Shantiniketan in concert October 2014

About Shantiniketan
Shantiniketan was founded in spring 2014 by Bee Seavers, Europes and Germany`s most
distinguished santoor player. Bee Seavers is disciple of the great Pandit Shivkumar Sharma since
1995. Shantiniketan have different casts from Eurpoe, USA and India. Outstanding musicians
participating in this group. The premiere of Shantiniketan was on March 12th 2014 at the Indian
Embassy in Berlin (Germany) and was awarded with standing ovation. Since then Shantiniketan was
established as a music group of highest quality and diversity of musical skills. The music of
Shantinketan is based on Ragas combined with glimps of Flamenco and Jazz.
The philosophy of Shantiniketan is a global meeting of the best musicians world wide. The list of
musicians who are participating: Sandeep Popatkar, Indradeep Ghosh, Ajay Prasanna, Andre Lenz, ,
Farooque Khan, Rupak Kulkani,Ramesh Mishra, Bee Seavers, Mukundraj Deo and many more.
Shantiniketan performing on classical music festivals, jazz festivals, world music festivals as well
concert halls world wide.
Biographies of Shantiniketan Musicians for the Trivandrum Concert
Farooque Lateef Khan, born in Bhopal in 1975, is one of the most accomplished
and promising musicians of the younger generation of Sarangi players in India.
Farooque represents the fifth generation of the musical heritage of distinguished
Sarangi players from Gohad near Gwalior in Madhya - Pradesh. This musical
heritage includes Ustad Fazal Khan, the father of Ustad Ghansi Khan, famous for
his mastery of the intricate 'Tappa' style. Ustad Ghansi Khan taught his sons who
included Ustad Uday Khan, Ustad Chhuttu Khan and Ustad Haddu Khan who
were the father and paternal uncles and the teachers of Ustad Abdul Lateef Khan,
Farooque Lateef Khan's eminent father.
Farooque Lateef Khan began learning Sarangi from his father at the age of twelve. The intense
'taleem' which he received from Ustad Abdul Lateef Khan Sahab, every morning and evening, is
clearly reflected in his thoughtful and virtuosic playing style. His playing embodies the intricate
delicacy of his father's style as well as rare and impressive techniques which his father learned from
one of the most famous Sarangi player of the first half of this century, Ustad Bade Ghulam Sabir
(Ambala Wale).
From Shrimati Annapurna Devi, the daughter of Pandit Ravi Shankar’s Guru
Baba Allaudin Khan, came the legendary Flute maestro Pandit Hariprasad
Chaurasia, and from this Master came his prime disciple Pandit Rupak Kulkarni,
who has given this grand tradition a brand new flavour with his unique sensuality
and creativity. Where others have performed ragas, Rupak has recreated ragas.
Where others have played compositions through the flute, Rupak has written
compositions through the flute. Where others have reminded us of the sensuality of the Krishna’s
instrument, Rupak has proved to us the sensuality of Krishna’s instrument. Rupak is simply an ageold
master of music disguised as a much younger artiste.
As a child prodigy with music blown into his breath by his father late Pt. Malhar Rao Kulkarni,
Rupak has blossomed under the finest tutelage of flute legend Padma Vibhushan Pt. HARIPRASAD
CHAURASIA to become an outstanding exponent of MAIHAR GHARANA. As a first GANDA
BANDH Shagird of Pt. Chaurasia since the tender age of 9, Rupak with arduous training and hard