Prabha Atre

Prabha Atre
Born 13 September 1932
Years active 1950 - present
Website
http://www.prabhaatre.com

Prabha Atre (born 13 September 1932) is an Indian classical vocalist, and the seniormost living artiste of the Kirana gharana.

Early life and background

Prabha was born to Abasaheb and Indirabai Atre in Pune. As children, Prabha and her sister, Usha, were interested in music, but neither of them planned to pursue music as a career. When Prabha was eight, Indirabai was not keeping good health, and at a friend's suggestion that classical music lessons would help her feel better, she took a few lessons. Listening to those lessons inspired Prabha to learn classical music.

Her music training was in the Guru-shishya tradition. She learnt classical music initially from Vijay Karandikar. She then learnt from Sureshbabu Mane and Hirabai Badodekar from the Kirana school for advanced training. She acknowledges the influence of two other greats, Amir Khan and Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, on her gayaki.

While studying music, Prabha finished college courses in science and law to receive degrees in both of those disciplines. She later also earned a Ph.D. in music. Her doctoral thesis was titled Sargam, and pertained to the use of sol-fa notes in Indian classical music.

Academic and Musical qualifications

Career

Prabha Atre had a short stint as a singing stage-actress in the early days of her career. She played her roles in a line-up of Marathi theatre classics, which included socials and mythologicals like Sanshay-Kallol, Maanaapamaan, Saubhadra and Vidyaharan.

Prabha Atre is currently one of the senior vocalists in the country representing the Kirana Gharana. Her first LP, with Maru Bihag and Kalavati, clearly demonstrates the influence of Amir Khan. She has contributed to popularizing Indian classical vocal music at global level. She is competent in various musical genres such as Khayal, Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal, geet, Natyasangeet, and bhajans. She has been giving private lessons to students since 1969.

Discography

  1. Maru Bihag, Kalavati, Khamaj thumri
  2. Niranjani - Puriya Kalyan, Shankara, Basant
  3. Anant Prabha - Lalit, Bhinna Shadja, Bhairavi thumri
  4. Bageshree, Khamaj thumri
  5. Jogkauns, Todi, thumri
  6. Malkauns, dadra
  7. Chandrakauns
  8. Madhukauns
  9. Madhuvanti, Desi
  10. Yaman, Bhairav
  11. Shyam Kalyan, Bihag, Rageshree thumri
  12. Unique experience with Dr. Prabha Atre - ghazal and bhajan recordings from live concerts from the 1970s.

Publications

Prabha Atre has authored books on the various aspects of music that are especially relevant to the present day performance. Her Doctoral thesis on 'Sargam' or the use of sol-fa names as musical material, which is perhaps a pioneering work on the subject, bears testimony to this. Her first book `Swaramayee' which is a compilation of many of her articles on music and won the Maharashtra State Govt. Award in 1989 is a classic example of her analytical approach and original thinking. Her second book `Swaralee' published in 1992 also received great accolades. Madhya Pradesh Govt. Hindi Granth Academy has published Hindi translation of `Swaramayee' and 'Swaralee' with a view to take these books to Hindi knowing music lovers. Her books 'Swaranginee' and 'Swaranjanee' carries more than 400 popular compositions in classical and light classical music. A book in English 'Enlightening the Listener - Contemporary North Indian Classical Vocal Music Performance' (accompanied with a CD) has achieved its objective in helping the global music lovers to understand and appreciate the Indian art music. A book in English about music and musicians 'Along the Path of Music' is also released. A book of poems in Marathi `Antahswar' by Dr. Atre brings out a different aspect of her creative personality. 4th edition of Swarmayee and 3rd edition of Suswaralee (swaralee) is Published in 2011.

Composer

Music-related activities

Awards

In 1976, Prabha received the Acharya Atre Award for music. Jagatguru Shankaracharya conferred the title "Gaan-Prabha" on her. The Government of India conferred on her "Padma Shree" in 1990 and "Padma Bhushan" in 2002.The first four months of 2002 was very special for her, she received four awards, including the Padma Bhushan. She received a Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1991 as an appreciation for her outstanding role in enriching, preserving and popularizing the Indian art, music. The other prominent awards on her credit are Giants International Award, Rashtriya Kalidas samman, Tagore Akademi Ratna Award announced from the Sangeet Natak Akademi in 2011, Dinanath Mangeshkar award, Hafiz Ali Khan Award, Felicitation by Global Action Club International, Govind-Lakshmi award, Godavari Gaurav Puraskar, Dagar Gharana Award, Acharya Pandit Ram Narayan Foundation Award Mumbai, Ustad Faiyyaz Ahmed Khan Memorial Award (Kirana Gharana), 'Kala-Shree 2002', `P.L. Deshpande Bahuroopi Sanman’, Sangeet Sadhana Ratna Award, 'Lifetime achievement’ award by the Pune University, Mahim Ratna Award by Shivsena Mumbai, Felicitation by the Mayor of Mumbai, Name included in national and international biographical works.

State government Award to her book Swarmayee.

From the year 2011 "Swarayoginee Dr. Prabha Atre Rashtriya Shaastreeya Sangeet Puraskar" instituted by Tatyasaheb Natu Trust and Gaanvardhan Pune.

References

    External links