Abhishek Borkar, a young and
versatile musician, was drawn to the sound of the sarod from a very early age.
Born into a musically rich environment, he initially underwent training in
vocal and table, at age 4, before anchoring himself on the sarod, under the
tutelage of his father and Guru Pt. Shekhar Borkar, under the Maihar Senia
Gharana.
Rigourous and intensive
training followed. At the age of ten, he presented his first concert for which
young Abhishek was lauded for his erudite performance by many connoisseurs of
music. Many accolades and awards followed. He was awarded a National Talent
scholarship instituted by the C.C.R.T (Government of India) and was
subsequently specially invited to participate in many of their camps for
outstanding young scholars. He won many music competitions in and around
Maharashtra. Under the ‘Balodhyan’ initiative, he presented many memorable
programmes for the All India Radio. He released his first solo CD titled ‘Pratibha’
in 2008, at the age of 16.
Following the footsteps of
his father, today, Abhishek’s renditions are characterized by a unique blend of
the sarod, sitar, sarangi and vocal styles of Hindustani Music. His natural
instinct for aesthetic music coupled with his incredible control over sur and
laya have enthralled audiences in various parts of India. Duet performances
with his older brother Praashekh have also received critical acclaim. The
melody in Abhishek’s music exhibits the influence of his idols, Ustad Allauddin
Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and of course his father, Pt. Shekhar Borkar and the
intricate layakari, the guidance of Pt. Shashi Bellare. Equally adept at
playing the guitar coupled with his knowledge of western music and
instrumentation led young Abhishek foray into the field of Classical fusion.
Keeping the style of playing the sarod intact, he composes tunes with a
classical twist, with which he aims to make Indian Classical Music more
reachable to the generation today.
A Commerce graduate, Abhishek
aims to pursue his masters in Indian Music. In the coming decades, Abhishek
aims to carry the beacon of Indian music and take the magnum opus of his father
Pt. Shekhar Borkar – the creation of ‘Tarankaar Baaz’ and the ‘Sur-tarang’ to
the world. In his words, ‘the limitations of the sarod can be surpassed because
music comes from the heart, and the heart never ceases to sing’.