Gharana Festival starts on 5th Dec

News Desk                     Shottobani

London: A two-Month Long Gharana Festival starts on 5th Dec 2020 where International World Class Artists come Together to Celebrate Rich History of Indian Classical Music

Gharana, loosely translated as home to a style of music, is a tradition of Indian classical music. Initiated in the medieval Mughal courts, it has survived changes in patronage, political tempest and technological shifts.

Vocalists and instrumentalists of various prominent gharanas will perform the finest khyal thumris and other compositions, weekly for an hour, demonstrating unique styles of some of the most famous gharanas which has assisted the survival of Indian classical music. It will be supported with a narration that explains development of the khyal which helped define the gharanas.

The Maestros of the Bengali section will focus on the incorporation of raaga into Bengali songs with the compositions of Kazi Nazrul Islam that reached levels of full incorporation of Indian classical music into traditional Bengali kabbyo-gaan in a way that that other great musicians before him and after, had not.

Renowned classical artists from all corners of the world will include, Ustaad Shawkat Hussain Khan of the proud, prestigious Agra vocal gharana that was made famous by Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Ustad Salauddin Ahmed & Sreemati Sanhita Nandi of Kirana style, Pundit Indrajeet Banerjee of Maihar sitar gharana, Pundit Gourishankar of Farukabadi table gharana, Pundit Chiranjeeb Chakraborty of Patiala vocal, Sreemati Alif Laila of Senia Maihar sitar and Pundit Omkar Dardarkar of Gwalior gharana vocal style and more.

Piya Mayenin, artistic director of SurBandhan believes that arts and culture will prevail in any shape or form despite challenges of 2020 and beyond and always find ways to carry on.

SurBandhan, established in 2011, is an arts organisation with the aims and objectives of enabling South Asian arts, by curating rich events and workshops where musicians, vocalist, dancers, thinkers, all get-together in individual and collective expressions of their unique art.

Details about the Raaga Gharana and Maestros of Bengal festival is on SurBandhan’s dedicated, website, https:// www.surbandhan.com and its Facebook page, @Surbanhdansociety. The festival will run on SurBandhan Facebook page and YouTube page on dates starting on the 5th December 2020. The festival is supported by Arts Council.