Sulochana Brahaspati has been regarded as one of the leading Indian Classical Hindustani music vocalist who admits her lineage from the traditional Rampur Gharana. This eminent musical persona with her highly esteemed musical, as well as academic background has however fetched a distinguished place for herself in the realm of Indian music. Sulochana Brahaspati through her performances has always magnetized her audiences. For that she has received acclamation and rare reviews throughout the world. The exhibition of the Alap and Dhruva padang by Sulochana Brahaspati highlights her engrossment into the basic musical style of her gharana. Her engrossment can be defined as, `the strong fabric on which to weave the intricate patterns of her variegated musical imagination`.
Early Life of Sulochana Brahaspati
Sulochana Brahaspati was born in the year 1937 in Allahabad. She has done her master`s degree in English from Allahabad University. Her noteworthy research in music has been resulted into hundreds of new compositions. Sulochana Brahaspati stands out distinctively from her `repertoire of Ragas`. Through the execution of Dhruvapad, Khayal, Thumri, Dadra and Tappa, her devotion towards the art form reflects.
Career of Sulochana Brahaspati
Sulochana Brahaspati was inducted to the realm of Indian classical Music with the Pt Bholanath Bhatt of Allahabad and Ustad Mushtaq Hussein Khan of Rampur. They have founded the base of this artist. Later on she was trained under her legendary husband late Dr Acharya K C D Brahaspati. Sulochana Brahaspati reposes on to Acharya Brahaspati all her in-depth knowledge of the theoretical and practical facets of Raaga, Tala and Swara.
Like other maestros of Indian classical Hindustani musician, Sulochana Brahaspati has also performed at many exceedingly esteemed occasions. She has also performed at all the Indian music conferences. She has performed abroad in the countries like, Russia, Hungary, Mongolia, Nepal, West Germany, U K, France, Holland, Italy, Czech Republic and other European countries. As recognition to her astonishing expertise, All India Radio absorbed her as the top Grade Artist in the year 1971. Over five decades, Sulochana Brahaspati has been giving recitation on a regular basis on Radio and Television in its National Programmes of Music as well as other significant programmes too.
Sulochana Brahaspati for the couple of few years has been attached with a musical confrontation. She has attempted to create a coalition between the East and the West. For that reason she has made an alliance with the noted French group, Ensemble Gradiva and journeyed throughout the country and Europe.
Awards and recognitions of Sulochana Brahaspati
This only one female maestro of Rampur Gharana as recognition to her extraordinary skilfulness has been conferred many accolades throughout her professional career. In the year 1955, at the first All India Radio Music Competition, Sulochana Brahaspati stood first in the vocal music category and she was conferred the President`s Gold Medal Award. In the year 1958, she was awarded with the Murphy Metro Award as she fetched a distinction in music from Uttar Pradesh. The award ceremony was held at Mumbai.
"Khusro, Tansen Tatha Anya Kalakar" is the book written by Sulochana Brahaspati. The Authors` Guild of India and Federation of Indian Publishers in the World Book Fair 1977 honoured the book as the best one of 1977. The Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academy for the year of 1984 felicitated honour to this legendary musician. In the year 1994, she has been conferred the `Sangeet Natak Academy Award`. In the year 2006, the Madhya Pradesh Government conferred her `Tansen Award`. In the very same year Maharana Mewar Foundation awarded her with the `Dagar Gharana Award`. She has written another book namely, "Raga-Rahasya", completely based on her research work dealing with the `formulation and secrets of Ragas`.
