LearnQuest Academy's 5th annual conference will bring together in Boston, some of the greatest living luminaries of the Carnatic and Hindustani Classical Music world in one city starting on March 31, 2010 at Boston University.  Here is a Hindustani segment sampler.

The LearnQuest Academy's 5th annual music conference will open with a Hindustani jugalbandi concert featuring acclaimed artists Purbayan Chatterjee on sitar and Rakesh Chaurasia on flute accompanied by Yogesh Samsi on tabla. While Rakesh Chaurasia is the nephew and one of the most accomplished disciples of the world famous flautist Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, Purbayan Chatterjee is a disciple of world renowned sarod player late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. Yogesh Samsi is the son and disciple of one of India's best known vocalists Pandit Dinkar Kaikini. The group will also perform a short fusion concert with a group of western Jazz musicians from the Boston University, which includes guitarist Colin Sapp, saxophonist Michael Flanagan, Greg Loughman on electric bass and Mike Connors on Western drums. This kick-off jugalbandi and the fusion concerts hold the promise of creating a superb foundation for the remaining four days of the festival.

Smt. Ashwini Bhide Deshpande will be the featured artist on Friday, April 2, 2010 at the venue Fine Arts Center, Regis College, Weston, MA. She is one of the current torch bearers and a leading vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana known for its legacy of “jod” ragas that are hybrids of two ragas.  Founded by Ustad Alladiya Khan, the gharana has produced such stalwart vocalists as Smt. Kesarbai Kerkar, Smt. Mogubai Kurdikar, Pandit Mallikarjun Mansur, Gana Saraswati Smt. Kishori Amonkar, Pandit Jitendra Abhisheki and Smt. Arati Ankalikar Tikekar.

Saturday, April 3rd will feature among other Hindustani concerts, Madhyalaya ensemble, which is primarily a percussion ensemble led by Pandit Akhilesh Gundecha, the third brother of the famous vocalist duo, Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha. The ensemble consists of several performers who play both folk and classical rhythm instruments like Pakhawaj, Tabla, Dholak, Harmonium, Sarangi, Hudka, Daff, Madal, Dafali and Matka and will present a unique group conversation in rhythm between the instruments.

Dr. George Ruckert, faculty member of MIT's music department will give a presentation – lecture and a sarod recital  –  in a memorial concert honoring the legendary master of sarod, the late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan who was Dr. Ruckert's teacher. Alam Khan, youngest son of the late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan will also present a Sarod recital. The two recitals promise to ignite the memory, spirit and style of the late maestro.

Shri Jayateertha Mevundi, an award winning vocalist who has gained widespread praise and following in the recent times will present a Khayal recital in the tradition of Kirana Gharana. Shri Mevundi is a disciple of Pandit Shripati Padegar, who has learned music from Bharat Ratna awardee, Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.

The Saturday’s musical proceedings will end with solo performances by one of the leading sitarists of today Ustad Shahid Parvez and the Carnatic Mandolin virtuoso U. Shrinivas followed by a Hindustani-Carnatic jugalbandi by the two artist. A rare meeting of the two great masters, this is “a not to be missed” concert.

Sunday, April 4 will feature the Dhrupad masters Pandit Umakant and Ramakant Gundecha accompanied by their brother Akhilesh Gundecha. Dhrupad singing is characterized by a deeply meditative quality that elevates the human spirit to the spiritual realm. The Gundecha brothers are torch bearers of the Dagar family tradition of singing Dhrupad that traces its roots to Swami Haridas Dagur, the teacher of Mian Tansen, one of the navaratnas (nine gems) of the mighty Mughal emperor Akbar.

Debapriya Adhikari and Samanwaya Sarkar, two young disciples of the Queen of Purab Ang Gayaki, Padmabhusan Girja Devi, will present a ‘Jugalbandi’ in a different way than is commonly seen and heard. Debapriya is a vocalist and Samanwaya plays Sitar. They will pick a common composition based on an Indian Raga and will improvise taking turns complementing each other’s style and presentation.

Raginder Singh Sodha, a young violinist from California will present a Hindustani Violin recital. Raginder is a disciple of Smt. Shishir Kanadhar Chaudhari who was a disciple of the late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.

The much awaited 5 day music conference promises to bring together the brightest musical minds to nourish and entertain both the layman and connoisseur living in the New England region with the finest musical fare.

|