Hindustani Music Tours Artists from India

Mid April- Mid June 2009

Smt. Padma Talwalkar

The magic of Indian Classical Music

Padma Talwalkar was initiated into singing as a child of ten by Pandit Gangadhar Pimpalkhare, and was groomed and inspired by him to take to music professionally. She had the good fortune to study under Shrimati Moghubai Kurdikar, the senior Jaipur vocalist. She has added to her knowledge and repertoire under other veteran masters like Pt. Nivrutti Bua Sarnaik and Pt. Gajanan Rao Joshi. Padmaji's talent attracted recognition while she was still a student in the form of the Bhulabhai Desai Memorial Scholarship, and the prestigious Kasarbai Karkar Fellowship of the National Centre of Performing Arts.
Padmaji has emerged as a compalling presence on the concert scene in the country and abroad, besides being a popular broadcaster over the radio and television. Padma Talwalkar belongs to that avant garde in the Khayal scene today, who believe in evolving a personalized musical idiom by assimilating the best of diverse styles. While displaying a judicious mix of the Kirana, Gwalior and Jaipur gayakis (singing style characteristic of a certain school), Padma's vibrant voice is lent wings by both imagination and virtuosity. Visit http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=b9z9Ms2LhqA

Suyog Kundalkar is a promising young harmonium player who has achieved a distinct identity of his own. He started training in harmonium at the age of six from Smt. Ranjana Godse. Since 1997, he has been a devoted student of the renowned harmonium soloist and accompanist, Dr. Arawind Thatte under whom he is receiving specialised training for solo performances. Also a keen student of classical vocal music, Suyog has undertaken lessons in singing from many eminent gurus. Suyog is a graded artist of the All India Radio as well as Doordarshan. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in music from "Lalit Kala Kendra" of the University of Pune.
Being one of the most sought after accompanists in India, he accompanies great stalwarts at several prestigious music conferences in India and abroad. He has toured in countries like Switzerland,UK, Australia, NewZealand, UAE and, Russia. He is a regular accompanist at the Sawai Gandharva Music Festival in Pune. In the year 2000, he was awarded the "Rasikagrani Dattopant Deshpande Puraskar", which is an award given to an upcoming artists. He has accompanied maestros like Dr.Gangubai Hangal, Pt. Balasaheb Poochwale, Smt. Padmavati Shaligram,Smt.Kishori Amonkar, Smt.Girijadevi, Pt.Yashwantbua Joshi, Pt.T.D.Janorikar,Smt. Malini Rajurkar, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Dr. Prabha Atre, Smt. Vasundhara Komakali, Smt. Jayashree Patnekar, Smt, Padma Talwalkar, Dr.Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, Ustad Rashid Khan, Smt. Veena Saharabuddhe, Smt.Arati Anklikar-Tikekar, Sanjeev Abhyankar and many others. Suyog considers himself to be extremely fortunate to have been associated with Ganasaraswati Smt. Kishori Amonkar, whom he has been accompanying regularly since the year 2002.

Utpal Dutta was born in a family of musicians and was initiated in the art of tabla playing by his mother Smt. Ratna Dutta a vocalist of repute. His initial formal training started under the guidance of Ustad Sarwat Hussain and later was fortunate to have been trained under the internationally acclaimed Tabla maestro, ‘TAAL YOGI’ Pt. Suresh Talwalkar. He broadcasts regularly from All India Radio. He has accompanied vocalists of repute. Utpal has performed in many prestigious music festivals like The Sawai Gandharva Festival in Pune, the IMG Music Festival in Mumbai, The Doverlane
Music Conference in Kolkata, to name only a few. He has traveled to Australia and Newzealand and has also performed at prestigious venues like Sydney Opera House.