Music aficionados and enthusiasts in the city were in for a ‘ragamatic’ evening as they gathered at Wandering artist, RA Puram, to get a taste of a Hindustani recital by Pandit Shantanu Bhattacharyya, as part of the second edition of ‘Classical Odyssey’ – themed ‘Sounds of Twilight’.The artist, who enthralled the audience with his renditions of the Marva Raga- often synonymous to the twilight time, chats with CE about being a sought-after name in the Indian raga music world, conducting workshops and more.Shantanu, recipient of the President’s gold medal and one of the top graded artists of All India Radio (AIR), recalls his first brush with raga music. “My mother was very keen about the culture of music and had aspirations to leave her job and step into music, full time. But due to the economic situation of the family, she didn’t have the luxury to do that.”
As Shantanu grew, his mother Ira, pushed him to learn music. “In fact, I used to get yelled at if I didn’t rehearse! By the time I joined college and graduated in Economics (hons), I became naturally passionate about it. I understood the love I had for music and started practicing harder,” he shares.
He received further training from Amalendu Pal, Bhishmadeb Bhattacharyya, Sukhendu Goswami and Sudhir Banerjee. “I began intense rehearsals and used to practice for more than 12 hours a day. Thus, began my grand affair with music!” exclaims Shantanu who was also under the tutelage of names of the ‘Patiala-Kasur’ style — Prasun Banerjee and Vidushi Meera Banerjee.
Recalling his first live concert in Akashvani, he says, “I wasn’t nervous, but, I realised that I have a huge responsibility to keep up the esteem and name of my gurus and raga music. I decided to enhance the standard of raga music in me and I grew serious about it, with time. I discovered new possibilities and I evolved along with it,” he opines. At 20, he won the top slots in both Khayal and Thumri in the ‘All India Radio Music Competition’. Twenty years later, he went on to receive the Top Grade from Prasar Bharati Broadcasting Corporation of India.
Source & Credit:http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2017/may/01/ragas-to-tune-up-twilight-sounds-1599936--1.html
Forwarded By:Jainender Nigam,PB Newsdesk & Social Media,news.prasarbharati@gmail.com