UTSA hosts renowned Indian classical musician K. Sridhar on March 28

Musician K. Sridhar

By Kris Rodriguez
Public Affairs Specialist

(March 25, 2011)--As part of the Guest Artist Series, the UTSA Department of Music will present internationally acclaimed Indian classical musician K. Sridhar in a concert performance at 7:30 p.m., Monday, March 28 in the Arts Building Recital Hall on the UTSA Main Campus.

A descendant of 14 generations of Indian temple musicians, Sridhar has toured the world performing on the sarod, a classical musical instrument in India. He learned to play the instrument at an early age, often accompanied his mother, a renowned vocalist who performed for India's sages and saints.

When he was five, Sridhar began formal training on the sarod under the guidance of Z.M. Dagar, an internationally known expert of the classical and devotional Dhrupad style in North Indian classical music. At age 12, Sridhar became the youngest to perform with the Ravi Shankar orchestral group. Soon after, Sridhar began a solo career.

Over the years, Sridhar has learned to stretch the limitations of plucked strings to allow one of the world's most complex instruments to be heard in its full range of voice. Sridhar is the senior-most performing disciple of Dagar and the only one performing in the Western hemisphere.

As one of the most distinguished international performers of Indian classical music, Sridhar's music weaves together various Indian traditions in a unique and appealing way.

In addition to his multiple international tours spanning 17 countries, Sridhar has made 14 acclaimed recordings for European, Middle Eastern and African music labels. An avid collaborator, he has performed with artists from diverse musical backgrounds including Arabic, African, jazz and flamenco.

In 1988, Sridhar received the prestigious Jean Vigo Award for his composition in the French film soundtrack, "Pondicherry: juste avant l'oubli." He has conducted numerous seminars on Indian music in the United States, France, Singapore and Mexico. His students, representing various musical traditions, have benefited from his instruction on the art of improvisation as well as music creation. Sridhar currently resides in the United States while maintaining an active teaching schedule in Europe and India.

General admission is $10; $5 for seniors, military and UTSA students with ID.

For more information, visit the UTSA Department of Music website.