The soil of Dharwad is claimed to be particular because it has produced musicians reminiscent of Sawai Gandharva, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Vidushi Gangubai Hungal, Pt. Mallikarjun Mansoor, Pt. Kumar Gandharva, and Pt. Vasavraj Rajguru. Pt. Vinayak Torvi additionally hails from the identical place. Born into the household of Harikatha Vidwan Keertan Kesari Malhar Rao Torvi on the auspicious day of Ganesh Chaturthi, September 4, 1948, he belongs to the musical lineage of Dharwad. Whereas Pt. Vinayak Torvi’s strong rendering of khayal leaves music lovers awe-struck, his rendition of sunshine items music captivates them for his inventive perception and neatly enunciated lyrical content material.

Educated within the rigorous Gurukula system, Vinayak Torvi obtained his preliminary coaching from Gururao Deshpande and later from Pt. Bhimsen Joshi. He earned a Masters diploma in Music from the Karnataka College, Dharwad, the place he was educated underneath Pt. Mallikarjun Mansur, Pt. Vasavraj Rajguru and Gangubai Hangal. He additionally has an Honorary Doctorate from Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing arts college, Mysuru. Pt. Vinayak Torvi additionally has among the prestigious awards to his credit score — the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the Arya Bhatta Worldwide Award and the Kirana Gharana Award. Having realized from among the musical greats, Pt. Vinayak Torvi groomed many disciples, who’ve turn out to be full-fledged performing artistes.

To rejoice his seventy fifth brith anniversary and a life full of music, his disciples and well-wishers had not too long ago organised ‘Amrut Mahotsava’, by that includes music live shows by eminent musicians reminiscent of N. Rajam, Pt. Yogesh Shamsi, Pt. Ram Deshpande, and Vidushi Ashwini Bhide.

After celebrating the event with a sequence of live shows at Pune, Mumbai, Dharwad, Varanasi, San Francisco (USA) and Bengaluru, the ultimate stopover was on the India Worldwide Centre, in Delhi on September 21. It featured Pt. Nayan Ghosh and Pt. Vinayak Torvi’s disciple Dattatreya Velankar.

Pt. Vinayak Torvi, recognized for his khayal renditions, remembers his coaching years underneath completely different gurus and the way he incorporates the model of various gharanas in his singing. Excerpts from an interview.

Pt. Vinayak Torvi mastered the artwork of mixing the types of various gharanas
| Picture Credit score:
Picture courtesy: Dhananjay Hegde.

Query: Being born into the household of Pt. Malhar Rao Torvi, the Harikatha vidwan keertankar, what do you assume was helpful to you, as a classical vocalist?

Reply: That was the primary and a very powerful step in my musical journey. I used to be fortunate not solely to be born into the household of a Keertankar but in addition had a chance to study the intricacies of keertan rendering instantly from my father. Keertan Kala (the artwork of Keertan) is a people artwork, which is the premise for classical music. Many Raag-Raginis have originated from the Keertan base. Keertan Kala encompasses all the feelings of Ashta-Pilu, together with singing, instrument taking part in, dance, drama, bhava, laya, layakari, and tarana. It’s mentioned that in Gwalior Gharana the music aspirants have been taught Keertan as step one to study music. My father had a pure aptitude for the Keertan kala and I used to be lucky to have him as my first music guru.

Q:Your guru, Gururao Deshpande, belonged to Gwalior gharana, whereas Pt. Bhimsen Joshi the Kirana gharana. How did you deal with the distinction as a younger scholar?

Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, underneath whom Pt. Torvi learnt the Kirana gharana gayaki.
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The Hindu Archives

A: The Gwalior gharana is the fountainhead of all of the gharanas. It has the innate skill to soak up and incorporate the best attributes of different gharanas together with the Kirana gharana. I used to be lucky to study underneath two gurus with out a lot issue, as Pt. Bhimsen Joshi was carefully related to Gururao Deshpande, who in flip was carefully related to Ustad Abdul Karim Khan Saheb, the crown jewel of Kirana gharana. He used to lend vocal help to Khan Saheb throughout his live shows. That’s how the Kirana gharana gayaki had influenced Gururao’s gayaki (singing model). And this parampara was instrumental in my feeling equally relaxed with each Gwalior and Kirana.

Q:Moreover Gwalior and Kirana, your singing model additionally carry shades of Jaipur and Agra gharanas. How did you mix these into your gayaki?

A: My guru Gururao Deshpande was a fantastic fan of Ustad Faiyaz Khan Saheb of Agra Gharana, and was additionally an in depth affiliate of Kesarbai Kerkar, the doyenne of Jaipur gharana. So, he included the best elements of each these gharanas into his singing model, making his renditions distinctive. Subsequently, I acquired a readymade mixture of all of the gayaki types from Gururao Ji himself.

Q:Whereas pursuing your grasp’s at Karnataka College, you realized underneath Pt. Mallikarjun Mansoor, Pt. Basavraj Rajguru and Vidushi Gangubai Hangal. Did that provide help to in crafting your personal model or confuse you?

Gangubai Hangal was often called an exponent of khayal rendition, a style of Hindustani classical music from Karnataka.
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THE HINDU ARCHIVES

A: It was a uncommon and golden alternative for me to have educated in several gharanas underneath one roof. I realized from these stalwarts raags that have been a part of the syllabus, however weren’t taught to me by Gururao Deshpande Ji. There was no query of confusion as a scholar, as I used to be already accustomed to each the gharanas underneath the tutelage of Gururao Deshpande. My publicity to them at Karnataka College helped me in additional fine-tuning my music.

Q:Inform us about together with vachanas, Devarnamas, bhajans and Marathi Abhangs in your music repertoire. And the place do you supply them from?

A: I obtained coaching in classical music underneath Gururao Ji, however I used to be impressed by Pt. Bhimsen Joshi’s model of singing abhangs, bhajans and Devaranamas. I realized Vachan singing from Mansur Ji and Vasavras Rajguru Ji whereas I used to be coaching underneath them at Karnataka College.

Q:How would you outline your gayaki?

A: I think about aalap because the soul of my live performance; laya and layakari because the mind, and voice because the connecting hyperlink. I can adapt my voice to go well with the model of various gharanas thus enabling a variety of rasikas to take pleasure in my music.

Pt. Vinayak Torvi at a live performance.
| Picture Credit score:
Picture courtesy: Dhananjay Hegde.

The intelligence of an artiste lies in selecting applicable raags. Aside from coaching underneath an in a position guru, correct riyaaz and arduous work, an artiste ought to have the talent to to tailor the live performance befitting the event. My philosophy is to sing to the very best of my skill throughout the allotted time, whatever the dimension of the viewers. Moreover, being a guru has benefitted me in my musical journey as I study many new issues whereas I train!