"The Flute is the symbol of the spiritual call- The Call of Divine Love". An internationally renowned classicist, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia is the world-class flautist from India. He has been credited with popularizing Indian Classical music in India and abroad through various experiments and innovations he made with the traditional music. A rare combination of an innovator and traditionalist crafts Pt. Chaurasia as an artist of his own rank. He has expanded the expressive possibilities of the bansuri through his masterful blowing technique. Hariprasad Chaurasia is one of the busiest North Indian classical musicians, regularly traveling and performing throughout the world.
Pandit Hariprsad Chaurasia was born on 1st July 1938 into a non-musical family, as his father was a wrestler. At the age of four his mother died. His father had aspirations of his son following in his footsteps. He was drawn to the sound of the flute even as a small child. Hariprasad therefore had to learn music almost in secret although he did go to "Akhada" with his father. He has credited this wrestling training for giving him the immense stamina and lung power that are the hallmarks of his flute playing, stating that, "I was not any good at wrestling. I went there only to please my father. But maybe because of the strength and stamina I built up then, I`m able to play the bansuri even to this day".
He began learning classical vocal music from his neighbour Pandit Rajaram at the age of 15. After hearing Pandit Bholanath, a noted flautist from Varanasi on Radio he switched to flute playing within a year. He tutored under Pandit Bholanath for eight years and in 1957, moved to Orissa where he became a staff artiste working as a performer and composer for All India Radio in Cuttack, Orissa. While working for All India Radio he met his wife of 39 years, Anuradha an established singer, there.
Later he was transferred to All India Radio, Mumbai. During his time in All India Radio, Mumbai he received guidance from the reclusive Smt. Annapurna Devi. She is the daughter of late Ustad Allauddin Khan and sister of famous Sarod player Ali Akbar Khan. He left All India Radio to pursue a career as a flautist and from then on there has been no looking back for him. There he established the creative peak of his career, developing a style that was respectful of tradition, yet full of innovation.
He has performed with greats like Yehudi Menuhin, John McLaughlin and Jean Pierre Rampal and as a part of his experimentation; he has tried pop, jazz, rock, and western classical fusions with the traditional Indian music. Pandit Chaurasia travels around the world giving concerts residing in Holland for almost half a year and making it a point to be at home in Mumbai, India for his 24-hour recital on the `Janmashtami` day (Lord Krishna`s birthday). Over a lifetime of performances, Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia has become one of India`s most-respected classical musicians.
Apart from classical music, he has made a mark as a Hindi language film music director. Along with Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, he formed a group called `Shiv-Hari`. He has also collaborated with various world musicians in experimental cross-cultural performances, including the fusion group Shakti.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to music in 1984, he received the National Award of the Sangeet Natak Academy. In 1990, he was awarded the `Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar`, in 1992, the coveted `Padma Bhushan` and the `Konarak Samman` by the Orissa state government. In 1994, he was bestowed the `Yash Bharati Sanman` by Uttar Paradesh government. This immensely popular humble artiste also gives training to several dedicated students many of whom are beginning to make their mark on the concert stage. At the Rotterdam Music Conservatory in the Netherlands, he serves as the Artistic Director of the World Music Department.
