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Madan Oak

Santoor artist, Jazz musician

Biography

Madanji is a disciple of the world-renowned Santoor Maestro Padma Vibhushan Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. He has been studying Indian classical music for over 40 years. He has won several college and University level awards in Classical music competitions and is recipient of the 1986 All India Radio (AIR) Best Instrumentalist National award. He was felicitated with a “Kala-Gaurav” award in December 2012 in Pune, India and "Guru-Satkar" recognition by Pt. Hridaynath Mangeshkar in March 2014.

In pioneered into making modifications to the tone of the Santoor, increasing the traditional range from 31 notes by successfully creating world's first 35 Bridge Santoor thus bringing in full 3 octave range to this beautiful instrument. He has expanded capabilities of the instrument to be able to bring out more notes in the lower as well as higher octaves. Madan ji has given many lecture-demonstrations and interviews on this new 35 Bridge Santoor and continues to expose and popularize the instrument in younger generations at every opportunity.

Videos Show all videos

Madan Oak - Santoor - Mishra Pahadi Dhun

Madan Oak Performing Raga Rasik Priya Vilambit Teentaal on Santoor

Photos Show all photos

Madan Oak

Madan Oak with Guru Pt. Shivkumar Sharma

Madan Oak performing in a concernt

Career

Living in America for more than 29 years leading in IT Business by profession, Madanji has been featured on TV programs, various venues like IndiaFest-99, India Association of Southeast Texas, Lata Mangeshkar Foundation, Bay Area Maharashtra Mandal, Basant Bahar 2003 / 2012, San Francisco World Music Festival 2003, local public Channel KMVT-15, Brihan Maharashtra Mandal 2005 / 2007, Pune Festival 2018, Tihai 2019 and many more.

Awards & Achievements

Madanji has given many concerts in USA, UK, Switzerland, India, Dubai and Abu Dhabi and on the All India Radio Pune Station on several occasions. Apart from playing Santoor, he is also a gifted vocalist. He is an ardent fan of soulful voice of Mohd. Rafi, the great Hindi film Industry singer and Madan ji has been a light music singer from an early age. His involvement in promoting Indian Classical Music in America is particularly appreciated by the musical greats. He has headed several Indian organizations.

To give exposure of Indian classical Music and Dance to local bay area California children, Madan ji started an academy of Indian classical music and dance by the name of Shatatantri Media in 2006, where students get an opportunity to learn Indian music and dances from well-known musicians and teachers. The academy is affiliated with Gandharva Mahavidyalaya of India and conducts Indian classical music certification examinations

In September 2014, Madan ji and his team launched an iconic two day festival of Indian Classical music by the name of “TIHAI” featuring India’s greatest classical musicians and hallmarks that came together to perform for the first time ever here in USA on such a large scale that included artists such as Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Partho Sarathi, Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri, Pt. Vijay Ghate, Pt. Nishikant Barodekar, Kaushiki Chakraborty.