Shubha Mudgal | Interview
Interviews • 16m
“My gurus...were all liberal thinkers and avid collectors of knowledge. They believed in learning from as many sources as possible and I think it is their eclecticism that influenced me as well as their other students.” (Shubha Mudgal)
Shubha Mudgal sings a distinct brand of of khayal. Born in Allahabad to two Professors of English Literature, her versatile style is the result of study with a wide range of gurus - notably Ramashreya Jha ‘Ramrang’, Vinaya Chandra Maudgalya, Vasant Thakar, Jitendra Abhisheki, Kumar Gandharva, and Naina Devi. Her markedly individual style fuses ideas from across North India, with long sustained notes balancing acrobatic melodising. She is known for her detailed lyrical study too, regularly singing poems by Sufi saints and medieval mystics, and has made brief but successful forays into pop music.
Renowned for a strong social conscience, Shubha is one of the most prominent advocates for improving the treatment of women in Indian classical music. She has supported various radical movements who push for a more equitable distribution of power and resources in Indian society. She has also served on various national education committees, and runs Underscore Records with her tabla-playing husband Aneesh Pradhan, aiming to give Indian artists control of their own catalogue.
Up Next in Interviews
-
Aruna Sairam | Interview
"Many times I nearly gave up" says one of India's finest Carnatic musicians. Award winner Sairam gives an insight into her musical world. She talks about her own fears, inhibitions and surrender in preparation for a concert. Filmed during her Darbar Festival appearance in 2016.
-
Ustad Amjad Ali Khan | Interview
India's foremost sarod maestro candidly talks about his passion and the unique lineage he was born into. Khan explains that there is no book about presentation of Indian classical music and how a 3 minute Raga was about quality and duration of music. Recorded at Darbar Festival in 2016.
-
Sahana Banerjee | Interview
Sahana talks about her Rampur Senia gharana and her journey from her mother Chhabi Banerjee, a famous singer, and her father Pandit Santosh Banerjee, a sitar and surbahar master, trained her in their styles while also providing her with the freedom to form her own. Sahana seeks to expand Hindusta...
