|
Gurdev Singh was born on 15th January 1948 in India. He began learning music at the age of seven under Ustad Tara Singh and Ustad Piara Singh who taught him dilruba and tar shehnai, both of which are bowed instruments that he plays with great understanding and sensitivity. He also trained in vocal music under Pandit Mahadeo Prasad in both contemporary and the traditional Dhrupad style.
In 1967 under the patronage of His Holiness Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji, Gurdev Singh became a disciple of the world famous sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan in Delhi and was introduced to the sarod, an instrument that is extremely demanding to play, partly because it is fretless. It is capable of an extraordinary range of sounds, from haunting sweetness to dazzling speed and power.
Gurdev Singh's success can be measured by his popularity in India, in both live and radio concerts, and by the increasing international demand for his performances, especially in the U.K. His U.K performances have included the BBC, Midland TV, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Bath and Oxford University, the Liverpool Garden Festival and the South Bank. In North America he has played in various cities including Seattle University and the prestigious Amir Khusro Society in Chicago. He has also toured Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Germany and other European countries. Gurdev Singh is now settled in the UK and has a large body of dedicated students to whom he devotes much of his time. Despite being based in the UK he regularly goes back to India to perform in major concerts and festivals that are held all over India during the concert season.
Gurdev Singh has established himself as a leading international exponent of the sarod through his performances abroad and in India and has been accompanied by top tabla players such as Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ustad Shafaat Ahmed Khan, Sabir Khan and Kumar Bose.
|
