MUMBAI: Despite multiple genres of music finding their way, Indian Classical Music stands strong like a banyan tree. What makes the picture exciting is the new generation being a part of it. Among many notable names in the current generation, is Manjiri Asnare –Kelkar.

Having trained in solid traditional music, Manjiri comes from a family of musicians, “My father and grandfather both were tabla players. Though by profession, my father was a geography professor, the main subject at our home was music. So, he encouraged me to take up music at a very young age. I started taking Kathak lessons and vocal too. However, as we were based in Sangli, to learn Kathak I might have to shift to Pune or Mumbai and that wasn’t possible then. Also, I showed an inclination towards vocal more,” Manjiri shares.

As a child, she learnt from Pandit Chintu Bua Mhaiskar in Sangli and later from Pandit Madhukar Kanetkar of Jaipur Aitroli Gharana. “My guru Pandit Madhukar Kanetkar was very strict and of the old tradition, and made sure that I don’t perform before he was confident of me. After three years of learning from him, he asked me to perform in Pune for a memorial concert. What made it special was it was a full-fledged three-hour concert featuring me only and the guest list who attended the show had some really learned musicians of Pune.”

She later went to learn from the doyen and legendary vocalist, Padmavibhushan Kishori Amonkar. Manjiri reminisces about the legend, “She had heard my concert at Bhopal at Jaipur Gharana festival and was happy with my performance. I kept meeting her at various concerts, and I was honoured when she asked me to perform for centenary year of her mother and legend of Classical music Smt Moghubai Kurdikar. Finally, somewhere in 2012-13, I decided to learn from her. Thankfully she accepted me as her student.”

Sharing more Manjiri says, “She taught us to look beyond the obvious and to love each note or sur. She also insisted that we should look beyond just the grammar of music. This really opened horizons for me.”

Speaking of inspiration, the vocalist says, “I find inspiration even if I hear a folk artist is playing somewhere. Apart from that all the legends of classical music and of course Lataji and Asha ji are a great source of inspiration. I am open to all kind of music.”

She aspires to reach out to the audience as much she can, "I want to reach out to an audience and showcase the best of my gharana."

The young vocalist is all set to perform at NCPA on this Sunday, 25 February 2018. “I have performed at NCPA many times and each time is special. The first time I performed here, I have legends like Pu La Deshpande and Theatre veteran Vijaya Mehta as an audience. So, I have special memories with this auditorium,” the artist ended.

Catch the artist live on

25 February 2018

Experimental theatre, NCPA

10.30 AM

Accompanists:

Tabla: Utpal Dutta

Harmonium: Ajay Joglekar