Maestros live in concert

Ustad Balekhan’s Memorial Trust, Bengaluru is presenting a musical evening in memory of late Ustad Sitar Nawaz Ustad Balekhan (1942-2007) on the occasion of his 70th birth anniversary.

The venue of the music concert is JSS Auditorium, 8th Block, Jayanagar. The event will be held on September 1, 5.30 pm.

The concert features a mohan veena recital by Grammy awardee pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhat and vocal recital by Srinivas Joshi, son and disciple of Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.

Versatile artistes Pandit Ramkumar Mishra will be on tabla, Pandit Vyasamurti Katti on harmonium and Prashant Pandav will be on tabla. K R Ramakrishna, commissioner, Department of Kannada and Culture will grace the occasion as the chief guest.
Ustad Balekhan, who belonged to the illustrious musician’s family of Sitar Ratna Rahimat Khan, was known for his singing sitar.

He learnt the art of sitar playing from his grandfather, who migrated from Indore to Dharwad in 1912. He was honoured by the then Maharaja of Mysore with the title Sitar Ratna.

Ustad Balekhan was groomed by his father Prof Abdul Karim Khan. Ustad Balekhan, who was an ‘A’ grade artiste of AIR and Dooradarshan was staff artiste of Akashwani Dharwad from 1973 to 2002.

He and the sitarists of his family have immensely contributed for popularising the sitar in South India. After Dharwad, Bengaluru was the second home for Ustad Balekhan.

Ustad Balekhan Memorial Trust, Bengaluru formed in 2010 by the sons of Ustad Balekhan, Rais Khan and Hafiz Khan has already successfully conducted three music concerts in just two years to perpetuate the memory of Ustad Balekhan in which great artistes like Dr N Rajam, Vidushi Sangeeta Shankar, Pandit Vinayak Torvi and others have participated. Entry tickets are available at the venue.