Aalaap Naigaonkar is a disciple of well-known harmonium player Seema Shirodkar.
He also continues to pursue his academic studies in Biotechnology.

He has been presenting solo recitals and has even started accompanying vocalists.
He has won several awards at music competitions. These include prizes at competitions organized by Swar Sanskar, Dadar Matunga Cultural Centre, Pt. V.D. Paluskar Award Swar Sadhana Samiti, Drishti Hungama TV, Swar Tal Sadhana, Sriranga Kala Niketan and others at the University festival.
He has also secured the National CCRT Music Scholarship from the Central Government.

G04, RH I,Sector 7, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, 400703
Tel: (022) 27822301
Mobile Number: +919769507245

Born into a musical family, Aarti Ramrao Nayak took to music at the early age of six under the tutelage of her father Ramrao Nayak. Her repertoire includes khayal, thumri, tappa, dadra, natyasangeet and bhajans.

She has a Sangeet Alankar degree from Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya and has also completed her Masters in Music from SNDT University. She also holds a Post Graduate degree in Commerce.

An All India Radio and Doordarshan artiste, she has received scholarships from Centre for Cultural Resources and Training and Ministry of Culture and several awards from various institutions.

In addition to her vocal performances, she has also lent her voice to film and has acted in many musical theatre productions.

F-5, Palacio Complex,
I floor, Kalangan,
Gogol Fatorda,
Salcete – Goa 403602
Tel: 0832-2701604
Email : aarti285@gmail.com
www.aartinayak.webs.com

Ajay Joglekar had a natural flair for harmonium since the early age of ten. Dedication and practice resulted in an individual style and technique. He is presently being trained by renowned harmonium player Tulsidas Borkar. Ajay is a familiar face at many music concerts in India and abroad. Besides accompanying several leading vocalists, tabla players and dancers, Ajay is also establishing himself as a composer and arranger.

Pune-based Ajinkya Joshi started his initial training in music at the age of seven from Shantilal Shah, one of the senior disciples of well-known tabla player Suresh Talwalkar. Ajinkya’s parents were passionate about music and inspired Ajinkya to take up playing tabla as a profession.

At the age of sixteen, Ajinkya moved to Mumbai and underwent intensive training in tabla for more than ten years from Suresh Talwalkar.

Ajinkya is the recipient of the Vishnu Digambar Paluskar Award (1999). He has accompanied his guru in various tabla solo concerts all over India. He has been awarded the National Scholarship for young artistes by the Government of India.

He has accompanied various artistes in India and has also toured Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Canada and USA for concerts.

With a passion and potential for teaching, Ajinkya Joshi taught tabla in Toronto, Canada, for eight months in 2006.

595 Budhwar Peth,
Binniwale wada,
Near Sakal Press,
Pune 411002.
Cell: 9850898976
Tel: 020 24455984
Email: ajinkya.tabla@gmail.com / info@ajinkyatabla.com
Website: www.ajinkyatabla.com

Pune-based Arvindkumar Azad is one of the senior-most disciples of the renowned tabla maestro Kishan Maharaj of the Benares gharana. Originally from Jamshedpur, Azad first started learning at a very early age from his illustrious father, noted tabla stalwart Lal Baboo. Azad belongs to the fourth generation of a family of tabla players. Later, Kishan Maharaj groomed him.
Arvindkumar Azad is the sought as an accompanist for Indian classical music and dance, and is known for accompanying vocal and instrumental music, and dance (kathak). He has provided accompaniment to leading performers at prestigious music festivals held across India. He has also traveled abroad for concerts.
He is equally known for his solo recitals. He has addressed lecture – demonstrations and seminars.

A 10/5, Kumar Padmalaya, D.P. Road, Aundh, Pune-411007
Tel: 9823112862 / 9823112862
Email: arvindkumarazad@yahoo.co.in
www.arvindkumarazad.com

Charudatta Phadke received his early training in Kolhapur from Majgaokar and Rajaram Jadhav. Thereafter, he has been refining his art under the tutelage of famed tabla player Suresh Talwalkar who he accompanies for various programmes. He has been featured as an accompanist and soloist in India but also abroad.
He participated in Taalyatra, a project conceptualized by Suresh Talwalkar and performed in Bangkok. He is also involved in a Kathak-Flamenco project since year 2000 as a cultural exchange between India and Spain.
He has received various awards like V.D Paluskar and Taalmani award. He has accompanied several artistes.
He has participated in cross-cultural collaborative concerts with Chinese and Japanese groups among others.

Chinmay Kolhatkar received his initial music training from Rajprasad Dharmadhikari, in Kolhapur. He is currently under the tutelage of the noted harmonium player Dr. Arvind Thatte.

After completing his graduation in Electronics, Chinmay has made music his career. Though young he has already provided harmonium accompaniment to many leading artists of Indian classical music.
Chinmay is taking vocal training from Rajendra Manerikar and is learning voice culture.

Born in 1978 in Gunavante, Karnataka, Dhananjay Hegde was initiated into music by his mother Geeta Hegde. Since 1989, he has received the guidance of Vinayak Torvi. Dhananjay Hegde has recorded several albums, and also performs regularly in India and overseas.

Dr. Anand Naigaonkar has performed as an accompanist and soloist. He is a disciple of eminent tabla guru Arvind Mulgaonkar. He was awarded the Sangeetacharya degree by the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal in 2007. He won the Gurudevji Patwardhan Puraskar for highest marks and exclusive performance in Sangeetacharya examination.
Dr. Naigaonkar is an honorary teacher at the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Vashi, Navi Mumbai. He is regularly invited by music institutes as a guest lecturer and demonstrator for tabla theory and performance. He is an approved and registered examiner for tabla examinations conducted by the ABGMV Mandal upto the Sangeet Alankar exams.
He has published six educational cassettes and CDs for tabla entitled Pareeksha ke Madhyam se Kala Darshan.
Dr. Naigaonkar has a doctoral degree in Microbiology.

G-04,RH I,Sector 7, Vashi, Navi Mumbai, 400703
anaigaonkar@gmail.com
Tel Number: (022) 27822301
Mobile Number: +919221700118

Born on 1st January 1954, in a family of music lovers, Dr. Bharati Vaishampayan received her training in Hindustani classical music under Chintubua Mhaiskar, Sudhakarbua Digrajkar and Nivruttibua Sarnaik. She also studied the thumri-dadra forms under the guidance of Baburao Joshi.

Dr. Bharati completed her M.A. (Music) from S.N.D.T. University, Mumbai, in 1982. She was awarded the Sangeet Pravin (Doctorate in Music) by Gandharva Mahavidyalaya in 1985.

She belongs to the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana and has performed in numerous prestigious concerts and festivals. She has broadcast widely for AIR since the year 1972 and has been honoured as a grade ‘A’ artist in classical and light-classical categories. She also has to her credit a number of special programmes and lecture-demonstrations on rare raags of Hindustani music.

She has been associated with the Music Department of Shivaji University, Kolhapur, since its inception in 1984. She became the Head of the Music Department in 1987. She is presently the Dean and Head of Department of Music of Shivaji University. She has visited many universities for specialised lecture-demonstrations and refresher courses.
Dr. Bharati has directed several Marathi Sangeet Naataks. Sangeet Swayamvar directed by her won the first prize for Best Naatak along with a total of thirty-three awards at the Bruhanmaharashtra Shaikshanik Sanstha, Delhi.

Dr. Bharati is an examiner and member of the Board of Studies of various universities, namely Dharwad University, Goa University, Marathwada University, Nagpur University, Pune University, M.S. University Baroda, Kurukshetra University and Amravati University.
Dr. Bharati is a guide for Ph.D. students.
Dr. Bharati Vaishampayan is the recipient of many awards and recognitions. Chief among these are:
• Government of India National Scholarship for higher training for the year 1976-77.
• “Gaan Hira” awarded by S.N.D.T., Mumbai, for her performance in the M.A. (Music) Exam in 1982.
• Best Teacher Award by Shivaji University in the year 1998.
• Mangal Puraskaar in 2001.
• Sangeetkar Ram Kadam Puraskaar awarded by Ram Kadam Pratishthan, Pune, in 2002.
• Kolhapur Bhushan Puraskaar in 2002.
• Bharat Jyoti Puraskaar awarded by India International Friendship Society, New Delhi, in 2003.

Dr. Bharati Vaishampayan
“Nilambari”,
1731/22, New Mahadwar Road,
Kolhapur – 416012.
Phone: +91-231-2621059

Kedar Vaishampayan
Mobile: +91-9822401509
E-Mail: kedarvaishampayan@rediffmail.com

Dr. Ernavaz Bharucha started the piano at the age of three. She studied under the guidance of late Aida Francis until she received her Licentiate of the Trinity College of Music London at the age of seventeen. After a gap of several years in pursuance of a medical career she continued studying the piano and theory of music with late Olga Craen.

For 19 years Ernavaz was part of the Bombay Chamber Orchestra. She played piano, harpsichord, cello and timpani in the orchestra and was its Resident Conductor for several years. In 1989 – 1990 she was awarded the prestigious Charles Wallace India Trust Scholarship through the British Council for a year to pursue a postgraduate conducting course at the Royal College of Music in London. She studied under the guidance of Christopher Adey, John Forster, Norman Del Mar and Edwin Roxburgh and worked with musicians of a very high standard.

Ernavaz has participated in several master classes and workshops. She has accompanied several instrumentalists and enjoyed playing chamber music. She has also accompanied choirs in Pune and Mumbai.

A teacher of music for several years she has taught music privately as well as at the Mercedes Benz International School in Pune and the Cathedral and John Connan School in Mumbai. At present she teaches the piano both in Mumbai and Pune.

Born in a family of music lovers, Kedar Vaishampayan received his initial training in music from his mother Dr Bharati Vaishampayan, a vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. He studied tabla under Mhamulal Sangaonkar for six years, and he now pursues advanced training in the subject under the guidance of well-known guru Arvind Mulgaonkar.

Kedar completed his M.A.Music (Tabla) from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, in 1998.

He has provided tabla accompaniment to many artistes.

By profession Kedar is a dealer in Surgical and Hospital Equipments for the past eleven years.

1731/22,”Neelambari”, New Mahadwar Road,
Kolhapur -416012
Maharashtra
Phone : + 91-231-2621059
Mobile: + 91-9822401509
Email : kedarvaishampayan@rediffmail.com

Niranjan Lele is a disciple of the renowned harmonium maestro Tulsidas Borkar. He had early lessons in music from Shashikant Shembekar and Joshi whereby he obtained the “Sangeet Visharad (Bachelor’s degree in music)” from Akhil Bhartiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya.

Trained in the North Indian (Hindustani) classical music, he has accompanied several musicians in India and abroad.

Niranjan also plays the reed organ in theatrical music productions, which are often relayed on Indian television. He also had an opportunity to provide harmonium accompaniment for a performance at the Central Hall of Parliament-Delhi on the occasion of completion of 150 years of 1857 War of Independence. He is a graded artist and a regular performer on All India Radio and television. He equally at ease as a soloist, having secured many prizes in various competitions held at zonal, national and international level.

Niranjan was invited to perform harmonium Solo in the” World Music Festival” held in Paris in August 2002.

Despite having a sound academic background in Science (Statistics) and Computer Programming, Niranjan has chosen his carrier in music. In addition he has undergone a course in “Sound Recording & Reproduction” conducted by University of Mumbai.

For his talent in music, he has been awarded the Manohar Waman Rege Puraskar
from Swar-Mauli, Mumbai and Lt.Pt. Vishwanath Pendharkar Smruti Puraskar from
Swar-Sanskar Samiti.

He is presently part of the music faculty at Dhirubhai Ambani International School, Bandra, Mumbai since past three years.

A 101,Pramanik Society,
Aakruti creations,
P.M.Road (Ext ) Vile-Parle (East)
Mumbai – 400 057
Mobile: +91-9820893926
E-mail – lele.niranjan@gmail.com

Omkar Gulvady was born in a musical family in Mangalore. His grandfather, a renowned keertankar and his uncle, a violinist and a versatile musician, inspired young Omkar Gulvady to take to classical music.

A child prodigy, Gulvady was initiated into tabla by his uncle Ratnakar Bhat Gulvady. Taranath Rao, a renowned tabla and pakhawaj maestro, moulded Omkar Gulvady into a refined tabla artiste. Well-known tabla gurus Ravi Bellare, Shashi Bellare and Arvind Mulgaonkar imparted further knowledge to Gulvady.

Reputed performers Chidanand Nagarkar, Mangeshnath Govekar, and Devendra Murdeshwar influenced Gulvady style of accompaniment

Over the years, Omkar Gulvady has provided tabla accompaniment to several senior and junior vocalists and instrumentalists. He has performed in almost all major music festivals in India and had also traveled abroad for concerts. He was one of the members chosen for recording projects undertaken by the archives of the University of Washington, USA, in the years 1993 and 1997.

Omkar Gulvady has been awarded with the Musician of the Year Award by the mayor of Cook County (Chicago), and has also been felicitated by the American Konkani Association of Chicago and the Andhra Pradesh Association of North America for his life long dedication, devotion, and contribution to the art of tabla. He was conferred with the Swar Sadhana Ratna award in 2007. In 2008, he received the Saath Sangat Pravin award. In 2009, he received the Excellence in Music award from the Kanara Saraswath Association.

Omkar Gulvady has conducted workshops on tabla accompaniment to vocal music.

He is an “A” grade musician of All India Radio and the television network and regularly broadcasts and telecasts as a soloist and accompanist.

He has been recorded widely on commercial albums.

25 Geetanjali CHS,
Off Veera Desai Road,
Andheri (W), Mumbai- 400053
omkargulvady@hotmail.com
omkargulvady@yahoo.co.in
omkargulvady45@rediffmail.com
Tel: 912226734615
Mobile: 919820413565

Praashekh Borkar and his younger brother Abhishek are two of the youngest sarod players of in India.

Praashekh began toying with a mini-sarod since the age of four, but he started taking serious lessons at the age of seven from his father and guru Shekhar Borkar. Praashekh, a gold medalist, has secured first place in several music competitions. He has also performed at several prestigious music festivals. He was awarded the Dattopant Deshpande trophy at the prestigious Sawai Gandharva festival, Pune in the year 2000. Praashekh is also a recipient of the C.C.R.T. scholarship and performs occasionally from A.I.R., Pune. He has traveled extensively all over the country and overseas and has also scored music for several music ballets and serials. He has completed his Alankaar (Master of music) and has also been honored with the title of ‘Surmani’.

Abhishek Borkar also began learning sarod from the age of seven, but this was after he spent time with vocal music and tabla since the age of four. He has been trained by his father and guru Shekhar Borkar. He gave his first performance at the age of ten years, and over the years he has won several music competitions in and around Maharashtra. He is a recipient of the C.C.R.T. Scholarship award from New Delhi. He also occasionally performs on the All India Radio, Pune. He had his first solo CD released at a young age of 15yrs.

Born in 1964 in a family of musicians, violinist Praveen Sheolikar started training in music at the early age of nine. He was taught by his grandfather Rambhau Sheolikar of Raipur, and by his father V.R. Sheolikar, a violinist.

In 1976, Praveen received the National Talent Scholarship, and he won the gold medal at the All India Radio music competition in 1985. He also secured a first class in MSc.

Praveen has performed in several music conferences in the country, and is at present associated with All India Radio, Bhopal.

Praveen Sheolikar will be accompanied on tabla by Vinod Lele at Baajaa Gaajaa 2011.

Rajashree Pathak was trained by eminent thumri singer Shobha Gurtu and Sarla Bhide. She is currently studying with sitar player and composer Shankar Abhyankar. She has a Master’s degree in Music from the University of Mumbai. Her repertoire includes khayal, thumri, dadra, Kumaoni hori, and other forms.

She received the national talent search scholarship in 1977. She also received awards from All India Radio for thumri and ghazal in 1981. In 1983, she won the gold medal at the Bombay University light music competition.

Rajashree Pathak has also sung for film and has taught many advanced students.

Sitar player Sahana Banerjee belongs to the Rampur Senia gharana. She was born in a family of musicians and was recognized as a child prodigy at an early age of four. Her father Santhosh Banerjee, a celebrated sitar and surbahar player, and former Head, Department of Instrumental Music, Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, trained her. She also received extensive training in vocal music from her illustrious mother Chhabi Banerjee.

She won the Pandit Nikhil Banerjee Challenge Trophy at the Dover Lane Music Conference in the year 1990 in Kolkata and was conferred the ‘Best Instrumentalist’ award. Apart from being a graded artist of the All India Radio and Television since 1995, Sahana has also given many prestigious stage performances in India and Europe. Sahana has worked with a unique project called D’une Rive a’ L’utre, organized by Radio France.

Born in a musician’s family in Karnataka, Shantanu Gurushant. S. went ahead and took initial training for some months from noted tabla player Omkar Gulwady. Since the last ten years, he has been learning tabla from well-known teacher Sadanand Nayampalli of the Farrukabad gharana.

He has performed with many renowned classical musicians. He has also accompanied ghazal, bhavgeet, natyageet, among othes.

He traveled abroad for concerts.

Shantanu has a Diploma in Fine Arts and Sculpture and an M.A. in Political Science.

A well-known music school in Mumbai, Sharda Sangeet Vidyalaya conducts courses in vocal and instrumental music and dance for children and adults.

At Baajaa Gaajaa, the Vidyalaya will be represented by its faculty and students. They will present many forms of vocal music, and recitals featuring the sitar, harmonium, jal tarang, tabla and drum pads.

The Vidyalaya teachers will also perform on this occasion:

Ravindra Chary [sitar & fusion]
Yashaswi Sirpotdar [vocal]
Anaya Thatte [vocal]
Vijaya Desai [vocal]
Manas Vishwaroop [vocal]
Lalita Chavan [vocal]
Siddesh Bicholkar [harmonium/ jaltarang]
Manas Kumar [violin]

Shriram Hasabnis had the good fortune of having been born into a musical family. His father Suresh Hasabnis is a tabla player and vocalist, protégé of Vinayakrao Ghangrakar and Govindbuwa Kale of Sangli.

Under his father’s tutelage, Shriram’s talent began taking shape from the age of seven. He accompanied several kirtankaars even during his school days.

In his pursuit for excellence, he honed his skills accompanying renowned vocalists from Sangli, Miraj and Kolhapur. This continued even during his art studies at Kolhapur.

Though the harmonium was his medium of musical expression, he studied classical vocal music from G.V. Dandekar, a revered vocalist of the Gwalior gharana.

In the taaleem sessions by Kanebuwa he marked the nuances and intricacies in the gayaki of Agra and Gwalior gharanas.

Presently he is under the guidance of Tulsidas Borkar, a harmonium veteran. He accompanies his guru and also provides harmonium accompaniment to well-known vocalists and tabla players at prestigious concerts and festivals all over India and abroad.

Steve Gorn has performed Indian classical music and new American Music on the bansuri bamboo flute in concerts and festivals throughout the world. His gurus are the late bansuri master Gour Goswami, of Kolkata and Pandit Raghunath Seth of Mumbai. He has also studied with the late Z. M. Dagar. During the past decade, Steve has often performed in India, appearing at many prestigious venues. He has numerous recordings to his credit including Luminous Ragas, an Indian-Jazz fusion recording, Pranam, and Rasika.

www.SteveGorn.com

Born into a musically devoted family from Mandsaur, Madhya Pradesh, Sudhakar Deoley was inspired by his mother Lata Deoley. He has his initial lessons from Ragunath Wagh of the Gwalior gharana in the tappa form. He also learnt the tabla from his maternal uncle Sharad Khargonkar. Later, he went on to undergo advanced training in Hindustani vocal music from the illustrious guru Jitendra Abhisheki. He studied various forms like khayal, Natya Sangeet and bhajan, from his guru.

The Government of India awarded him a national scholarship for advanced training in vocal music and he also had the honor of receiving a scholarship for vocal music from the Bhulabhai Memorial Institute, Mumbai.

He provided vocal support to his guru Jitendra Abhisheki’s performances. Thereafter, he performed at many music festivals in India and abroad.

He released a cassette “Arpan” a collection of patriotic songs to commemorate India’s fifty years of Independence.

He was the Head of the Department of Music and Dance in the Indian school at Bahrain.

He is a regular artist on the Doordarshan and the All India Radio

Sudhir Nayak is a familiar face at most music festivals in India and has gained recognition as a sensitive harmonium accompanist to several vocalists.

 A disciple of the harmonium maestro Tulsidas Borkar, Sudhir also received training from the noted vocalist and composer Jitendra Abhisheki in the nuances of Raag Sangeet. Primarily trained in the Hindustani Music tradition, Sudhir has also been studying various other genres of Indian music.

Sudhir’s musical performances are regularly featured on Indian television and commercial recordings. He has also performed in the USA, the UK, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Australia, the Far Eastern and the Middle Eastern countries.

Equally at home with harmonium solo renditions as he is with accompaniment, Sudhir has composed music for many musical productions.  He also participates in cross-cultural collaborations and is a member of the ‘Koshish’ ensemble.

 He has been awarded the ‘Saath Sangat Pravin Award’ instituted by the Rajeev Goenka Academy under the auspices of The Music Forum, Mumbai.

Sunil Avachat is a senior disciple of eminent flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia. He has been studying the tantakari or instrumental style from his guru for the past fifteen years. Sunil’s initial training was under Pune’s senior flute player Arvind Gajendragadkar, from whom he learnt basic techniques of flute playing and the khayal style.
Sunil has performed in India and abroad. He has also performed in the ‘Woodstock Festival, Poland’ with an Indian music band. In Germany, he played with flamenco music and dance. Sunil has also performed in South Korea with Korean traditional instruments. In India, he regularly performs and records for various film/ TV projects.
There are a number of music albums on Sunil’s account. Some of them are released in South Korea. One among them was awarded the ‘Critic Choice Award’!!
Sunil is an ‘A’ grade artist of India’s Radio/ Television channel, and is an empanelled artist of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) too.
Sunil is a very good flute maker and all the flutes he plays on are made by himself.
Sunil completed his Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering. He also is a Java Certified Professional.

Supreet Deshpande is a third generation musician in the family of noted musicologist S.B.Deshpande. After the introduction to tabla by his grandfather at a young age of four, Supreet has learnt the art from his father, famous tabla virtuoso Kiran Deshpande. Supreet is also privileged to be learning from well-known tabla maestro Suresh Talwalkar.
Supreet is especially known for seamless blend of tradition with popular presentation of tabla as a solo instrument. He blends the Delhi, Ajrada, Benaras, Punjab and Farrukhabad gharanas to enrich his repertoire in solo recitals.
In a public performance career of about three decades, Supreet has been regularly invited to perform in prestigious conferences in India and has also performed abroad as a soloist and accompanist to well-known musicians and dancers.

# 3 JYONEESH, 58 Anand Park, Aundh, Pune – INDIA 411007
Tel: + 91 20 2589 0305
Cell: + 91 98 230 25783
supreet@vlifesciences.com

One of the most respected harmonium players, Tulsidas Borkar had his initial lessons in music from his mother Jayshreebai Borkar. He started learning harmonium from Vishnupant Vasta, and had the opportunity of being guided by Chhota Gandharva, the eminent vocalist, in the art of harmonium accompaniment. He also learnt violin from A.P. Pathak for approximately three years. However, his tutelage under the renowned harmonium player Madhukar Pednekar, more popularly known as P. Madhukar, between the years 1957 and 1967, led him to develop a distinct stylistic identity. His quest for knowledge also prompted Tulsidas Borkar to learn the intricacies of North Indian art music from notable musicians like S.C.R. Bhatt, K.G. Ginde, Rajaram Shukla, Murli Manohar Shukla and Ram Marathe. The special guidance he received from noteworthy flautist Devendra Murdeshwar, was an important phase in his musical journey.

Over the many decades, Tulsidas Borkar has provided sensitive harmonium accompaniment to several vocalists in live concerts and recordings. Not restricting himself to accompaniment, he has also been involved in intensive research on various aspects of the instrument and has been one of the few harmonium players responsible for popularising harmonium as a solo instrument in present times. Acclaimed as a soloist, his solo renditions are available on commercial releases. Realizing the need to document and disseminate the results of his research among music lovers and students, Tulsidas Borkar authored a book in Marathi entitled Samvadini Sadhana, which received an overwhelming response. He has also passed on his mantle to a host of young harmonium players who have emerged as well-known accompanists and soloists.

Apart from his contribution to harmonium playing, Tulsidas Borkar is also a celebrated organ player for musicals in Marathi theatre. Between the years 1950 to 1980, he accompanied several leading actor-singers and has composed for musical theatre productions and albums.

A much admired participant in prestigious music festivals in the country and abroad, Tulsidas Borkar has been honoured with awards such as ‘Govindrao Tembe Sangatkar Puraskar’, ‘Keshavarao Date Puraskar’, ‘ITC -Sangeet Research Academy Award’, ‘Dinanath Mangeshkar Award’, and the ‘Sangeet Natak Akademi Award’.

One of the most respected harmonium players, Tulsidas Borkar had his initial lessons in music from his mother Jayshreebai Borkar. He started learning harmonium from Vishnupant Vasta, and had the opportunity of being guided by Chhota Gandharva, the eminent vocalist, in the art of harmonium accompaniment. He also learnt violin from A.P. Pathak for approximately three years. However, his tutelage under the renowned harmonium player Madhukar Pednekar, more popularly known as P. Madhukar, between the years 1957 and 1967, led him to develop a distinct stylistic identity. His quest for knowledge also prompted Tulsidas Borkar to learn the intricacies of North Indian art music from notable musicians like S.C.R. Bhatt, K.G. Ginde, Rajaram Shukla, Murli Manohar Shukla and Ram Marathe. The special guidance he received from noteworthy flautist Devendra Murdeshwar, was an important phase in his musical journey.

Over the many decades, Tulsidas Borkar has provided sensitive harmonium accompaniment to several vocalists in live concerts and recordings. Not restricting himself to accompaniment, he has also been involved in intensive research on various aspects of the instrument and has been one of the few harmonium players responsible for popularising harmonium as a solo instrument in present times. Acclaimed as a soloist, his solo renditions are available on commercial releases. Realizing the need to document and disseminate the results of his research among music lovers and students, Tulsidas Borkar authored a book in Marathi entitled Samvadini Sadhana, which received an overwhelming response. He has also passed on his mantle to a host of young harmonium players who have emerged as well-known accompanists and soloists.

Apart from his contribution to harmonium playing, Tulsidas Borkar is also a celebrated organ player for musicals in Marathi theatre. Between the years 1950 to 1980, he accompanied several leading actor-singers and has composed for musical theatre productions and albums.

A much admired participant in prestigious music festivals in the country and abroad, Tulsidas Borkar has been honoured with awards such as ‘Govindrao Tembe Sangatkar Puraskar’, ‘Keshavarao Date Puraskar’, ‘ITC -Sangeet Research Academy Award’, ‘Dinanath Mangeshkar Award’, and the ‘Sangeet Natak Akademi Award’.

Born in a musical family, Tushar Dutta started learning the fundamentals of Hindustani classical music at an early age from Bimal Mitra of Durgapur.

Groomed as a scholar at the famous ITC Sangeet Research Academy, he took lessons from A.Kanan and Arun Bhaduri, two eminent maestros of the Kirana gharana. Later, he received training from Sunil Bose and K.G. Ginde of Agra gharana. Presently, Tushar is under the guidance of his well-known vocalist Subhra Guha.

Tushar was selected as a grade ‘A’ artiste, for khayal and bhajan by All India Radio in 1996. He also took part in the National Concert of All India Radio. In 1998, Tushar stood first in khayal at the All India University competition in Banaras. He got the National Scholarship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. He was nominated for the Ananda Sangeet Puroskar by Ananda Bazar Group of Publications, as one of the best new singers of Bengali songs. Tushar has received the Surmani title from Sur Singer Samsad of Mumbai. He has a number of music albums to his credit, released by various record labels.

He has performed at many prestigious music conferences all over India and abroad.

Tushar Dutta is one of the music trainers for a radio programme on learning classical music “SuraSabha” presented on Gyanbani F.M., Kolkata.

75, Panchanantala Road,
Paschim Putiari,
Kolkata – 700 041,
West Bengal, India.
Ph: 91-33-2402 4471
M- 09433229722 / 09883182171
E-mail: tusharvocal@rediffmail.com

Born on 22nd Nov 1970 in Mumbai, Vinayak had an inherent liking for music from his childhood. Recognizing his keen response towards the rhythm, his father Pundalik Prabhu, an accomplished vocalist and tabla player, gave Vinayak early lessons in tabla.

A vocal recital by the legendary Pt.Bhimsen Joshi opened up new horizons in Vinayak’s life and inspired him to learn vocal music in the North Indian (Hindustani) khayal tradition under the guidance and supervision of his father. Vinayak’s inclination towards the Kirana gayaki took him to Firoz Dastur, a doyen of this Gharana and a disciple of Sawai Gandharva, and Vinayak started grooming as a competent performer under his tutelage.

Vinayak has performed at many music festivals in India. A graded artiste of the All India Radio, Vinayak was a recipient of a Gold Medal in the Hindustani classical vocal music competition of the A.I.R. Vinayak has also been awarded with the Surmani title by Sur Singar Samsad, Mumbai.

Vinayak is also proficient in thumri-dadra and devotional music.

Many reputed record companies have commercially recorded him.

VINAYAK PRABHU
5/40, Motilal Nagar No.1, Opp. B.E.S.T. Nagar, Goregaon (W), Mumbai – 400104. Tel .: 91-22-28741894, Mobile : 9892139967
Email : vinprabhu@ymail.com / nadarangmusic@yahoo.com

Trained in the Banaras gharana of tabla playing, Vinod Lele studied under Kashinath Khandekar. He is a gold medalist and has a Sangeet Praveen degree from the Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad.

He won the first prize in the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi competition held in 1982. In 1983, he won the first prize in the All India Radio music competition. He is a grade ‘A’ artiste of the All India Radio and Doordarshan.

He has travelled widely and has accompanied several leading performers.

62-C, CD Block, Pitampura, Delhi-110 088
Mob: 9968494186, 9839169717
vinodlele@rediffmail.com

Zubin Behramkamdin studied the violin under Silloo Panthaki. He passed the Licenciate Examination of the Trinity College of Music, London with distinction. He has participated in workshops and master classes conducted by eminent musicians including world-renowned cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich. He has given several solo and Chamber Music performances. In 1989 Zubin was selected to play as a guest musician with the then European Community Youth Orchestra under Zubin Mehta for its spring tour, which included performances in Rome, London, Madrid and cities in India. Zubin has played in the World Orchestra for Peace under the baton of maestro Valerie Gergiev on many of its tours, which included performances in Moscow, St. Petersburg London, Berlin, Jerusalem, Beijing, Amsterdam, Budapest, Krakow and others.

Programme for Baajaa Gaajaa 2011

Allemande & Gigue from Partita No. 2 for Solo Violin …J. S. Bach
Meditation from Thais …J. Massenet
Theme & Variations based on a melody by Weigl …C. Dancla
Romance from 2nd Violin Concerto …H. Wieniawski
Sonata in A major for Violin & Piano …N. Paganini
Schon Rosmarin & Leibeslied …F. Kreisler
Elite Syncopations …S. Joplin
Roses from the South …J. Strauss
Czardas …V. Monti