Pandit Ulhas Bapat (born 31 August 1950), is a santoor player from India.
Bapat studied under Zarin Daroowala Sharma, K. G. Ginde, and Pandit Wamanrao Sadolikar. In the film industry, he made his debut with R.D. Burman in film Ghar in 1978 and continued playing for him until the film 1942: A Love Story.
The rise of Santoor from folk instrument to a Classical instrument has been the result of painstaking, dedicated, continuous efforts by some very few talented hands. One of the most promising and in a way, unique among them has been the hands of Pt.Ulhas Bapat who is a highly accomplished Santoor player and has made his mark in the competitive world of music. He has made his debut as a Santoor exponent in 1975 with a chamber concert for Sancharini, an organization founded by Pt. Ravi Shankar in Mumbai. Since then he has kept up a steady stream of concert appearances all over India interspersed with concert tours abroad. He has played to appreciative audience not only from all over India but also from abroad. The response of music critics as well as music lovers to his performances as well as recorded music has been overwhelmingly favourable. Today perhaps Pt. Ulhas Bapat is the only Santoor exponent who actually tunes his instrument by the chromatic system (fixed tuning) and plays accordingly.
CAREER
His first visit was in 1988 USA-Canada tour organized by Ragmala of Calgary, 20 concerts in different countries. In 1989 tour organized by “U.K. Universities Circuit for Indian Classical Music” for lecture demonstrations and concerts in 19 Institutes including workshop in Kingston Polytechnics. In 1993 USA-Canada tour organized by Ragmala of Calgary with 22 concerts in different countries. In 1996 USA for the celebration of 35th anniversary of Merchant Ivory Productions with New York Philharmonic orchestra and other Indian maestros like Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ustad Sultan Khan, Pt. Hariprasad Chourasia. In 1999 tour to UAE organized by Sur Hindol. (Affiliated To Indian Association, Dubai) Concerts at Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In May-June 2000 tour to China with Dr. L. Subramaniam for the Presidents show. Four concerts, two lecture-demonstrations, one show with Beijing Symphony Orchestra.
PROGRAMS
- Light music program on Santoor by Pt. Ulhas Bapat
- Pt. Ulhas Bapat – Santoor Recital
AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
Pt.Ulhas Bapat is a musician with an innovative bent of mind. He has introduced trail-blazing modifications in the Santoor. He has developed his own specialized system of tuning the instrument in “Chromatic Structure”, where all the twelve notes are tuned on the instrument. With this system one can play all ‘Ten That (scales) of Indian Classical music’ instantly. The Chromatic system eliminates the need to retune the instrument after the rendition of each raga. This approach also enables him to play ‘Vakra’ ragas, as well as any Raga from any scale. It has proved in his recorded albums—- ‘Raga – Sagar – composition of Nine Ragas’ and “Prabhat Sagar”- composition of five morning Ragas. The MEEND on Santoor: He has also reconstructed the tongs (sticks) in a manner, which enables him to produce the glissando or The Meend which is a sene-quanon of Indian music. This innovation has contributed to the enrichment of the sound of the Santoor. He has Patent for this innovation. Making the Santoor : His innovative mind led him in making the “Santoor” on his own, under his execution. From selecting the wood till the finishing. One cannot deny his ‘ethical’ and ‘aesthetical’ touch in the making the Santoor. Pt. Ulhas Bapat Composed music for Children song (Marathi) – ‘Bahuliche Lageen’ and ‘Gauri Bapat’ released by ‘Inreco’. Sung by ku. Gauri Bapat. He had directed the music for two Bharatnatyam Ballets. Composed music for Bakti Mala – Classical Devotional songs – Ganesh, Shakti, Mahadev. Volume I by ‘Music Today’ sung by Smt. Shruti Sadolikar Katkar. Serenity – Themetice Flute Recital by Shri. Ramakant Patil. Album released by ‘Crescendo’.
REFERENCE:http://meetkalakar.com/Artist/21-Ulhas-Bapat
