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Founder & President - Tansen Academy of Music

FOUNDER: TANSEN ACADEMY OF MUSIC:

   To propagate the legacy of his Gurus’ Ustad Bismillah Khan Shehnai & Pt. Puttaraja Gawai and his father co-founded Tansen Academy of Music in Chennai to promote Hindustani music and shehnai. The institute has over 1500 students who learn classical music - Vocal, Tabla, Sitar, Flute and Shehnai.

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VOCAL STYLE OF Padmashri Pandit. Dr. S. BALLESH:

     Equally accomplished vocal artiste, Pt. Dr. S. Ballesh is a member of the Ganayogi Panchakshara Gawai & Puttaraj Gawai brotherhood and is one of the famous scholars of Shree Veereshwara Punyashrama.

 

He received Hindustani vocal training in KiranaGharana from Dr. D.P. Hiremath, Patiala Gharana from Pandit Kodanda Singh Salunke Maharaj & Pt.Prakash Singh Salunke and Gwalior gharana from Padma Bhushan Pt. Puttaraja Gawai (Gadag).

 

His gayaki style is inspired by Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, and Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan.

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Karnataka State Government has co-opted Pandit Dr. S.Ballesh as a member of the Honorary Board of Karnataka State Sangit and Nritya Academy (2016 to 2018) and T. Chowdiah Award Selection board in 2017 which decides on the music awards presented by the state.

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  Padmashri Pandit Dr S. Ballesh Bhajantri has: played Shehnai for many leading Music Composers of India, across 16 languages, Sung & played for more than 12,000 movie background scores & 85,000 film songs in all languages & more than 1, 50,000 devotional songs in all religions, played & sung Hindustani Raag Alaap for more than 50,000 Swami Ayyappa devotional songs in All Languages and All music composers.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE SOCIETY :

In a digital world without borders , the biggest challenge is in absorbing new cultures  and traditions without losing one’s own identity . 

 

In this challenging environment - Pt.Dr.S. Ballesh has made the most significant contribution towards Preserving Classical  Traditions  and Nurturing Environment for Shastriya Hindustani Sangeet

 

Pt.Dr. S Ballesh and his son Shri. Dr. Krishna Ballesh founded Tansen Academy of Music (NPO) in 2012 with a vision to spread Indian Classical Music – Hindustani Music all over India and overseas. 

 

The academy aims in teaching Hindustani Classical Music in“Guru -Shishya–Parampara” where Hindustani vocal and Instrumental classes are conducted and currently more than 1500 music aspirants are part of the academy.

 

EVENTS ORGANISED BY TANSEN ACADEMY :

With Preserving, Nurturing  and Promoting the legacy of the Gurus are the DNA for this  endeavour , the academy also organises an Annual event Ras Barse Utsav 

 

Conceptualised as a platform to present Music in the purest form as a tribute concert in honour of Shehnai Maestro Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan and Shehnai Samrat Pt. Sanna Bharamanna Gawai ,  this event is organised every year by the academy students  under the aegis of Tansen Academy and  supervisory board of the BK Shehnai Foundation in Chennai. 

 

It provides a medium to bring the best musicians of Hindustani Gharanas to perform at Chennai and confers  the Ustad Bismillah Khan Kalaratna Puraskar to performing legends and Yuva Kala puraskar award on upcoming artistes. 

 

The Academy organises Ganayogi Utsav - in honour of Gurus of Veereshwara Punyashrama, Gadag- Shivayogi Hanagal Swami, Pt. Panchakshari Gawai & Pt. Puttaraja Gawai . Most of the Hindustani Musicians of Southern India & Maharashtra are trained in this gurukul - notable among contemporary vocalists being Pt. Dr. S Ballesh and Pt. Dr. Venkatesh Kumar. Usually planned for July to coincide with the Guru purnima and the Gadag festival,  this year it held in January due to unforeseeable circumstances 

 

This is a daylong festival - and we have multiple artists featuring in the show , paying homage to the great gurus. This is held in Sabha format and is hosted at Karnataka Sangha. We have both instrumental and vocal music with focus on providing a vibrant platform and a genuinely interested and knowledgeable audience for the unsung but highly talented artists and rare instruments, coupled with celeb performances in peak time. 

 

The third is Taan Utsav- an annual student showcase - We have a mosaic of student performances starting with 2 year olds to 65 year olds - covering classical and semi classical music. We also have many celeb students who are playback artistes in Bollywood and South India.

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