In Quest of the Dhun: A Lecture Demonstration by Pandit Satyasheel Deshpande
Pt. Kumar Gandharva’s engagement with the tradition was uncompromisingly authentic. Even when his renditions of raga-s and well-known bandishes departed from the norm, he was reconnecting with the tradition in a radical way. His musical creativity in his Khyaal explorations had its origins in his quest for the dhun or the melodic kernel at the heart of every raga. In this quest, he also drew from his study of the Lok Sangeet of Malwa in Madhya Pradesh, a study which he undertook during long periods of illness in Dewas. Pt. Satyasheel Deshpande will touch upon such aspects as he traces Kumarji's quest for the Dhun.
Pandit Satyasheel Deshpande
Pt. Satyasheel Deshpande is a disciple of Pt. Kumar Gandharva, having spent many years in Gurukulavasa with Kumarji at Dewas in Madhya Pradesh. This, along with multiple other factors such as his father Vamanrao Deshpande's influence, his own extensive archival work, and vichaar are factors in the formation of the unconventional, creative, and widely loved Hindustani Musician that Satyasheel ji is. He is also a brilliant composer, a respected researcher, and an acclaimed author.
He is the recipient of several awards - most recently, the Lata Didi award instituted by Pt. Hridayanath Mangeshkar.
Date: Thursday, January 4, 2023
Time: 6:00 PM
Venue: Room 314, The Black Box, School of Arts and Sciences
