MUMBAI: With Mahashivratri just around the corner, the National Centre for the Performing Arts, India’s premier arts and culture institution is pleased to present Songs of Shiva… a Hindustani vocal music recital by leading Indian vocalist Dr. Veena Sahasrabuddhe. Dr. Sahasrabuddhe will be singing a special selection of ragas and compositions whose literary content and imagery are in praise of Shiva, The Cosmic One, and his consort Parvati or Shakti on Thursday, February 16, 2012, 6:30 pm at the Experimental Theatre, NCPA.
Revolving around the musical tradition of evocative compositions to Lord Shiva, Veena Sahasrabuddhe draws from her rich and varied repertoire in this unusual thematic recital. Deemed as one of the most powerful deities of the Hindu pantheon, â€?Shiva’ in Sanskrit signifies auspicious, gracious…— as in Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram. Shiva is also the Pratham Purush or the primordial force. Among the many epithets of Lord Shiva are Nataraja— prominently associated with dance — and Shankara and Bhairava, both names of traditional ragas in Hindustani art music.
Dr. Veena is a widely reputed artiste of the Khayal style of Indian classical singing and a composer of Hindustani classical music. Trained by her father Shankar Bodas and brother Kashinath Bodas, Veena Sahasrabuddhe’s music fundamentally reflects the traditions of the Gwalior gharana, with some elements from the Kirana and Jaipur gharanas. Veena’s musical mentors include Padmashri Balwantrai Bhatt, Pandit Vasant Thakar, and Pandit Gajananrao Joshi.
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She has a Bachelor’s degree in Vocal Performance, Sanskrit Literature, and English Literature from Kanpur University (1968), a Master’s degree (Sangeet Alankar) in Vocal Performance from A.B.G.M.V. Mandal (1969), and also Master’s degree in Sanskrit from Kanpur University (1979). A.B.G.M.V. Mandal conferred on her a doctorate in vocal music (Sangeet Praveen) in 1988. She was the Head of the Department of Music at SNDT Pune. She has been given the `Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi Award` for her contributions to Indian classical music. Dr. Veena has given musical performances in India, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and North America
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Suvarnalata Rao, Head — Programming (Indian Music), NCPA, says, With Songs of Shiva it is our attempt to understand and experience the inseparable connection that binds the legend of Shiva and the performing arts in India. Now based out of the United States, Dr. Veena will be performing in Mumbai after a very long time, and the NCPA is indeed delighted to hold this performance….
