Rahul Sharma
Rahul Sharma, though born as the son of illustrious santoor master Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, did not begin learning the instrument until he was 13. Instead, he started on harmonium, only switching to the hundred-stringed box when he had mastered Hindustani music’s melodic fundamentals. He imbibed his father’s style and has since built on it, taking the santoor to new corners of the world.
After studying economics in Mumbai he decided to pursue a life of full-time music, practicing harder and deepening his emotional bond with the ragas. At age 24 he started accompanying his father at concerts, and has since toured the world with him many times. And like the great Pandit, he has become renowned for breathtaking duets with tabla master Ustad Zakir Hussain. He has released over 60 albums, with a roughly even split between classical and experimental recordings.
Rahul has taken the santoor into several distinctly modern settings, working with pianist Richard Clayderman, psy-chillout pioneers Deep Forest, and smooth jazz artist Kenny G. He has also taken the instrument back to its roots, recording with traditional Kashmiri musicians and exploring Sufi devotional music, and even turned up on Indian TV playing flamenco-tinged music in an extravagant Taj Mahal Tea advert (‘waah Taj!’) Outside of music he is an advocate for animal rights, and finds peace from his hectic schedule by hiking around Maharashtra.
Rahul Sharma has graced the Darbar Festival stage on multiple occasions, including in 2009, where he performed with Subhankar Banerjee. In 2019, he returned to the festival, sharing the stage with legendary artists such as Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Pandit Yogesh Samsi, and Takahiro Arai. His performances, particularly on the santoor, have been admired for their elegance and emotive depth, earning him recognition as one of the leading musicians of his generation.
“Performing and collaborating live on stage is more spontaneous, and depending on the artist, the innovations have to be done respectfully – giving equal opportunities.”
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