Children's Day: Young musical prodigies to perform at Bandra

Today, on Children’s Day, Classical music prodigies will set the mood with their vocal and instrumental talent

Shadaj Iyer

When Shadaj Iyer started formal training in Hindustani Classical music under guru Ustaad Shaukat Hussain Khan, he was just five years old. The Ahmedabad-based prodigy who is now 13 and performs at four to five concerts a year will perform in the city today, as part of Children’s Day celebrations at a Bandra eatery. “Since our performance is in the morning, I will play raag Lalit, and raag Alhaiya Bilaval,” says Iyer, the youngest vocalist from the Agra-Atrauli Gharana, one of the oldest gharanas in India.

Yadnesh Raykar at a performance

He was adjudged the Classical Voice of India (Juniors) and Classical Voice of Gujarat at the Sangeet Milan Competition held at Lucknow. “I wake up at five and do riyaz twice or thrice a day,” shares Iyer whose performance will be followed by a 45-minute one by 16-year-old violinist, Yadnesh Raykar. The son and pupil of eminent violinist Milind Raykar, the junior Raykar has also been under the tutelage of the celebrated singer Ms Kishori Amonkar. He has several awards to his credit.

“I have learnt to play the tabla, harmonium and various other instruments. While I enjoyed the process of learning them, professionally I chose to stick with the violin. I enjoyed my father’s meditative music, while he practised at home and fused it with Jhalas (a term in Hindustani Classical music to denote fast-paced conclusions of compositions or raga),” says Raykar who didn’t give up on his riyaz even during his board exams.

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