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| Biography...... |
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''She has not just shattered the
stereotypical image of women musicians but has established herself
as the country's only woman Tabla player who is pushing the dimensions
with her experimentations. Today Anuradha Pal's name commands as much
respect as that of Ustad Zakir Hussain…''
http://www.the-south-asian.com/Sep2004/anuradha_pal.htm The
first & only female professional Tabla player in the world (according
to the Limca Book of records,1991), Anuradha Pal stormed into the
music world with her extraordinary concert performances as a ‘child
prodigy’ when she was barely ten & a half years old. Performing
a rare blend of diverse styles of Tabla soloing & accompanying
the virtual who’s who of Indian classical music, Anuradha
has also extensively performed with African, Jazz & World Music
musicians in major festivals in U.K, USA, Europe, Japan, Australia,
New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore & Africa.
Single minded dedication and an over riding hunger for musical
excellence backed by excellent training from her Gurus, Tabla legends
Ustads Alla Rakha & Zakir Hussain & the guidance of great
musicians & her accomplished parents Devinder & Ilaa Dev
Pal, have established Anuradha Pal as one of the ’30 leading
Women of India’ & ‘a percussionist par excellence’(India
Today 2006)
Clarity & tonal balance, pinpoint precision in rhythm &
an amazing repertoire spiced with creativity & spontaneity have
made Anuradha Pal ‘the most creative & influential female
musician of Indian classical music’ according to the A. V
Max Music Magazine, May 2001.
Anuradha is the only Indian woman musician & the youngest Indian
musician to perform in the world renowned WOMAD festival in UK to
an audience of 1.5 lakh people in 1999. She has the unique distinction
of performing for dignitaries like the Queen of England, Prime Minister
& President of India.
Music Direction- Anuradha Pal is the founder and music director
of two distinct music groups ‘Stree Shakti’ (1996) &
‘Recharge’(2006) Anuradha Pal’s ‘Stree Shakti’
is Asia’s much acclaimed only all female, percussion-based,
instrumental and vocal fusion group whereas Anuradha Pal’s
Recharge is a unique World music fusion group combining various
elements of Indian, African, Latin and Jazz music. Anuradha gave
the background score in the acclaimed M.F Husain film ‘Gaja
Gamini’ in 1999, which won tremendous acclaim in the Cannes
Film Festival.
A recipient of several important awards, Anuradha was given the
‘Sanskrutic Puraskar’,
the highest cultural award by the State of Maharashtra in 2006.
She has been appreciated by the prestigious Encyclopedia Britannica,
Asian-American/ Indo American Who’s who journal & ‘Influential
people of the world’ journal for ’her well balanced
musicianship & pioneering contribution as a trail blazer and
trend setter for societies around the world.’
Anuradha has several CDs like ‘Sheer
Magic’, ‘Nirvana’,
‘Sensational’, Stree
Shakti, ‘Anu’
& ‘Jugalbandi’
and DVDs (Learn Well series) to
her credit, released internationally.
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Landmark Performances in prestigious
International festivals
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In U.K- WOMAD (World of
music & dance festival), World premier of the Commonwealth
Games, Greenwich & Docklands International Festival,
BBC Music live festival, Bath International Music Festival,
Rhythm Sticks festival, Cardiff Jazz festival, Asian Music festival,
City of London festival amongst several tours with prominent
artists. |
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In USA- Masters of Indian
Music festival, Young Music Wizards of India, Ali Akbar Khan
festival & workshops/ lecture- demonstrations at prestigious
universities like Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins
etc. |
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She was also invited as an artist in residence by the prestigious
New England Conservatory, Boston
to teach percussion to Percussion major students in September
2006. |
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In Japan- Tokyo Music Festival,
Phoenix Music festival etc. |
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In Europe-Voices of the
world festival (Denmark), Museum Rietberg (Zurich), Sangam Indian
Music Festival ( Germany) |
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In Australia-Bellingen
Global Festival, Carnivalli Festival, Melba Conservatory of
music, Queensland Performing arts complex |
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In Hong Kong, Singapore, New Zealand
& for the CHOGM summit in Africa
amongst other concerts all over the world. |
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| Anuradha has performed in India
for major organizations like: |
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Sangeet Natak Academy (
Delhi, Kota, Imphal) |
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Sangeet Research Academy
( Bombay, Allahabad, Kolkatta) |
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Ajanta- Ellora festival, Banganga &
Elephanta Festival, Pune Ganesh festival, MTDC festival etc. |
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North/ South/ West/ East Zonal centres |
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Spirit of Unity concerts
( Delhi, Puttapurthi, Vishakapatanam) |
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Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan
( Jallundhar) |
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Sankatmochan Festival (
Varanasi) |
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Dassehra Festival ( Mysore)
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Madhya Pradesh Kala Parishad &
Bharat Bhawan ( Bhopal, Indore, Maihar, Gwalior, Ujjain
& Dewas) |
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Vishnu Digamber Music
festival (New Delhi) |
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Malleshwaram Sangeet Sabha
( Bangalore) |
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NCPA, Nehru center, Spicmacay concerts
amongst numerous other organizations. |
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| Distinctions: |
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Anuradha is the youngest and only female Indian
musician to perform at the World renowned WOMAD festival in
U.K in 1999 for a record audience of 1.5 lakhs. |
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Anuradha has been lauded by the following prestigious
journals, not only as India’s only female professional
Tabla player but for her well balanced musicianship & contribution
to music: |
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The Encyclopedia Britannica |
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Indo American Who’s who Journal |
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Limca Book of Records. |
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Asian - American Who’s who Journal. |
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Who’s who Historical society of the World. |
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Biography International. |
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Anuradha Pal-the Tabla Virtuoso, was the brand
ambassador for a film by UNICEF to spread a social message for
child education, female infanticide & women’s development
all over the world. (October 2006) |
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Represented India in the ‘Asian Performers
Summit’ in Japan where she spoke on Performers rights
amidst an august gathering of International Musicians (1998) |
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Anuradha is an approved artist on the prestigious
panel of the Indian Council of Cultural relations (ICCR) since
1990. Corporate shows as a brand ambassador/ woman of substance
for Tanishk, Levis’ Diva Quest and Mercedes Benz etc... |
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| Media Appreciation & Documentaries: |
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Anuradha was featured in the documentary titled
'Aaj ki Nari’ by the Films Division of India in 1999.
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'Adventure Divas' by USA based Public Broadcasting
Service (PBS) made a film titled featuring Anuradha Pal as one
of the great women achievers of India and the World in 2001.
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In 1999, the BBC World Service recorded her
group ‘Stree Shakti’s’ memorable concert at
the world famous WOMAD festival in Reading, UK where she had
the packed audience of 1.5 lakh begging for more! This recording
was shown by BBC T.V in 56 countries. |
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Featured Anuradha in film by Doordarshan National
Archives titled 'Woman of Substance' |
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Documentary 'All about her’ on the Times
now channel. |
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Anuradha was featured in the BBC Radio World
Service Program as one of the 'Five Prominent Women Musicians
of India' in 1991. She has been widely featured on ITV, Asia
TV (USA), BBC world service television and radio (UK), Australian
and Japanese TV- Radio channels and Indian TV channels. |
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| International Collaborations
& Versatility : |
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Anuradha is the founder- musical director of
the much acclaimed group Stree Shakti,
India's only all female percussion based instrumental and vocal
fusion group which has performed extensively in very prestigious
festivals in India & UK. |
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Anuradha has also extensively collaborated with
musicians of other cultures like the Pan African Orchestra of
Ghana in 'Africa & India in conversation', Japanese musicians,
Jazz & even Rajasthani Folk musicians, recently even creating
new groups like 'Energy' ( Indo- Jazz Fusion) and 'Kala Siddhi'
( Fusion of Carnatic, Jazz, Rajasthani & Hindustani styles
of music) |
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Anuradha composed & performed the entire
background score using only Tabla & mouth percussion in
‘ Gaja- Gamini ‘ the much acclaimed film by celebrated
painter, M. F Husain. The background score was extremely appreciated
especially in International film festivals like Cannes, Big
Bear etc. |
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Anuradha has directed music for commercial music
albums like 'Nirvana’ and ‘Stree Shakti’ which
has been highly appreciated. |
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Anuradha has good selling music albums like 'Sheer Magic’,
'Anu’- A Tabla solo', ‘Sensational’, ‘Jugalbandi’
etc featuring her as a Tabla soloist and accompanist, released
both in India and abroad. |
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