West goes East

Kolhatkar and Pathak have been credited with producing background music for danseuse Rohini Bhate’s theme-based choreographies,as well as creating ballad music for other renowned kathak dancers in the city. Pathak has been learning the tabla under his guru Pandit Suresh Samant and Yogesh Sanmsi,whereas Kolhatkar has been a disciple of Guru Arvind Thatte for 12 years in an effort to master the harmonium.

“I have played with vocalists,dancers,in classical instrumental concerts and also given solo perofrmances. I wanted to bring in some innovation into our classical music. The young generation is used to the stereo sound and the sound of western music. Even most Bollywood compositions are based on western instruments. I rarely hear the tabla or the sitar as somebody’s ringtone,everything is western,” says Pathak. “I wanted to do something to attrat the young audiences towards Indian Classical music,so we thought of implementing elements of western music into the Indian style,without eroding on the classical element of our music,” adds Pathak.

Singers Rahul Deshpande,Prachi Duble,kathak artist,Sharvari Jamenis,sarod artist Sarang Kulkarni,pakhawaj player Omkar Dalvi,percussionist Amod Kulkarni,flute player,Sandeep Kulkarni,keyboard artist Anay Gadgil and music conductor Gandhar Sangoram will accompany the band. “We are hoping that the audience accepts our innovation and makes room for other aspiring musicians to innovate and popularise Indian classical music too. For our future projects we will be experimenting with different ragas . For this show,we have chosen yaman raag . In our next show we might take up the bhagyashree raag ,” says Kolhatkar.

(Abhivrunda,an Indian Classical Symphony,will perform live on August 6,at 5:30 pm,at Yashwantrao Chavan Auditorium,Kothrud)