Aucklanders to be enchanted by Pt Ronu Majumdar’s Bansuri
Aucklanders must be a blessed lot. The Indian music scene is slowly but steadily increasing in Auckland with the advent of some fantastic classical musicians gracing the shores of New Zealand. In the last six months we have seen Fazal Qureshi, Pt Vikash Maharaj, Prabhash Maharaj, Adrian McNeil visiting NZ and the increasing crowds are a sign of growing popularity of the Indian classical music scene in New Zealand.
In continuing with this tradition, Lotus foreign exchange and Sargam School of Music, are bringing in one of the finest flautist India has produced. Pandit Ranendranath Majumdar, popularly known as Ronu Majumdar, will be performing in Auckland on 6th of March 2010 at the Dorothy Winston Theatre. Panditji started learning Bansuri at an early age under the guidance of his father Dr Bhanu Manjumdar.
He later had the privilege of learning under the guidance of late Pandit Lakshman Prasad Jaipurwale and finally the revered Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao. He was also fortunate to receive training from his grand guru Pt. Ravi Shankar. Ronu Majumdar is firmly rooted in the Maihar gharana which is represented by musical giants like Pt. Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
Pt. Majumdar is a major innovator with New Age Music by having introduced a completely new Aesthetic in Indian Music through his epoch-making album “Song of Nature/ A Traveller's Tale”. Ronu ji is also a Grammy Nominee for his work with the Banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck in the album “Tabula Rasa” {1996}. He has performed and composed for the Hollywood movie “Primary Colours” and collaborated with top artists like George Harrison, Ry Cooder, John Hassels, Lary Coryell and Indian maestros like Pt. Ravi Shankar, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Jasraj and Kishori Amonkar.
The flute (Bansuri) is considered to be the most ancient and natural musical instrument. The idea of fashioning this instrument occurred while listening to the sweet notes generated by the blowing of wind through the holes carved on the bamboo sticks by pests & insects. For centuries together, the flute was the principal pastoral instrument. It was left to the genius of late Pandit Pannalal Ghosh to elevate it to the status of a concert instrument. Pt Ronuji carries this status further.
Pt Ronuji has performed in Auckland two years ago to packed crowds. Noted for his wide repertoire of music, he is equally at ease with Hindustani, Carnatic as well as fusion music. He however warns the youngsters to be firmly rooted in classical music before experimenting with fusion. In an interview to the Indian paper “The Hindu” he says “Indian fusion is not about stomping out the listener with voluminous sound ending in a deafening crescendo but is a meeting of minds where two artists respect and understand each other”.
He dreams of inspiring the younger generation to the appreciation of finer nuances, beauty and the greatness of Indian classical music. His penchant for experimentation and exploration has led to an innovation in Bansuri. He calls it “Shankh Bansuri” or a conch basuri as it sounds like a conch, which he plays at the end of his concerts! So don’t miss the opportunity to listen to this maestro at:
Date: 6th March 2010
Venue: Dorothy Winston Centre (Auckland Girls Grammar), 16 Howe Street, Newton, Auckland.
Time: 7.00 pm
Tickets: $25 & $40 (VIP)
Tickets available at: all branches of LOTUS FOREIGN EXCHANGE, Yogiji’s Food Mart (mt roskill) or www.ticketdirect.co.nz
Further information: Deepak (021 026 43739) or Basant (021 035 7954).
Panditji will be accompanied by our very own Basant Madhur on Tabla.
Aucklanders must be a blessed lot. The Indian music scene is slowly but steadily increasing in Auckland with the advent of some fantastic classical musicians gracing the shores of New Zealand. In the last six months we have seen Fazal Qureshi, Pt Vikash Maharaj, Prabhash Maharaj, Adrian McNeil...
Aucklanders must be a blessed lot. The Indian music scene is slowly but steadily increasing in Auckland with the advent of some fantastic classical musicians gracing the shores of New Zealand. In the last six months we have seen Fazal Qureshi, Pt Vikash Maharaj, Prabhash Maharaj, Adrian McNeil visiting NZ and the increasing crowds are a sign of growing popularity of the Indian classical music scene in New Zealand.
In continuing with this tradition, Lotus foreign exchange and Sargam School of Music, are bringing in one of the finest flautist India has produced. Pandit Ranendranath Majumdar, popularly known as Ronu Majumdar, will be performing in Auckland on 6th of March 2010 at the Dorothy Winston Theatre. Panditji started learning Bansuri at an early age under the guidance of his father Dr Bhanu Manjumdar.
He later had the privilege of learning under the guidance of late Pandit Lakshman Prasad Jaipurwale and finally the revered Pt. Vijay Raghav Rao. He was also fortunate to receive training from his grand guru Pt. Ravi Shankar. Ronu Majumdar is firmly rooted in the Maihar gharana which is represented by musical giants like Pt. Ravi Shankar and Ustad Ali Akbar Khan.
Pt. Majumdar is a major innovator with New Age Music by having introduced a completely new Aesthetic in Indian Music through his epoch-making album “Song of Nature/ A Traveller's Tale”. Ronu ji is also a Grammy Nominee for his work with the Banjo virtuoso Bela Fleck in the album “Tabula Rasa” {1996}. He has performed and composed for the Hollywood movie “Primary Colours” and collaborated with top artists like George Harrison, Ry Cooder, John Hassels, Lary Coryell and Indian maestros like Pt. Ravi Shankar, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Pt. Jasraj and Kishori Amonkar.
The flute (Bansuri) is considered to be the most ancient and natural musical instrument. The idea of fashioning this instrument occurred while listening to the sweet notes generated by the blowing of wind through the holes carved on the bamboo sticks by pests & insects. For centuries together, the flute was the principal pastoral instrument. It was left to the genius of late Pandit Pannalal Ghosh to elevate it to the status of a concert instrument. Pt Ronuji carries this status further.
Pt Ronuji has performed in Auckland two years ago to packed crowds. Noted for his wide repertoire of music, he is equally at ease with Hindustani, Carnatic as well as fusion music. He however warns the youngsters to be firmly rooted in classical music before experimenting with fusion. In an interview to the Indian paper “The Hindu” he says “Indian fusion is not about stomping out the listener with voluminous sound ending in a deafening crescendo but is a meeting of minds where two artists respect and understand each other”.
He dreams of inspiring the younger generation to the appreciation of finer nuances, beauty and the greatness of Indian classical music. His penchant for experimentation and exploration has led to an innovation in Bansuri. He calls it “Shankh Bansuri” or a conch basuri as it sounds like a conch, which he plays at the end of his concerts! So don’t miss the opportunity to listen to this maestro at:
Date: 6th March 2010
Venue: Dorothy Winston Centre (Auckland Girls Grammar), 16 Howe Street, Newton, Auckland.
Time: 7.00 pm
Tickets: $25 & $40 (VIP)
Tickets available at: all branches of LOTUS FOREIGN EXCHANGE, Yogiji’s Food Mart (mt roskill) or www.ticketdirect.co.nz
Further information: Deepak (021 026 43739) or Basant (021 035 7954).
Panditji will be accompanied by our very own Basant Madhur on Tabla.
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