16th Dec 2012

Kalpana’s father and guru Krishnarao alias Mamasaheb Mujumdar was the ace disciple Ustad Rajjab Ali Khan of Dewas. Kalpana received this mantle of rich heritage. She has also been taking guidance for Khayal and Thumari Gayaki from Dr.Mrs.Sushila Pohankar, and for Tappa Gayaki and traditional rare compositions from Shri.V.U.Rajurkar, both music scholars of Gwalior Gharana. Gifted with an extremely melodious voice, Kalpana has studiously developed the ‘Taan Ang’ for which her Gharana is famous.

An Engineer by qualification, Vijay Koparkar is a vocalist par excellence. He has learned from Madhusudan Patwardhan, Vasantrao Deshpande and Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki. He has received several honors including ‘Pandit Ramkrishna Vaze Puraskar’, Kalagaurav Puraskar and Vishvesh Puraskar. A Graded Artist at Akashvani & Television, Vijay Koparkar has performed in prestigious Indian festivals and all over the world.

Apoorva Gokhale is the grand-daughter of the late Gayanacharya Pandit Gajananrao Joshi and her great- grand-daughter of Pandit Antubua Joshi. Trained by eminent musicians such as Madhukarrao Joshi, Pandit Ulhas Kashalkar, Pandit Shankar Abhyankar and many more, Apoorva has always stood out with flying colours . Her sister Pallavi Joshi showcases a perfect blend of Gwalior, Jaipur and Agra gharana. She is a graduate in Biotechnology and holds Masters degree in Management Studies. Both Apoorva and Pallavi have performed in a number of prestigious music conferences in India.

Shounak Abhisheki, the son and disciple of maestro Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki and has a beautiful combination of Agra and Jaipur styles of Hindustani Classical Music. Trained under Smt. Kamaltai Tambe of the Jaipur Gharana and his illustrious father, Shounak has tried to blend technical virtuosity and emotional appeal in his gayaki. He has performed in India and abroad and has been recorded by reputed recording. Also being leading exponent of classical music he has experimented with other genres of world music by being a part of leading fusion groups.

Atulkumar Upadhye, an ardent violinist - belongs to the revered Pandit Bhaskarbuwa Bakhale Gharana where his talent as a spirited musician was nourished. Drawing inspiration from his father and guru, Prof. Balkrishna Upadhye, Atulkumar’s style represents a unique blend of Indian as well as Western technique. Atulkumar, known for his versatility, technical brilliance, mature presentation and improvisation, has performed in prestigious music conferences all over the world. Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan a sitar legend, learned his craft from his father, Ustad Aziz Khan.

Parmeshwar Hegde, considered the genuine custodian of the art of late Pt.Basavaraj Rajguru, was trained in Kirana and Gwalior gharanas by Sri S.M.Bhat, Pt.Chandrashekar Puranik Math and Basavaraj Rajguru, one of the great musicians of this century. The music of Parameshwar Hegde is marked by an adherence to the principles of purity and restraint. He brings his own fine imagination to create the most daring and subtle improvisations. He has performed in India and abroad, has several audio CD’s to his credit and was awarded the prestigious Karnataka Rajyotsava Award in 2004.

Upendra Bhat, an acclaimed classical vocalist of Kirana Gharana, reminds the audience of his legendary Guru - Pandit Bhimsen Joshi. With his well seasoned, sonorous voice, systematic rendition of ragas, powerful tans and expressive singing, Upendra keeps the audience captivated. He excels in diverse musical genres like gazals, thumris, bhajans and light music. Upendra has performed at several prestigious platforms like Harivallabh Sangeet Sammelan, Sawai Gandharva Music Festival, in India, UK,USA,Dubai and Bahrain.

Internationally renowned Hindustani classical vocalist Dr. Prabha Atre is perhaps the only performer who has also excelled as a brilliant thinker, academician, author, composer and teacher of music. She is the senior most (completing 80 on 13th Sept 2012), front ranking vocalists in the country representing the Kirana gharaanaa, today. A Science and Law graduate, she also holds a Doctorate in music.