Dhrupad : Primordial Sounds
Immerse yourself in the sacred and soothing melodies of Dhrupad music.
Description
Experience the musical charm mixed with the meditative power of Dhrupad, India’s oldest classical vocal tradition, through the voice of Pandit Uday Bhawalkar. His chants unfold slowly, inviting calm and wonder. Pratap Awad’s pakhawaj and Kirit Singh’s sarangi add rhythmic depth, creating an immersive musical journey for all audiences.
This music is part of India’s classical and sacred music tradition and will be of interest not only to music lovers in general, but also to those who enjoy meditation and yoga.
Uday Bhawalkar
Uday Bhawalkar is a renowned Indian classical vocalist specializing in Dhrupad, one of the oldest forms of Hindustani classical music. Born on February 5, 1966, in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh, he began his musical journey under the guidance of his elder sister before receiving formal training at the Dhrupad Kendra in Bhopal.
He studied in the Guru-Shishya Parampara under Zia Fariduddin Dagar and later under Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, both of whom were instrumental in shaping his approach to Dhrupad.
Over the years, Uday Bhawalkar has performed across India and internationally, in various venues and festivals. He has also contributed to film soundtracks, including Mani Kaul’s “Cloud Door” and Aparna Sen’s “Mr & Mrs Iyer”.
Apart from his performances, he is a teacher at his home in Pune and is conducting workshops worldwide. He has held positions such as Visiting Artist in Residence at the University of Washington and has been associated with institutions like ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata.
His contributions to Dhrupad have been recognized with several awards, including the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2021) and the Hanumant Award (2023).
Kirit Singh
Kirit Singh was initiated into western classical music through his study of the piano from a young age. He became interested in Indian classical music as a teenager, studying the Sarangi and Shabad Kirtan from Ustad Gurdev Singh Namdhari and Ustad Harbhajan Singh Namdhari, respectively. Being drawn to the style of Dhrupad & Dhamar in particular, he went on to become a disciple of a leading Dhrupad vocalist, Pt. Uday Bhawalkar, from whom he has been studying since 2013.
He has performed at festivals and venues across the UK and internationally, including France, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Malaysia, India, and Pakistan. Kirit is also a music PhD scholar, studying the history of Shabad Kirtan and Hindustani music in colonial Punjab.
Prathap Awad
Prathap Awad is a pakhawaj player from Maharashtra, deeply rooted in the Nana Panse tradition. He holds an M.A. in Pakhawaj from Bharati Vidyapeeth University, Pune, and has trained within a lineage of East Indian percussion. With a career spanning over two decades, he has established himself as a sought-after accompanist in both Hindustani and dhrupad traditions, performing across Indian and international festivals.
Awad has accompanied renowned classical artists, notably dhrupad vocalist Pandit Uday Bhawalkar and rudra veena maestro Ustad Bahauddin Dagar. He participated in many events such as the Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav, Shankar Lal Music Festival (Delhi), Dover Lane Festival (Kolkata), and many Darbar Festival editions. Internationally, he’s collaborated in fusion projects like “Dhrupad Fantasia” with Uday Bhawalkar and the Hathor Consort in Europe.
With
Uday Bhawalkar
Kirit Singh
Pratap Awad
