The range of genres is diverse

NCPA’s Indian Music Line Up for June

Indian music with its rich legacy of over three millennia, has always had a pride of place in the art world. The NCPA embraces all the major strands of Indian music and continues to feature a wide spectrum of artistes – from up-and-coming to top-ranking and living legends. The range of genres is equally diverse – from pure classical, and semi-classical to devotional, light, regional, folk and cross-over music. The unique thematic element associated with each property makes it exclusive. Over the past decade, NCPA’s thematically curated Indian music festivals have been appreciated by artistes as well as audiences worldwide. 

NCPA-HSBC Music Workshop on Tappa

Supported by HSBC

A free online workshop on zoom By Neela Bhagwat

When: Saturday, June 17, 2023, 11.30 am

Duration: 60 min followed by a Q-A session

How to Register: Book My Show (Opening Soon) For more information, please write to indianmusicworkshops@ncpamumbai.com

About the workshop: The musical form of tappa is believed to have evolved from the folk music of Punjab. It is believed that proponents of khayal, which is a popular form of art (classical) music, developed it, lending an element of sophistication. No wonder, tappa is often included in the repertoire of khayal singers. Ghulam Nabi, also known as ‘Shori Miyan’, a musician in the court of Nawab of Awadh, is accredited as the prominent composer of this form. In Bengal too, the form was patronised, albeit with a local flavour. Today, practiced mainly by vocalists of Gwalior and Banaras gharanas, the lyrics of tappa are based on the theme of love. Melodically, it has an unusual form featuring rapid but short complex tans and ornamentations like khatka, murki etc., executed with sudden and abrupt jumps. The talas used are also peculiar and uncommon: Sitarkhani, Punjabi, Pashto etc.

In this presentation, she will briefly trace the history of tappa and its foray into the classical music arena, with examples of some extant varieties. The exposition will highlight characteristics of composition and exploration of tappa as practiced in the Gwalior tradition today, with suitable examples couched in different ragas.

Upcoming Events in June 2023:

Yaadein: A Bouquet of Ghazals 

By Chandan Dass & group 

When: Friday, June 16, 2023, 6.30 pm

Where: Experimental Theatre 

Tickets: Book My Show

About the show: Ghazal is a special form of poetry that lends itself to be set in a musical frame; further enhancing its emotional appeal.  Chandan Dass was trained under maestros: Moosa Khan and Mani Prasad. Having been heavily influenced by the legendary ghazal exponent, Ghulam Ali Khan, he took to the world of ghazal and composed music for all his albums. With several award-winning albums to his credit, today, Chandan Dass is one of the prominent exponents of ghazal. In this recital, Chandan Dass will present a bouquet of ghazals composed by some classic poets like Bashir Badr and Nida Fazli, along with works of contemporary poets like Payam Saeedi, Ibrahim Ashq and Azeem Malik. 

Citi-NCPA Urja – Presenting young talent

Supported by Citi

When: Friday, 23rd June, 2023, 6.30 pm

Where: Little Theatre, NCPA

Duration: Around 90 minutes

Entry: Free Admission on a first-come, first-served basis.

About the artists: Nandini Shankar (violin) - Known for her ability to make the violin sing, Nandini Shankar has inherited the legacy of the gayaki ang from her gurus—her grandmother, the illustrious violinist N. Rajam and her mother, the renowned violinist Dr. Sangeeta Shankar. She began her training in the violin at the age of three and gave her first ever public performance at eight. She has since performed in Indian classical music festivals around the world, toured over 15 countries for concerts and performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York. She is a part of Sakhi, an initiative by Kaushiki Chakraborty, and inStrings, an Indian fusion band formed by Sangeeta Shankar. She teaches Indian music and composition at Whistling Woods International, a premier film institute in Mumbai. Academically, Shankar is a qualified Chartered Accountant and holds an M.A. in Music from SNDT University. She has received the Jashn-e-Youngistan award at the hands of the Vice President of India in 2018.

Mitra Bhattacharyya (vocal) - Since she was a child, Mitra Bhattacharyya has trained with her mother, the noted classical vocalist Durba Bhattacharyya, and has been taking advanced talim in the specialised nuances of Hindustani raagsangeet from her father, the renowned classical musician Shantanu Bhattacharyya. She has also received guidance from Meera Banerjee, Ali Akbar Khan and Ajoy Chakrabarty. She has performed on stages across India, Italy, the U.S.A. and Canada. Bhattacharyya is a student of Comparative Literature at Jadavpur University in Kolkata and trains younger children in the fundamentals of raagsangeet at Aalor Pathe Raga Dhwani.