Dr. Sudhanshu Kulkarni

Sudhanshu Kulkarni is on a mission, exploring and infusing divinity in harmonium with the ultimate objective of elevating this reed instrument with western origin in use as an accompanying instrument to the level of solo playing. Even though there are few others whose dedicated efforts have been well recognized and appreciated at at highest levels, it is characteristically distinct approach to harmonium playing which position Sudhanshu on a different and worthy footing.

A commerce graduate and diploma holder in personal management, Sudhanshu took to music when he was ten years old with initial inspiration coming from a latent musical environment at home. He was identified as a child prodigy mix-way through his training in fundamentals of classical music including vocal and tabla under Late Appasaheb Laxman Sakhalkar. Six years later, he went into the tutelage of Pt. Rambhau K. Bijapure one of the noteworthy harmonium maestros of the time and a great 'guru' under whose able guidance Sudhanshu's musical personality was moulded.

Sudhanshu's natural inclination to render solo harmonium inspired him to ensure recognition to solo harmonium playing from authoritative institutions like AIR & Doordarshan, connoisseurs and Critics. Despite certain limitations in harmonium, it is easy to play but difficult to render in individual capacity at advance level, but through a dedicated approach and back breaking riyaz under the able taleem from his guru , his creative instinct got shaped into a highly distinguished musical repertoire , so much that he has carved a niche for himself as an eminent harmonium player and stands tall along with other renowned contemporaries. In his sincere urge to reach higher levels of musical excellence and create a new genre of harmonium players, he founded Surel Sanvadini, Sanvardhan and running Academy of Music with present student strength of about 100.

With his fingers highly affectionate to the keys, his harmonics traverse through a gentle repertoire of Kirana Gharana where both musical melody and abstract personification of the spirit of raga finds stately statement in the emergence of true shades of swears and establishment of the raga in its sublime ambiance coalescing both the performer as well as the listener towards a meditatively musical experience the ultimate objective of music. His fluency in classical music comes through a deep involvement and understanding of both physics and philosophy of raga as well as the instrument When he is with the instrument, the reeds get poetic, statement with a degree of musical sense and all his faculties cascade into a true musical melody. His experimentation to reduce the bulk of the present conventional harmonium and using diatonic mode is a matter of convenience as it provides versatility. he believes that as an accompaniment, his role is to adore and embellish performance of the main performer on stage.

Sudhanshu holds Sangeet Vidwat awarded by Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board besides the title of Surmani conferred upon him in the the prestigious Kal Ke Kalakar Sammelan organised by Sur-Singar Sansad of Mumbai in 1983. 

Presently he is working as Director for  for Indian Music & Dance at Kala Academy Goa.

As a solo performer, his recitals are marked by pristine qualities of instrumentality with a vocal touch and very high degree of continuity throughout the rage delineation, a rare feature indeed. His vilambit compositions are essentially swara-pradhan where nuances reflect in its true essence and raga sanchar is calm in movement over a dignified treatment. While madhyalaya and drut compositions are embodiments of a fully controlled layakari and experimentation on instrumentality is well portrayed by incorporating the tonal qualities of other instruments like flute and shehanai in preference to sitar. together, his harmonium provide a healing effect through most ineffable medium, worth experiencing. It is not an exaggeration that Sudhanshu is growing into an institution in himself.

- Sawai Gandharva Sangeet Mahotsav,Pune,Kundgol.

- Swami Haridas Sammelan (Mumbai).

- Maharshtra Sangeet Sammelan (Goa).

- All india Conference of ABGMM (Belgaum).

- Girijatai Kelekar Sangeet Sammelan (Goa).

- Samrat Club,(Goa).

- Surashri Kesarbai Kerkar Smriti Samaroh, (Goa).

- Khansahib Alladiyakha Punyatithi Sammelan (Chembur).

- Gandharva Mahavidyalaya (Pune).

- Mysore Dasara Mahotsav, Mysore.

- Karawali Utsav, Karwar.

- Pune Festival, Pune.

- Pt.Vishnu Digambar Paluskar Jayanti Mahotsav, New Delhi.

- Baba Harivallabh Sangeet Samaroha Jalandhar.

- India Festival, Germany.

- International Vocal Festival Sweden, Canada, USA.

- Concerts in Spain, Austria, France,Switzerland and Italy.

- Australia, Dubai Qatar Dhaka.

Dr. Sudhanshu Kulkarni has accompanied great stalwarts like Dr. Gangubai Hangal, Pt. Bhimsen Joshi, Late Pt. Kumar Gandharva, Late Pt. K.G.Ginde, Pt. Prabhakar Karekar, Dr.Prabha Atre, Smt.Malini Rajurkar, Begum Parween Sultana, Smt. Padma Talwalkar, Smt. Veena Sahasrabuddhe, Ubhaygaan Vidushi Dr. Shyamala Bhave and a lot of other luminaries of Hindustani music.

Sudhanshu is the first in country to obtain  Doctorate in Music (Sangeet Pravin) from Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai in solo harmonium under the able guidance of Pt. Narayanrao V. Patwardhan of Vadodara.

Recently Sudhanshu Kulkarni has been awarded with Late.Pandit Appasaheb Jalgaonkar Samvadini Sadhak Puraskar besides the title of Swara-Laya Ratna by ‘Ganvardhan’ Pune.

He has been awarded with Pt.Govindrao Tembe Snangatkar Puraskar from Gandharva Mahavidyalay,  Pune.

Very recently he has been awarded with Pt. Mallikarjun Mansoor Puraskar by Ananya for his contribution to the field of Indian Classical Music.

He has also obtained PhD in Music from Shivaji university Kolhapur.