Shivkumar Sharma | |
|---|---|
 Sharma in 2016 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1938-01-13)13 January 1938 |
| Died | 10 May 2022(2022-05-10) (aged 84)[1] Mumbai,Maharashtra, India |
| Genres | Hindustani classical music |
| Occupations |
|
| Instruments | |
| Years active | 1955–2022 |
| Website | santoor |
Shivkumar Sharma (13 January 1938 – 10 May 2022) was an Indian classical musician andsantoor player who is credited with adapting the santoor forIndian classical music.[2][3][4] As a music composer, he collaborated with IndianflautistHariprasad Chaurasia under the collaborative nameShiv–Hari and composed music for such hit Indian films asFaasle (1985),Chandni (1989), andLamhe (1991).
Sharma was awarded theSangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986 and thePadma Shri andPadma Vibhushan (India's fourth and second highest civilian awards) in 1991 and 2001.
Sharma was born to aDogra[5] family of theBrahmin caste,[6] on 13 January 1938, inJammu, in theprincely state ofJammu and Kashmir inBritish India (now inJammu and Kashmir, India).[7]
Shivkumar's grandfather was theRajpurohit (chief priest) of the royal temple ofPratap Singh, the king of theprincely state ofJammu and Kashmir.[6] His father Umadutt Sharma was a vocalist and atabla player.[8][9][10] His father started teaching him vocals andtabla, when he was just five.[9] His father saw an opportunity to introduce him to thesantoor, ahammered dulcimer, which was a folk instrument ofKashmir, and as per Sharma was known asShatatantri Veena (transl. 100-wired instrument) in theVedic period.[11]
Sharma spent his early years inSrinagar and saw the styles that integratedSufi notes with traditional Kashmiri folk music and had his son play the instrument that was then new toIndian classical music.[7] Sharma started learningsantoor at the age of thirteen[9][1] and gave his first public performance inMumbai in 1955.[12] The one-hour-long rendition of Raga Yaman at his first live performance in 1955, left his audience in Mumbai shouting ‘Encore!’[13]
Starting his career playing the santoor with his father, Sharma is credited with introducing thesantoor as a popular Indian classical music instrument.[4][14] He recorded his firstsolo album in 1960.[1] Sharma took the santoor as an Indian classical musical instrument playing at various music venues. He collaborated with Indian tabla playerZakir Hussain and withflautistHariprasad Chaurasia on many of his performances as well as on his albums.[7] In 1967, he teamed up with Chaurasia and guitaristBrij Bhushan Kabra to produce aconcept album,Call of the Valley (1967), which turned out to be one of Indian classical music's greatest hits.[1][14]
Sharma composed the background music for one of the scenes inV. Shantaram's filmJhanak Jhanak Payal Baje (1955) whereGopi Krishna performed aKathak dance piece.[15] Further, he composed music for many Hindi films in collaboration with Chaurasia,[16] starting withSilsila (1981).[15] They came to be known as theShiv–Hari music duo.[15] Some of the movies they composed music for were musical hits, such asFaasle (1985),Chandni (1989),Lamhe (1991), andDarr (1993).[17] Sharma also played tabla including in the popular song "Mo Se Chhal Kiye Jaaye" sung byLata Mangeshkar in the 1965 filmGuide, on the insistence of music directorS. D. Burman.[18] However, Sharma's focus remained on classic music rather than film songs; he said, "Classical music is not for entertainment. It is to take you on a meditative journey,ye toh mehsoos karne ki cheez hai (This has to be experienced)."[1] Sharma’s 1968 concert in Los Angeles was his first performance abroad. He followed this with a tour of England in 1970. In 1996, Sharma and his son Rahul played the santoor on a stage in Norway, as 'equals' for the first time.[19]
Sharma was awarded theSangeet Natak Akadeemi Award in 1986, thePadma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award in 1991, and thePadma Bhushan, India's third highest civilian award in 2001.[7]
Sharma married Manorama[8][20] and had two sons, Rohit, who learned Sitar and is currently an executive with Sony India[9] andRahul, who started learning at the age of 13 to become asantoor player,[21][22] and they performed together since 1996.[23][24] In a 1999 interview, Sharma stated that he chose Rahul as hisshishya, because he thought he had the "gift of God".[9] He became a staunch devotee and follower ofSathya Sai Baba after starting off as a sceptic.[25]
Sharma died on 10 May 2022 from a cardiac arrest. He was 84 years old. He had kidney failure for the last few months and went through regular dialysis.[26][27] He received a state funeral atPawan Hans Juhu aerodrome, Mumbai, on 11 May 2022.[1]
Source:[28]
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | Santoor & Guitar | withBrij Bhushan Kabra |
| 1967 | Shivkumar Sharma | (re-released 2005 as "First LP Record of Pandit Shivkumar Sharma" |
| 1967 | Call of the Valley | with Brij Bhushan Kabra andHariprasad Chaurasia |
| 1982 | When Time Stood Still! | withZakir Hussain (Live in Bombay) |
| 1987 | Rag Madhuvanti & Rag Misra Tilang | with Zakir Hussain |
| 1988 | Hypnotic Santoor | |
| 1991 | Maestro's Choice, Series One | |
| A Sublime Trance | ||
| The Glory of Strings | ||
| Raga Purya Kalyan | with Zakir Hussain | |
| 1993 | Rag Rageshri | with Zakir Hussain |
| Raga Bhopali vol I | ||
| Raga Kedari vol II | ||
| Varshā – A Homage to the Rain Gods | ||
| 1994 | Sound Scapes, Music of the Mountains | |
| Hundred Strings of Santoor | ||
| The Pioneer of Santoor | ||
| Raag Bilaskhani Todi | ||
| A Morning Raga Gurjari Todi | ||
| Feelings | ||
| 1996 | The Valley Recalls - In Search of Peace, Love & Harmony | with Hariprasad Chaurasia |
| The Valley Recalls - Raga Bhoopali | with Hariprasad Chaurasia | |
| Yugal Bandi | with Hariprasad Chaurasia | |
| 1999 | Maestro's Choice, Series Two | |
| Sampradaya | ||
| Rasdhara | with Hariprasad Chaurasia | |
| 2001 | Saturday Night in Bombay –Remember Shakti (Universal Records), ComposedShringar | withJohn McLaughlin,Zakir Hussain and many others musicians |
| 2002 | Ananda Bliss | with Zakir Hussain |
| The Flow of Time | with Zakir Hussain | |
| Sangeet Sartaj | ||
| 2003 | Vibrant Music for Reiki | |
| 2004 | Sympatico (Charukeshi – Santoor) | |
| 2004 | The Inner Path (Kirvani – Santoor | |
| 2007 | Essential Evening Chants | with Hariprasad Chaurasia |
Source[29]
| Year | Title | Network |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | The Rough Guide to the Music of India and Pakistan | World Music Network |
Sharma was the recipient of national and international awards, including an honorary citizenship of the city ofBaltimore, USA, in 1985,[30] theSangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1986,[31] thePadma Shri in 1991, and thePadma Vibhushan in 2001.[32]
Some of his other awards included:[33]
Shivji's grandfather was the raj purohit or chief priest at the royal temple of Raja Pratap Singh, the maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir. His father Umadutt Sharma decided to pursue music despite resistance from his family and his social milieu. Music was not seen as a respectable profession for Brahmin men to pursue at the time.
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