Indian Community
Artist: Mandar Deshpande and Bhusan Apte
Title: Hindustani Classical music – Sitar performance
Instrument: Sitar and Tabla
Artist Bio and Instrument Description
Mandar Deshpande is an amateur Sitar player residing in Richmond since 2002. He is a disciple of Ustad Shahid Parvez, a leading sitar maestro in the world today of the “Etawah” Gharana. To share his passion for Indian Classical music, he Cofounded ‘SoorNaad’, a non-profit organization to present music concerts of renowned artists. He has love for teaching and math which he shares through an online math academy he founded -K12Skills for student from 5th to 12 th grade students.
Mandar will be accompanied on “Tabla” by Bhushan Apte. Bhushan started learning Tabla from a very young age under tutelage of Pt. Pandurang Mukhade.. He has performed at various musical gathering in Pune, Miraj, Ichalkaranji, New Jersey, Washington DC and Richmond. He is based in Richmond VA, always excited about promoting Rhythmic Tabla beats in the vicinity and beyond; through teaching and experimenting with different art.
The sitar (English: /ˈsɪtɑːr/ or /sɪˈtɑːr/; IAST: sitāra) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in medieval India, flourished in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in 19th-century India. It is said to be developed from an Iranian instrument “setar” or from “veena” another string instrument from Indian sub-continent. Tabla is an integral part of Indian classical music and is also used in many other genres of music. It is known for its complex rhythms and improvisational possibilities and is often used to accompany other instruments or vocalists.