Vikash Maharaj

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

Vikash Maharaj
Vikash Maharaj
Background information
Born (1957-07-01) 1 July 1957
OriginVaranasi, India
GenresIndian classical music, jazz
Occupation(s)Musician
InstrumentsSarod
LabelsHammer Musik, Panchnaad
Associated actsPrabhash Maharaj, Abhishek Maharaj, Joshua Geisler, Tom Bailey, Vishal Maharaj, Wise Guys
Websitewww.maharajtrio.com

Life and work

Early life and background

Vikash was born in Varanasi in 1957 into a family of musicians. He was instructed on the sarod by Rajesh Chandra Moitra of the school of Indian classical Maihar gharana. His formal schooling was complemented by lessons from his family including his uncle Kishan Maharaj.[1]

Music

Vikash performs Indian classical music, jazz and crossover between Indian music and Jazz. He tours and participates in international crossover festivals such as the WOMAD, the Diwali festival in New Zealand or the International Leprosy Eradication Festival. During his tours through California, Vikash Maharaj was accompanied by his son and tabla player Prabhash Maharaj.[2]

Vikash has performed with musicians such as Prabhash Maharaj, Abhishek Maharaj, Joshua Geisler, Tom Bailey, Vishal Maharaj or the German a cappella group Wise Guys.[3] On initiation by German music journalist and author Joachim-Ernst Berendt, Vikash 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.[4] 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.[5][6] He was awarded the Certificate of Honour (D.I.G. Germany) in 2016 and the Yash Bharti Award by the Uttar Pradesh Government in 2014[7]

Discography
  • Music Ensemble of Benaras (LP) (1983)
  • Music Ensemble of Benaras (CD) (1984)
  • 10 Years of Music Ensemble of Benaras (CD) (1989)
  • Raga (CD) (1996)
  • Best of Open Jazz Festival Stuttgart (DVD) (1998)
  • Pandit Vikash Maharaj (DVD) (2009)
  • Sapna (CD) (2001)
  • Point Of View (CD) (2003)
  • Vikash Maharaj (CD) (2006)
  • Path (CD) (2009)
  • Yaaraa (CD) (2010)
  • Holiwater (CD) (2012)
  • Maya(CD) (2014)
  • Celebration (CD) (2015)

Social activism
  • Chairman "Bhagan Buddha Mahavidyalaya", Sarnath, Varanasi
  • Former member of United Nations Youth Organization
  • Former member of U.P. I.A.S. Association
  • Holiwater Project

References
  1. "Pandit Vikas Maharaj: Biography of Pandit Vikas Maharaj". varanasi.org.in. 26 September 2012.
  2. Deva, Arun. "Sitting Down With: Pandit Vikash Maharaj and Prabhash Maharaj". La Yoga Magazine. BLISS NETWORK, LLC. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  3. "Wise Guys Magazin, No.24, April 2013" (PDF). Wise Guys. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  4. "Vita Frank Kroll" (PDF). Frank Kroll. Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  5. Porter, Lewis. "Encyclopedia of Jazz Musicians". Jazz.com. Jazz.com. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
  6. "Bebelaar - Point of view". www.dml-records.de/. dml-records.
  7. "यश भारती से 56 हस्तियां अलंकृत (56 celebrities from Yash Bharti)". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). 9 February 2015.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.