Vikash Maharaj

Vikash Maharaj

Vikash Maharaj
Background information
Born (1957-07-01)July 1, 1957
Origin Varanasi, India
Genres Indian classical music, jazz
Occupation(s) Musician, Philanthropist
Instruments Sarod
Labels Hammer Musik, Panchnaad
Associated acts Prabhash Maharaj, Abhishek Maharaj, Joshua Geisler, Tom Bailey, Vishal Maharaj, WISE GUYS
Website www.panditvikashmaharaj.com

Pandit Vikash Maharaj (born 1 July 1957 in Varanasi, India) is an Indian sarod player and composer. In his childhood, he initially learnt to play the tabla and then discovered and studied the sarod as his preferred instrument. Pandit Vikash Maharaj is an internationally recognized instrumentalist and philanthropist.[1][2]

Life and work

Music

Vikash Maharaj was instructed on the sarod by Sri Rajesh Chandra Moitra of the school of Hindustani classical music Maihar Senia Gharana. In 1976, at the age of 16 Maharaj became the youngest sarod performer to play on All India Radio.[3] He has earned international recognition in Indian classical music, Jazz and Crossover between Indian music and Jazz. Vikash Maharaj regularly tours and participates in international crossover festivals such as the WOMAD, the Diwali festival in New Zealand or the International Leprosy Eradication Festival.[3] During his tours through California, Vikash Maharaj was accompanied by his son and tabla player Prabhash Maharaj.[1]

Vikash Maharaj performed and cooperated with musicians such as Prabhash Maharaj, Abhishek Maharaj, Joshua Geisler, Tom Bailey, Vishal Maharaj or the German A Capella group Wise Guys.[4] On initiation by German music journalist and author Joachim-Ernst Berendt, Vikash Maharaj participated in the crossover Jazz record "Raga" in 1996. The work was composed by Patrick Bebelaar, and participating musicians were Patrick Bebelaar, Frank Kroll, Prabhash Maharaj and Subhash Maharaj.[5] In a second cooperation with Bebelaar, Vikash Maharaj and his son Prabhash contributed to the crossover album "Point of View". "Point of View" was a commissioned composition by the Internationale Bachakademie Stuttgart and premiered in Stuttgart in 2001.[6][7]

Philanthropy and teaching

Pandit Vikash Maharaj is founder of the Music Institute of Banaras in Varanasi and U.S.A., teaching in the Guru-Shishya Parampara style. Maharaj also founded the philanthropic Panchnaad Trust fostering arts, culture, community and social activism.

Awards and honors

Discography

Social activism

Founder

References

  1. 1 2 Deva, Arun. "Sitting Down With: Pandit Vikash Maharaj and Prabhash Maharaj". La Yoga Magazine. BLISS NETWORK, LLC. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  2. Trio, Maharaj. "Maharajtrio". www.maharajtrio.com. Prabhash Maharaj.
  3. 1 2 Raghuvanshi, Lenin. "Pandit Vikash Maharaj: Icon of Banaras Gharana of classical music". Saddarlaq. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  4. "Wise Guys Magazin, No.24, April 2013" (PDF). http://wiseguys.de/. Wise Guys. Retrieved 26 August 2015. External link in |website= (help)
  5. "Vita Frank Kroll" (PDF). Frank Kroll. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  6. Porter, Lewis. "Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians". Jazz.com. Jazz.com. Retrieved April 13, 2015.
  7. "Bebelaar - Point of view". http://www.dml-records.de/. dml-records. External link in |website= (help)

External links

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