Amit Kavthekar

Amit Kavthekar
Kavthekar in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Amit Suhas Kavthekar
Born	(1984-08-11) 11 August 1984 (age 40)
Origin	Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Genres	Hindustani Classical Music, Jazz, Fusion, World Music, Classical Music
Occupation	Musician
Instrument	Tabla
Years active	2003–present
Website	www.amitkavthekar.com

Amit Kavthekar (Marathi: अमित कवठेकर; born 11 August 1984) is an Indian tabla player known as the last ganda-bandhan (ordained disciple) of Utd. Allarakha Khansaheb and a prominent disciple of Utd. Zakir Hussain.^[1] Kavthekar is regarded as one of the leading young artists of Indian Classical music and tabla.^[2]

Background

Kavthekar was born and raised in the Shivaji Park neighborhood of Mumbai to a Deshastha Brahmin family. His father is acclaimed rangoli artist Suhas Kavthekar.^[3] He attended Balmohan Vidyamandir in Dadar, and graduated from Ruparel College.

Musical training

Regarded as a child prodigy, Kavthekar (aged 6) was brought before Ustad Alla Rakha for consideration as a disciple.^[4] At age 11, he became a ganda-bandhan (ordained) disciple of Allarakha in a ceremony attended by Pt. Bhai Gaitonde, Pt. Suresh Talwalkar, Taufiq Qureshi, and Aditya Kalyanpur.^[5] After Khansaheb's death in 2000, Kavthekar continued his training exclusively with Utd. Zakir Hussain, though he had been learning with him since age 7.^[6] He has also studied the nuances of tabla with Deepak Nerurkar and Pt. Sudhir Mainkar.^[7]

Aesthetics

Kavthekar's playing style is based on the Punjab baaj with influences from Delhi baaj and contemporary tabla players, particularly Zakir Hussain. His style is regarded as sensitive.^[8]

Career

Kavthekar's performing career began in the early-2000s in Mumbai. He performed alongside Zakir Hussain and Sivamani for Zee TV on Indian television. He also appeared in Jabbar Patel's documentary about Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, accompanying the maestro in concert.^[9]

Performances

As an accompanist, Kavthekar has performed with prominent musicians like Ravi Chary,^[10] Ronu Majumdar,^[11] Shahid Parvez,^[12][13] Amjad Ali Khan,^[14][15] Pandit Jasraj, and Lata Mangeshkar.^[16] He has also performed with Shahid Parvez at the Berklee College of Music, Utd. Aashish Khan at LearnQuest Academy of Music's Annual Conference at Regis College, Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta, Pt. Kushal Das at the MIT's Wong Auditorium, Smt. Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande,^[17] and Ken Zuckerman^[18] among others.^[19]

As an ensemble player, Kavthekar has played in jazz and fusion groups in the United States and India.^[20][21][22] He has also played in Chicago's World Music Festival with Josh Feinberg and Kunal Gunjal.^{[23][24][25][26][27]} Since 2019, he has performed in the ensemble quartet Purna Loka with Purnaprajna Bangere, Jeff Harshbarger, and David Balakrishnan.^{[28][29][30][31]}

In 2018, he accompanied Amjad Ali Khan, Ayaan Ali Bangash, and Amaan Ali Bangash at the UN Day concert in New York City,^[32] before the General Assembly, in honor of Mahatma Gandhi's legacy.^[33]

Kavthekar performed in 2020 at the Dorchester's Ashmont Hill Chamber Music series, in a program that combined Western and Indian classical music, that was reviewed by The Boston Globe.^[34]

Beginning in 2021, Kavthekar began touring with guitarist Al Di Meola.^[35][36]

In 2022, Kavthekar made his debut at the prestigious Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav, accompanying Amjad Ali Khan with Anubrata Chatterjee.^[37][38][39]

In 2022, Kavthekar made his debut at the prestigious Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan, accompanying Anupama Bhagwat.^[40]

Teaching

Kavthekar has given musical lectures around the world and is currently a visiting professor at Salem State University.^[41] After settling in Boston, Kavthekar became leading faculty of the New England School of Music (NESOM) where he actively teaches tabla to dozens of students.^[42] He also teaches tabla at the American School of Bombay.^[43] Among his disciples includes the prodigy, Keshava.^[44]

Awards and recognition

Kavthekar was awarded the Taal–Mani by Sur Singar Samiti in Mumbai.^[45]

References

1. Venkatraman, Deepika (28 March 2017). "Rhythm Divine".
2. Kapoor, Nivedita (11 July 2011). "Straight from the art".
3. Kavthekar, Amit (27 October 2011). "Rangoli Portraits".
4. "Meet Amit Kavthekar of New England School of Music – Boston Voyager Magazine | Boston City Guide". 12 June 2018.
5. Kavthekar, Amit (27 October 2011). "My Ganda Bandhan- Gurupurnima- Ustad Allarakha Khansaheb (Abbaji)".
6. "World-Jazz Ensemble Natraj and Amit Kavthekar, Internationally-Renowned Tabla Player, to Perform Benefit Concert for Worcester Homeless Shelter".
7. "Playing for the Planet: World Music Against Climate Change « Running Gamak: Warren Senders' Blog".
8. Venkatraman, Deepa (28 March 2017). "Rhythm divine". The Hindu.
9. "HOME".
10. "The TimeOut Mint Planner, 23 August 2013". 22 August 2013.
11. "New group bringing Indian classical music greats to Lexington".
12. "Shahid Parvez Khan, Sitar Concert with Amit Kavthekar, tabla - Destination Salem". Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
13. "Ahmedabad News – Latest & Br".
14. "Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan to perform in New York on Nov. 3". 27 October 2018.
15. "Indian Sarod Master Performs at Wesleyan's 43rd Annual Navaratri Festival".
16. "Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash Performance | BAE".
17. Kavthekar, Amit (4 April 2014). "Ashwini Bhide Performs in Salem on Monday - Articles - Arts & Entertainment". ^{[permanent dead link‍]}
18. "Modal Improvisation Clinic with Ken Zuckerman and Amit Kavthekar". Berklee College of Music.
19. "Singing in the rain - Mumbai Mirror". Archived from the original on 2 September 2017. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
20. "Critic's picks: From Newport to Rockport to points between, the best in jazz". The Boston Globe. 18 May 2018. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
21. "Music of India".
22. "Professor pushes boundaries of music through his math". 17 October 2018.
23. "The Reader's guide to World Music Festival Chicago 2019". 10 September 2019.
24. "2019 World Music Festival Chicago music lineup announced - ABC7 Chicago". 25 July 2019.
25. "Shadaj Presents "East Meets West" Music Concert on Sept. 27th in Lexington, MA - INDIA New England News". Archived from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
26. "Music of India".
27. "World Music Festival lineup boasts Ragamala and Pan Latin Music celebrations, Global Peace Picnic, and more". 25 July 2019.
28. "Math unlocks a musician's mind". 10 February 2020.
29. "Geometry sings the blues in Indian-American mathematicians radical new music system".
30. "Indian American Math Professor Purnaprajna Bangere is Building Bridges Between Music and Math | Global | indiawest.com". Archived from the original on 29 March 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2020.
31. "Bach and North Indian music make a fine pair - the Boston Globe". The Boston Globe.
32. "Amjad Ali Khan's concert on 'peace, non-violence' tribute to Gandhi: Guterres - INDIA New England News". Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
33. "Amjad Ali Khan's Concert a Tribute to Gandhi: Antonio Guterres - Sentinelassam". 26 October 2018.
34. "Bach and North Indian music make a fine pair". The Boston Globe. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
35. "The Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph". 12 July 2022.
36. "Al di Meola at Blue Note NYC (A Gallery)". 7 September 2021.
37. "Ustad Amjad Ali Khan | Rain Raag | Sarod & double Tabla | Pune | Sawai Gandharv Mahotsav 2022 |". YouTube.
38. "Ustad Amjad Ali Khan performs during the Inaugural day of 68th Sawai Gandharv Bhimsan Mahotsav". YouTube.
39. "After 2-year hiatus, capacity crowd on Day 1 as old-timers, youngsters throng Sawai Gandharva music festival". 15 December 2022.
40. https://www.harivallabh.org/programme.php
41. "ABOUT".
42. "NESOM ABOUT". New England School of Music.
43. "NESOM". Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
44. "Pancham Nishad presents a tribute to Ustad Shafaat Ahmed Khan".
45. "LearnQuest Classical Music Conference". LearnQuest Academy of Music. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 6 May 2015.