Splurge on music at Saptak!

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br />AHMEDABAD: The reverberating tunes from the tanpura blend beautifully with the enchanting vocals and instruments. The evening air has a tinge of spring freshness and the music soothes you even as you enter the hall. What strikes almost immediately upon entering the premises is the pleasing aura surrounding the place.<br /><br />The longest running Indian classical music festival in the whole world and undoubtedly the most prestigious and popular Indian classical music festival of Asia, the Saptak Music festival has come a long way from its humble beginnings twenty four years back.<br /><br />The event that started as a small gathering of Music lovers has now taken the shape of a colossal musical confluence that sees some of the brightest stars on the Indian Classical Music galaxy performing every year. Like Ustad Zakir Hussain, the tabla virtuoso commented during his recital last year, "The first twelve days of January belong to the Saptak Festival!" <br /><br />Artists who are slated to perform at this year''s silver jubilee festival include stalwarts like Pt. Ravishankar, Pt. Kishan Maharaj, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Begum Parveen Sultana, Shubha Mudgal, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia and Pt. Jasraj among other maestros. There will be performances by such popular artists like Grammy award winner Pt. Vishwamohan Bhatt and Ustad Rashid Khan and young talents like Amaan Ali Bangash, Anoushka Shankar and Rahul Sharma. <br /><br />The thirteen day festival will also inlcude other interesting recitals like the Saxophone-Sarangi jugalbandi between an Indian and a French artist, a rhythm fantasy featuring some top percussion performers of South Indian Classical music and a group performance of Rajasthani music by folk artists invited from villages in Rajasthan.<br /><br /><formid=367815><br /><br /></formid=367815></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br />The festival successfully strikes a balance between the contemporary and the conventional, blending the sweet sounds of percussions, vocals and instrumental music. <br /><br />Pt. Kishan Maharaj, the Tabla maestro''s presence at the festival is a blessing. He sits through most of the performances and has words of encouragement for the budding artists.<br /><br />The mood at the festival is very informal with many music enthusiasts mingling freely with the artists and students taking in some tips from the maestros themselves. Like a group of young students of Saptak School say, "It is like one big family coming together for a reunion every year."<br /><br />"The audience is discerning and it''s a treat to perform here." Says Grammy award winner, Vishwamohan Bhatt who plays the Mohan Veena and looks forward to his performances at this festival. During his one-hour recital last year, Bhatt commented in a lighter vein that Ahmedabadis are the stingiest in the whole country when it comes to clapping for the artist. He was immediately proved wrong by a spontaneous applause by the audience! <br /><br />It''s heartening to see the young crowd so immersed in the music. One can also see many foreigners trying to decipher the meaning behind some soulful pieces of aalap. It is true that music effortlessly cuts across barriers like age and cultural diversity. The 2500 plus strong audience is receptive of every note and that makes it a treat for the artists to perform here.<br /><br /><formid=367815><br /><br /></formid=367815></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal"><script language="javascript">doweshowbellyad=0; </script><br />"I truly feel at home when I am performing at this festival. It is also a challenge as we perform for a very astute audience" says, Shaukat Hussain Khan, a young vocalist and teacher at Saptak, who is a favourite at the festival for his scintillating recitals. <br /><br />Says Praful Anubhai, co-founder and trustee of Saptak school of Music, "In the last twenty four years more than 550 artistes have performed at Saptak out of which 150 were budding artistes and three lakh people from India and abroad have attended our functions. I am proud of our team effort." <br /><br />Manju and Nandan Mehta, the founders of Saptak echo Anubhai''s sentiments. They are visibly emotional since Saptak is entering its twenty fifth year. "Saptak is our labour of love and our passion. Our investment of time and efforts has reaped great dividends. The biggest gift is to see our students flourishing in the world of Indian music", says Nandan Mehta. <br /><br />The Saptak School along with Sense Music, a company based in UK has also come out with some live archival recordings of past festivals that you can buy from a makeshift stall at the venue. <br /><br /><formid=367815></formid=367815></div> </div>