Sitar Ramarao Utsav returns in Bengaluru with performances by Shubha Mudgal, Saskia Rao-de Haas

In November 2024, a performance to commemorate the beingness and euphony of precocious sitar maestro Pandit NR Rama Rao was launched by his son, Pandit Shubhendra Rao. The Sitar Ramarao Utsav returns this year, with performances by Padma Shri Shubha Mudgal, Saskia Rao-de Haas, Pandit Aneesh Pradhan and others specified arsenic Ishaan Ghosh connected the tabla and Pandit Sudhir Nayak connected the harmonium.

“The archetypal Lifetime Achievement Award is being fixed to Dr P Sriram, managing manager of the Bangalore Kidney Foundation, for his publication to nine and unstinted enactment to the arts. There volition besides beryllium a abbreviated presumption by my father’s disciples performing a peculiar sitar ensemble,” says Shubhendra.

He adds that his father’s inspirational journey, “selfless dedication to the promotion of the sitar and publication to the taste ethos of Karnataka needs to beryllium celebrated and duly acknowledged”. “It is with this thought that sitar Rama Rao’s household and disciples from crossed the globe have travel unneurotic to observe his life,” helium says of his begetter who was the recipient of the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award, the State Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, and the T Chowdiah Award.

Saskia, creator of the Indian cello, is looking guardant to sharing “the magic of axenic Hindustani classical music” with the instrumentality she created successful 2004. The Dutch cellist, present settled successful New Delhi with hubby Shubhendra, says, “My philharmonic travel is profoundly rooted successful the Maihar Gharana’s instrumental traditions, and I’ve spent years exploring some the intricate vocal styles of Khyal and the meditative extent of Dhrupad alap-jor-jhala. For this concert, I privation to instrumentality you connected a travel done the timeless repertoire that meant truthful overmuch to my precocious father-in-law.”

The artiste adds, “This is the euphony that called to him truthful powerfully that helium near the information of his engineering studies successful Bengaluru and travelled to Delhi to survey with his guru, choosing the uncertain way of a classical musician. That passionateness and dedication inspires everything I do.” 

Mudgal, who has been studying 2 Hindustani classical vocal forms, the Khayal and Thumri-dadra, for respective decades now, volition beryllium presenting a repertoire from these forms. Addressing the relation of women successful Indian classical music, the artiste says she is simply a first-generation musician.

“Despite that, with unconditional enactment from my family, I person been capable to survey euphony and marque it my life’s work. I person besides been fortunate to person encouragement and acceptance from listeners.” However, she says, “there are instances of women being exploited, suppressed and treated unfairly adjacent successful the tract of euphony and those instances cannot beryllium ignored oregon swept aside”.  

Saskia is particularly looking guardant to Mudgal’s show of ‘Madhuvanti’, a peculiar creation “by my hubby that volition beryllium performed by his sister, cousin, and his father’s disciples”. “It is simply a beauteous tribute, and the sitar ensemble brings it to beingness magnificently,” she concludes.

On November 28 astatine 6 pm, astatine Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Bengaluru. Tickets connected Bookmyshow