WOMAD

Shivkumar Sharma

From India

Eminent among Indian classical musicians, Shikumar Sharma has stepped far outside conventional bounds to reinterpret the role of the santoor, a folk instrument from Kashmir that is traditionally used to accompany sufi music. To make this ancient hammered dulcimer with 100 strings suitable for classical music, Shikumar introduced a chromatic arrangement of notes and increased its range to three octaves. He also developed a technique to sustain notes and maintain continuity that is characteristic of Indian music. Training in vocal music and tabla has helped Shikumar strike a perfect balance between melody and rhythm, expressed through an extensive repertoire that includes ragas dealing with divine and secular love in all its various manifestations. Still, Shikumar insists that Indian classical music must reach beyond pure entertainment to also attain spiritual bliss, declaring that music is food for the soul. He has won many awards, including the Padma Vibhushan honour from the Indian President in 2001, and took the champion prize at Reza Shah Pehlvi's World Festival of Santoors conducted in Teheran. Having been a celebrated festival performer since 1994, Shikumar makes a welcome return to WOMADelaide with heralded tabla master Yogesh Samsi and Takahiro Arai on tanpura, the long-necked lute.

(Biography supplied by WOMAD New Zealand 2012)

Zakir With Shivkumar Sharma