Kolkata Music Festival celebrates guru-shishya tradition

Rakesh Chaurasia, nephew of Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, playing flute on the second day of the ITC Sangeet Sammelan music festival. , Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Kolkata’s ITC Music Research Academy celebrated Hindustani classical music from across India with luminaries including Shubha Mudgal and Rakesh Chaurasia enthralling the audience. This five decade old forum has been remembered master-disciple The tradition of art passed from teacher to student.

The 53rd ITC Music Conference 2024 showcased a wide range of vocal and instrumental traditions, from the melodious tones of the sitar and sarod to the rhythmic depth of the tabla and the expressive sound of the sarangi. It also represents a unique coming together of acclaimed greats and rising stars.

Artists Sanjukta Biswas and Sabina Mumtaz Islam, who performed a duet on the second day of the event, began their journey with ITC Music Research Academy as students in 1996, and now share the stage with their mentors. “This is a historic platform. There is no artist in India who has not performed here, including stalwarts like Ustad Rashid Khan, Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, singer Arun Bhaduri, Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty and others,” said Ms. Mumtaz. The Hindu,

Indian singer and composer Shubha Mudgal during her performance at the ITC Music Conference concert. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Saradindu Dutta, executive director and trustee of ITC Music Research Academy, said the festival attempts to bring together different genres on a single platform. “Our journey is about nurturing scholars from across India. They live here, learn here, all for free. Guru also lives here and nurtures them together. master-disciple Traditions of learning music over the years,” he said.

Another organizer member present at the event said that the biggest reason why music conferences have attracted huge crowds over the decades was that most of the audience members themselves were at various stages of learning music.

The timeless beauty and intricate tapestry of Dhrupad, Khayal and Ghazal traditions ragas, TalasAnd householdsThe gathering was full of celebration and excitement, with the audience staying up all night in the winter cold to hear and pay tribute to their favorite artists.

Through these events and learning experiences, the organizers seek to preserve the rich heritage of classical music across the country.