Pt. Ashok Pathak

Sitar and Surbahar maestro Pandit Ashok Pathak occupies a special place in the North Indian Classical Music.
Born and brought up in Kolkatta (Calcutta) as the eldest son of the late legendary Sitar and Surbahar player Pandit Balaram Pathak, he is a part of a musical heritage that dates back to the legendary dhrupadist, Gopal Nayak of the 12th century.

Ashok Pathak expressed a rare talent for music from early childhood. He started his musical training at the young age of five under guidance of his cousin brother Pt. Damodar Pathak, who himself was a disciple of Pt. Ram Govind Pathak.
From age six onwards, until he was thirty, he followed intensive study in the 'Guru-Sisya Parampara'* tradition under the excellent guidance of his renowned father Pt. Balaram Pathak.

* - A highly valued traditional 'master-disciple' learning-system that has remained almost unchanged from the 12th century until today. -

Ashok Pathak gave his first concert in Calcutta during the Music Festival in 1964 at the young age of fifteen. After that he continued his concerts with his father all over India.
He mastered the Sitar and further developed the style of his father, -characterized by a long 'alap', perfect mastery of 'meend' technique and great virtuosity in 'Gamak tan', 'Jor' and 'Jhala'
In 1978 he received a Masters Degree from the Allahabad Music University.
In 1979 the Indian council for cultural relation (ICCR) posted him as a Visiting Music Professor in South America where he conducting classes and gave performances until 1982. He was selected as the director of Gandharva Ved University of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in 1991.

Besides a gifted Sitar player, Ashok Pathak is also a master on the Surbahar. This double base sitar includes three extra strings for the lower octaves and is used in the Dhrupad style.

Ashok Pathak has been awarded several honors, such as the 'Surmani' or 'Gem of Melody' and the golden award with the Academic Pandit title of the prestigious Prayag Sangeet Samiti given by Maha Devi Verma the great poet of India. In 1991 he received the 'International Man of the Year' award from Cambridge in recognition for his services to music. The President of India Mr. Shankar Dayal Sharma awarded him for his cultural work outside India.

Although being an exponent of classical music and the focal point and torch bearer of the Pathak Gharana, Ashok Pathak comes to amazing new interpretation of the music. Such as the careful and well deliberated use of cords, jingling tarabs and flagellating sounds.
In his performance he presents traditional compositions of his father/grandfather like 'Gat kari' and 'Bandish' and creates his own compositions like the raga Gyankali and 'Kushum Kedara'. Pandit Ashok Pathak finishes his recitals with 'thumri, Dadra and 'dhuns' in folk style.
In a Surbahar recital Ashok Pathak plays together with a Pakhawaj player, a style that is rarely found, but highly appreciated by the audience.

Pandit Ashok Pathak regularly performs at different venues in Europe and India. He participated in World-Music concerts and festivals such as 'Mundial Festival' in Tilburg/Holland and 'Sfinks' festival in Boechout/Belgium.
He attends seminars at conventions and is frequently invited as a guest artist on radio and television.

Apart from performing pure Indian classical music he has worked in numerous different musical combinations like Jazz and Baroc music, which have been highly appreciated. People still remember his brilliant sitar playing in the symphony orchestra 'Artesia' by the Belgian composer Dirk Brossé.
He was invited as solo artist in theatres like Theatre de la Ville in Paris, Tropentheater in Amsterdam and Vredenburg Theater in Utrecht where he played on the occasion of the 25th silver jubilee of the Dutch radio station 'VPRO'.
He performed for the Royal family and political leaders of Belgium and performed, in a benefit concert for the Tsunami victims, in the Cathedral Sint Michelle in Belgium.