing Music Session in Tokyo

Dr. Chandrakant conducts regular group healing music sessions in Tokyo. Those who have attended the sessions have reported high energy levels and relaxation effects afterwards. I request all of you to inform your friends and family in Tokyo and nearby area to join the event.

You can learn more here
http://www.darshanam.com/musichealing.asp (English)
http://www.darshanam.com/jp/music_therapy.html (Japanese)

October Session will take place as per below details.

Date & Time:Saturday, March 6, 2010
Venue : B1 Music Room in Chusho Kigyo Center, Shingawa, Tokyo
Map in Japanese is here http://www.darshanam.com/map_21march07.htm
Time: 9:50 to 12:00 AM
Charges: 7,000 Yen (Discount available for people with special needs)

E-mail :darshanam.ticket
Tel :090-5784-4051 (daytime)
080-1282-2394 (night)

Sitar concert in Pune (India) on Tuesday, July 14, 2009

yoshi — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 07:48:05 +0000

From: “Pooja Sardeshmukh”
Sent: Saturday, July 11, 2009 12:39 AM
To: news@list.darshanam.org
Subject: Sitar concert in Pune (India) on Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Dear Friends:

I would like to invite you, your family and your friends to a Sitar concert by Dr. Chandrakant Sardeshmukh in Pune, India. Tabla player is Shri Deepak Upadhye, disciple of Ustad Gulam Rasool Khan.

Date: Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Time: 7:45 PM

Venue: S.M. JOSHI SABHAGRUHA, NAVI PETH, NEAR PATRAKAR BHAVAN, PUNE

This concert is jointly organized by ROTARY CLUB (R.C.) OF PUNE SOUTH IN ASSOCIATION WITH R.C OF PUNE UNIVERSITY & RC OF PUNE HILL SIDE.

RSVP:

Sudhir Waghmare – Tel: 9822375996 dragonfly.sudhir@gmail.com

Space is limited. Please confirm your availability as soon you can.

About Dr. Chandrakant -

Janasamohini Alaap on you tube

Link with many audio clips together.

http://www.darshanam.com/music_library.asp

Link for a profile in general.

http://www.darshanam.com/overall_profile.asp

Thanks & Regards
Pooja Sardeshmukh
www.darshanam.com
www.darshanam.org

June 24 2009 Tribute to legendary Sarod Maestro Ali Akbar Khan Sahib

yoshi — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 07:47:13 +0000

From: “Pooja Sardeshmukh”
Sent: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 12:31 AM
To: news@list.darshanam.org
Subject: Tribute to legendary Sarod Maestro Ali Akbar Khan Sahib

Dear All
The legendary Sarod Maestro Ali Akbar Khan Sahib passed away on June 19 at the age of 87.
He contributed to Indian Classical Music in a great way. His duet performances with Ravi Shankar were very well known and the recordings are very popular.
Dr. Chandrakant went to California to pay homage at his funeral.
Here is the report for you.
You can also see it online at http://www.darshanam.com/tribute_aliakbarKhan.asp
Pleae pray for the soul.
Regards
Pooja

Tribute to Ali akbar Khan Saheb

Tasmai Shri Guruve Namaha

San Rafael, Sunday 21st June 2009.

In the serene and peaceful Mount Tamalpais cemetery in the town of San Rafael, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan’s family and his extended family consisting of fellow artists, disciples and well-wishers paid homage to the Sarod Maestro today.

Mt Tamalpais Cemetery is over one hundred years old. No wonder the legendary maestro and his family chose this location for the soul to rest in peace.

In a fitting testimonial to the artist, the large gathering that transcended national and religious barriers paid their last respects at the resounding chant of `Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara! Guru Sakshat Para Brahma, Tasmai Shri Guruve namah!’

Over the course of his 40-plus years stay in the San Francisco Bay area, Khan-sahib had touched the lives of thousands of people. Since 1967 he has trained over 10,000 students in Indian Classical Music through the Ali Akbar Khan College in San Rafael. Representing Khan Sahib’s musical legacy was senior Sarod player Ashish Khan and young aspirants, Alam Khan and Manek Khan. One of the speakers was a disciple who had started taking classes with him 43 years back. There were others present who had uprooted themselves from their birth places and moved to the Bay area solely for the purpose of learning music at the Ali Akbar College of Music. All remembered him as a strict teacher who believed in practice to perfection, but was always kind and compassionate. Khan-sahib’s eldest son, Aashish Khan and Ustad Zakir Hussain spoke eloquently about the late maestro, with Aashish Khan recalling times when he was just a young accompanist tasked to play the tanpura and also asked to hold the taal for concerts that lasted well beyond the 2-3 hour limit prevalent today. Zakirji had a long association with Khan-sahib in the Bay Area, acted as the master of ceremony. In his speech, he asked the people gathered to celebrate the artist’s life by painting the picture of Khan-sahib joining the concert tour in heaven, joining the ranks of Ustad Alla Rakha, Pandit Kishan Maharaj and other past luminaries.

The burial ceremony was followed by an informal gathering at the Ali Akbar College of Music where friends and family gathered to reminisce about the maestro. Mary Khan, wife of Khan- sahib was consoled by several of Ali Akbar Khan college students and fans.

Among those gathered was Dr. Chandrakant Sardeshmukh, the noted Indian Sitar Player residing in Tokyo Japan, who paid silent homage at the burial ceremony. Later, when speaking with the press, Panditji recalled his own fond memories and past association with the great maestro having known him from the early age of eight and attending his concerts in Mumbai. At that time, in the 1960′s Panditji was learning sitar from Pandit Ravishankar and later from Annapurna-devi, the sister of Ali Akbar Khan.

Most recently, he met Khan-sahib at his residence in April 2009 to felicitate him for his upcoming birthday. Khan-sahib, who had been under medical treatment, was in good spirits that night and spent over two hours reminiscing about the past. He talked about Baba Allauddin’s journey from his home town to Maihar, where Baba Allauddin did his most notable work. Dr. Chandrakant and the family members who attended this interesting discussion learnt about the association between Baba Allauddin and Swami Vivekananda’s elder brother. Khan-sahib also spoke about how Baba Allauddin pursued his relentless quest for learning new musical instruments, practicing each new instrument with dedication until he attained perfection. This discussion led to a question that Ali Akbar Khan had been asked a number of times in the past, “Why did Ustad Ali Akbar Khan decline the Bharat Ratna”? Khan-sahib’s answer was simple, “How could he, in good conscience, accept the Bharat Ratna, when his father and guru, Baba Allauddin, had not been offered this recognition”.

Ustad Ali Akbar Khan was talent, compassion and generosity personified. By creating the Ali Akbar College of Music and nurturing it for over four decades, he has left a huge legacy behind. Now it is up to the youngest generation of the Khan family and the many disciples and patrons of the Ali Akbar Khan College to continue his legacy and preserve the Guru-Shishya Parampara which was carried forward in a very able manner by the late maestro.

13 June – Sitar, Tabla, Bharatnatyam and Indian children performance in Tokyo

yoshi — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 07:40:10 +0000

From: “Pooja Sardeshmukh”
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 1:16 PM
To: news@list.darshanam.org
Subject: 13 June – Sitar, Tabla, Bharatnatyam and Indian children performance in Tokyo

Dear All,

I am pleased to inform you that we at Darshanam ( ) are having a Sitar, Tabla, Bharatnatyam and Indian children performance in Tokyo

http://www.darshanam.com/Events2009/Concert_13June/music_dance_event.html

1. Date and time: Starts at 15:30 p.m. on Saturday , June 13, 2009
2. Venue: Meguro Ku Chusho Kigyo Center Hall
12 min walk from Meguro Station on JR/Tokyu Meguro /Mita Subway /Nanboku Subway line
17 min walk from Nakameguro Station on Tokyu Toyoko, Hibiya subway line

3. Admission: 2,500 yen pre booking (adults)
2,995 yen at door
1,500 yen Student & disabled people
Free for children below 6 years

You can purchase tickets at E-Plus (online http://eplus.jp/) and Lawson Convenience Stores-L34233

Contact – Darshanam by Fax: 03-5436-2439
Mobile: 090-5784-4051 Mobile: 090-1651-3647
E-mail:Darshanam.ticket@gmail.com

This concert brings to you the rich tradition of Sitar music by Dr. Chandrakant who learnt Sitar from Pandit Ravi Shankar and Mrs. Annpurnadevi since age of 8. He lives in Japan and travels globally to give various concerts, lecture demonstration and Healing Music Sessions. Please read here more about him.

There will be a Bharatnatyam performance by Ms Kubota Yukiyo who learnt from Ms. Leela Samson in New Delhi. Here is a link to her website in Japanese http://kamala.tv

Sitar will be accompanied on Tabla by Mr. Uko Segawa. He learnt from Pandit Shankar Ghosh. Here is his website link in Japanese.
http://www.k4.dion.ne.jp/~uko/profile.html

There will be eye-pleaseing performance by young Indian kids. The kid’s performance is coordinated by www.Live-In-Japan.com

This event is organized by Darshanam and supported by Indian Embassy and Meguro International Friendship Association http://www.mifa.jp/ as well as www.Live-In-Japan.com .

Please do come if you are in Tokyo at this time.
Please promote this event to your friends in Tokyo or Kanto area.

Thanking you and with warm regards

Pooja Sardeshmukh

www.darshanam.com
www.darshanam.org

videos on the you tube

yoshi — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 07:26:28 +0000

From: “Pooja Sardeshmukh”
Sent: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 12:57 PM
To: news@list.darshanam.org
Subject: videos on the you tube

Dear All
Here are some videos from concert in Cary, North Carolina.

1) SindhBhairavi Alaap – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9OVtybL9hY

2) Bhairavi Drut TeenTaal -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpcqoI_6Kig

3) Bhairavi Dadra – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvFO1en4n_8

4) Jan Samohini Jod -Sitar – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxTrZ5hPo_M

5) Jan Samohini Alaap -Sitar -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7ZLgFpJ2OI

6 ) SihendraMadhyam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3bSRYBhoHY

Regards
Pooja

17th April Concert in Cary, North Carolina, USA

yoshi — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 07:24:41 +0000

From: “Pooja Sardeshmukh”
Sent: Sunday, April 12, 2009 1:01 AM
To: news@list.darshanam.org
Subject: 17th April Concert in Cary, North Carolina, USA

Dear All
Here is information about 17th April Concert in Cary, North Carolina, USA from the hosts. The flyer is attached here.

Dear Friends:

I would like to invite you, your family and your friends to a Sitar concert by Pandit Chandrakant Sardeshmukh. Accompanying him on tabla will be Prithviraj Bhattacharjee.

If you would like to know more about him, please follow these web links:

Link with many audio clips together. http://www.darshanam.com/music_library.asp

Link for a profile in general. http://www.darshanam.com/overall_profile.asp

His healing music sessions have gained a lot of popularity and the flyer is here.
http://www.darshanam.com/doc/GMS-General-flyer%20(2).doc

Date: April 17th Friday
Time: 7:45 PM (After Dinner event)

Venue: Oak Room, Bond Park Community Center
150 Metro Park Drive, Cary 27512 NC
Tel: (919 462-3970

Directions: Located within Bond Park. Bond Park is located at 801 High House Road between Cary Parkway and Northwest Maynard Road.

RSVP:
Rajesh & Vanashree Selukar- (919) 460-5377 or svanu Shirish & Bharati Javalkar- (919) 465-9513 or s.javalkar@att.net

Space is limited. Please confirm your availability as soon you can

Thanks & Regards
Rajesh & Vanashree Selukar

SitarConcert_Cary_2009April17.doc