An evening of fusion, classical music and more

If you are fond of Indian classical music and eager to hear stalwarts perform with a spirit of fun and dedication, you ought to be present at a unique programme this weekend.

We are confident that Fazal Qureshi will enthral you with his mastery over Tabla, along with a number of our own artistes displaying their prowess in their areas of specialisation.

Violin jugalbandi will be just one of the highlights of the programme organised by Sargam School of Indian Music at the Avondale College Auditorium on October 2.

While Fazal will undoubtedly be a major attraction, his ability to work with other artistes will add value to the concert.

As mentioned in our previous issues, his reputation as a Tabla player can only be excelled by his older brother Zakir Hussain and of course their late father Ustad Allah Rakha.

But the international star is known for his humility and friendliness.

“Every musician is important and has his or her own style,” he told us.

One of the greatest attributes of Fazal is his ability to blend the Tabla with any kind of music, both Eastern and Western. He has played with top artistes at almost all major centres of the world, adding value to Jazz, Pop, Rock and Folk music.

His fans would eagerly look forward to his performance.

Following is a brief account of the performing artistes at the programme.

Professor Shukdev Madhur is known to New Zealanders as a violinist proficient in the Hindustani style of music. His passion for the art has made him a quality teacher encouraging a growing number of youngsters to learn violin under his able guidance. Professor Madhur is a recipient of several Awards, among the foremost of which is the National Award that he received from former Indian President Shankar Dayal Sharma in 1993 for his contributions to music.

President of the New Zealand Carnatic Music Society Dr Ashok Malur has been the natural choice of dance teachers and organisers of music and dance programmes in Auckland and elsewhere. Beginning his career in violin even before he became a teenager, Dr Malur has performed in India, Australia and Japan.

Basant Madhur, Director of Sargam School of Indian Music and organiser of the Fazal Qureshi concert said Dr Malur is a keen follower of various musical forms.

“His Jugalbandhis have been highly acclaimed and he is a regular performer at the Chennai Music Festival held in the Tamil Nadu capital every year,” he said.

Dr Malur is a psychiatrist and Lead Clinician at the Auckland District Health Board.

Dr Suresh Ramachandran, regarded as one of the foremost Mridangam players in New Zealand, will be another star figure at the concert. Known for his innate ability to accompany “any type of music anywhere with any artiste,” he has carved a niche for himself over the years.

With professional calibre and friendly disposition, Dr Ramachandran is a popular choice of dancer teachers for the Bharata Natyam Arangetram of their students and dance ballets and classical dance programmes.

The evening will also feature vocalist Roshan Raju, a student of Professor Madhur.

“The rich quality of his voice makes his performances powerful. He has performed in India and Fiji,” Mr Madhur said.

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Photo :

Fazal Qureshi, Prof Shukdev Madhur, Dr Ashok Malur and Dr Suresh Ramachandran