Heightening the heritage of classical music
Bengal Foundation and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) have joined hands to hold a three-day (October 3-5) Sitar-Sarod Workshop. Eminent musicians -- Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar (Sarod) and Pandit Kushal Das (Sitar) are conducting the workshop, titled “Sangeet Aboyob”.
Cultural Affair Minister Asaduzzaman Noor inaugurated the workshop on October 3 at National Art Gallery auditorium of BSA. Abul Khair, Chairman of Bengal Foundation; Luva Nahid Choudhury, DG, Bengal Foundation and the Pandit duo spoke on the legacy of classical music of Bangladesh and its importance, relevance and experimentation. Sohrab Uddin, Director of Music, Dance and Recitation Department of BSA delivered the welcome address while Liaquat Ali Lucky, DG of BSA, presided over the inaugural ceremony.
“This is just a beginning. I dream big on diffusing the practice and learning of classical music in every nook and corner of Bangladesh. If we educate artistes in the coming years through these workshops, we can send them to teach district-level learners. Without creating artistes in grassroots level, we cannot have a culturally rich and harmonious Bangladesh,” said Asaduzzaman Noor.
“Music legends like Ustad Allauddin Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Pt. Uday Shankar, Pt. Ravi Shankar, Ustad Bahadur Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty and many others are from Bangladesh, so Bangladesh inherently carries the legacy of classical music. I want to revive the lost pride and heritage of our own. One of the big problems here is the lack of classical instrumental artistes. We want to hold joint initiatives like holding such workshops and bi-monthly classical music festivals at BSA premises,” said Abul Khair.
“I was mesmerised watching the Bangladeshi audiences' passion for classical music. Good music will continue to reverberate in this part of the world either today or tomorrow, and I firmly believe it,” said Pandit Kushal Das.
“I am grateful to the organisers of such an august initiative, and thankful to Abul Khair and Luva Nahid Choudhury for selecting me to conduct the workshop. It is an opportunity for me to give back, as my ancestral homeland is in Pabna, and my gurus -- Ustad Bahadur Hossain Khan and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan are from Bangladesh,” said Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar.
“To boost up the practice of classical music, such an initiative has no alternative. I think joint cooperation between Bengal Foundation and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy should be held more frequently so that the empowerment of melody supersedes cacophony,” said Liaquat Ali Lucky.
The workshop includes history of classical instrumental music, art and style of recital, discussion on contemporary practice and composition and interaction with the learners. On the opening day, the Pandit duo, with their respective instruments, demonstrated many basic things of classical music, elaborated the vital techniques and recital styles of sitar and sarod. Bangladeshi artiste Swarup Hossain accompanied them on tabla.
The workshop continues from 5pm to 7:30pm daily at three venues -- National Art Gallery auditorium, National Music and Dance auditorium and rehearsal room no. 203 of BSA.
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