Abhishek Borkar is rapidly gaining recognition as one of India’s finest young sarod players. His father Pandit Shekhar Borkar is a renowned maestro of the instrument who also invented the surtarang ('wave of notes'), a combination of sarod and veena. He trained his sons Abhishek and Praashekh in his own tarankaar baaz playing style, which mixes the Maihar gharana of Ustad Allauddin Khan with ideas from khayal vocal music, notably including intricate ornamentation of taans (melodic lines).
The brothers grew up steeped in his unique musical fusion, and now tour the world with it while also exploring in their own directions. Abhishek, the younger, made his performance debut at 10 and released his first album at 16. His imaginative approach draws on sitarists and sarangi players as well as sarod greats such as Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. He is also an accomplished guitarist, and teaches students on both his instruments.
"The limitations of the sarod can be surpassed because music comes from the heart, and the heart never ceases to sing"
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