His natural style of 'Tantrakari Ang' and the 'Gayaki Ang' in any of his rendition, mesmerizes the listeners with his serene, pure music. It makes him stand tall amongst traditional instruments players who can only focus on Tantrakari Ang of music.
Speaking with Anita Barar, Pt. Vishwa says that digital revolution has brought easy access to all kind of music including classical. This has helped musicians too to experiment with sound and Taal. He added that now he is experimenting with three octaves to be played at one go which is quite an experience to the ears.
* TUNE IN TO PODCAST FOR FULL INTERVIEW
He said, "This all is possible because, we are now able to experiment digitally"
With his Mohan Veena, he created such a soulful melody that won him the highest music award of the world, the GRAMMY AWARD in 1994 along with Ry Cooder for their World Music Album, 'A MEETING BY THE RIVER' .
Honoured with prestigious Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri along with Sangeet Natak Academy Awards, he has been bestowed upon many other awards from various bodies.
* WATCH Pt. MOHOAN IN CONVERSATION WITH ANITA BARAR
Pt Vishwa indianised the western Hawaiian Guitar with assimilation of Sitar, sarod and Veena. And he named it as Mohan Veena.
The Mohan Veena is a highly modified concord archtop, which Bhatt plays lap-style. It has 19 strings: three melody strings and four three drone strings coming out of the peg heads, and 12 sympathetic strong to tuners mounted to a piece of wood added to the side of the neck. The melody strings are on what we would consider the treble side of the neck, and the drone strings are on the bass side. The drone strings are lower in height than the melody strings to allow for unrestricted playing of the melody strings. The sympathetic strings run underneath the melody and drone strings to yet another level in the bridge.
The instrument has a carved spruced top, mahogany back and sides, a mahogany neck, and a flat, fretless, rosewood fingerboard. (Source : vishwamohanbhatt.com/veena.htm)
He had been the foremost disciple of Pt. Ravi Shankar.
Pundit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt can be called as Abhimanyu in the context of music. When his mum was pregnant with him, she was to appear for her music Visharad Exam. Her Guru used to come home every day to teach her.
So the music, the knowledge of sur was in my blood, you see Pt. ji said with a soft laugh.
He had been the foremost disciple of Pt. Ravi Shankar. He has also composed for much acclaimed film Bhawander and has worked with A R Rehman on films like Lagaan, Saathiya and more.
He has toured more than 80 places all around the world so when asked if there any place where he wish to go and perform?
He says, I wish to perform at Pyramids. I want to absorb the music of that vast area. He further added, I am in love with nature. I love and get inspired by sea, river, mountains, green plains, sky, sun, moon , ... and Mother. I want to create the music that could assimilate all these aspects and experience the joy of that !
* TUNE IN TO PODCAST FOR FULL INTERVIEW
Pt. Vishwa is performing on 31st March in Melbourne. He would be accompanied by Melbourne-based musician Jay Dabgar on tabla. Dabgar was born into a family of tabla makers, learning the instrument from 18 years of age from his Gurus, the Late Pt. Nandan Mehta and Pt. Pooran Maharaj at the famous Saptak School of Music in India. Dabgars skills are well known throughout Australia and he has accompanied many great internationals here and overseas.
This one off concert is being presented by Multicultural Arts Victoria and City of Port Phillip as part of the Emerald Hill Arts Menu 2017 with the assistance of Creative Victoria and the Australia Council for the Arts.
Multicultural Arts Victoria (MAV) has been one of Australias most important bodies for the discovery, development and promotion of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) contemporary art, heritage and cultural expression.
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