City music trust to organise 500th event this weekend

Sapthak started in 2006 to provide opportunities to young artistes

Kartik Bhat (right) performing at Sapthak Sabhangana. 

A music trust from Bengaluru, known for organising free concerts and promoting artistes, will complete 17 years next month.

In another milestone, Sapthak will organise its 500th event in Delhi on April 15, featuring Jayateerth Mevundi, Durjay Bhaumik, and Paromitha Mukherjee. The trust was set up by classical musicians Ganapathi Sanna Hegde and Geetha Hegde in Malleswaram in 2006. Their husband-wife duo aims to promote classical music across the country and provide a platform for budding artistes. “When one steps into the world of music, two factors play big roles. One is a good guru and the other is a good forum. We want Sapthak to provide this to young artistes,” Ganapathi, 72, says.

Prabha Atre, Ulhas Kashalkar, Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, and Shubha Mudgal are among a few music stalwarts who have performed at concerts organised by Sapthak. The trust also holds Hindustani classical music workshops from time to time.

Looking back on Sapthak’s journey, Ganapathi says he was always inclined towards music. He comes from a family of Yakshagana artistes in Honnavar, Uttara Karnataka district, and was interested in the artform growing up. “After my college graduation in 1972, I picked up Yakshagana as a profession but couldn’t continue due to personal reasons. I took up a job at a bank. That’s when I started learning tabla. My interest in music has never faded,” he recalls.

Geetha, on the other hand, is a Hindustani classical music teacher, and has been teaching for the past 35 years.

Their mission is not limited to Bengaluru. “We want music to be accessible even in small towns and villages. Every few weeks, we make it a point to organise programmes in smaller towns and villages in Karnataka,” he informs.

The couple has organised more than 100 such music events with the help of local cultural groups across the state. They have also conducted concerts in cities such as Nashik, Mumbai, Kolhapur, and Hyderabad.

Over the years, Sapthak has also provided scholarships to about 75 students. “We have also donated musical instruments to institutions and students from lower economic backgrounds,” Ganapathi adds.

The couple also opened Sapthak Sabhangana, an auditorium on the second floor of their home in Malleswaram. The space can seat up to 200 people and is used to host concerts, cultural events and art exchanges.