Lalith J. Rao
Encyclopedia
Smt. Lalith J. Rao (born 6 November 1942) is an India
n classical singer and a representative of the Agra gharana
.
was at the age of three, at a concert by the Agra Gharana
vocalist Faiyaz Khan
. She started learning music from Rama Rao Naik, who initiated her into the Agra gharana
style of singing. Rao's first public concert was at the Bangalore Sangeet Sabha at the age of 12. When she was 14, she won the All India Classical Music competition in Mumbai and became the youngest participant of the Swami Haridas Sangeet Sammelan the same year, and was well received.
Rao completed her Bachelors and Masters in Electrical Communication Engineering, the latter from the University of New Brunswick
. In 1967, she married Jayavanth Rao and moved to Delhi to work. Her husband convinced Rao to abandon her engineering career and pursue singing, and she received training from Dinkar Kaikini and later from Khadim Hussain Khan
.
, dhrupad
, dhamar
, as well as thumri
, tarana
and hori
. Under the guidance of her ustad
, Rao developed a unique style of rendering taranas.
Her first concert abroad was in 1981. She has performed in France, UK, US and Canada and is a top-grade artiste of All India Radio
. Rao regularly performs on the Radio and Television.
Rao was one of the key figures in setting up a trust "Sajan Milap" in the mid-seventies, to popularise the music of her Ustad, who used the pen name "Sajan Piya". She was the chief coordinator for the Ford Foundation Archival project at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy
from 1989-91. Few years later she herself sang for the Ethno-Musicology Department of the University of Washington in Seattle. for them to archive the music of her Agra gharana
.
Rao lost her voice on the eve of a tour of Europe in 1994 but gradually recovered with the help of a voice trainer. She lives and teaches music in Bangalore
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n classical singer and a representative of the Agra gharana
Agra gharana
Agra Gharana is a tradition of Hindustani Classical Vocal Music descended from the Nauhar Bani. So far, Nauhar Bani has been traced back to around 1300 AD, during the reign of Emperor Allauddin Khilji of Delhi....
.
Early life
Rao's introduction to Hindustani classical musicHindustani classical music
Hindustani classical music is the Hindustani or North Indian style of Indian classical music found throughout the northern Indian subcontinent. The style is sometimes called North Indian Classical Music or Shāstriya Sangeet...
was at the age of three, at a concert by the Agra Gharana
Agra gharana
Agra Gharana is a tradition of Hindustani Classical Vocal Music descended from the Nauhar Bani. So far, Nauhar Bani has been traced back to around 1300 AD, during the reign of Emperor Allauddin Khilji of Delhi....
vocalist Faiyaz Khan
Faiyaz Khan
Ustad Faiyaz Khan is so far the best known exponent of Agra Gharana in Hindustani classical music. He was the master khayal vocalist of his time. Born at Sikandara near Agra in 1886 , he was the son of Shabr Hussain, who died three months before his birth...
. She started learning music from Rama Rao Naik, who initiated her into the Agra gharana
Agra gharana
Agra Gharana is a tradition of Hindustani Classical Vocal Music descended from the Nauhar Bani. So far, Nauhar Bani has been traced back to around 1300 AD, during the reign of Emperor Allauddin Khilji of Delhi....
style of singing. Rao's first public concert was at the Bangalore Sangeet Sabha at the age of 12. When she was 14, she won the All India Classical Music competition in Mumbai and became the youngest participant of the Swami Haridas Sangeet Sammelan the same year, and was well received.
Rao completed her Bachelors and Masters in Electrical Communication Engineering, the latter from the University of New Brunswick
University of New Brunswick
The University of New Brunswick is a Canadian university located in the province of New Brunswick. UNB is the oldest English language university in Canada and among the first public universities in North America. The university has two main campuses: the original campus founded in 1785 in...
. In 1967, she married Jayavanth Rao and moved to Delhi to work. Her husband convinced Rao to abandon her engineering career and pursue singing, and she received training from Dinkar Kaikini and later from Khadim Hussain Khan
Khadim Hussain Khan
Khadim Hussain Khan was an Indian singer born in Atrauli, Uttar Pradesh, India. Initiated into music by his father Altaf Hussain Khan, he went on to learn from his grand uncle Ustad Kallan Khan. They were both court musicians of the Jaipur Kingdom....
.
Singing career
Rao went back to the Sur Singar Sansad to restart her performance career and became a professional singer after a positive reception. She is as adept at singing khyalKhyal
Khyal is the modern genre of classical singing in North India. Its name comes from an Arabic word meaning "imagination". It is thought to have developed out of the qawwali singing style. It appeared more recently than dhrupad, is a more free and flexible form, and it provides greater scope for...
, dhrupad
Dhrupad
Dhrupad is a vocal genre in Hindustani classical music, said to be the oldest still in use in that musical tradition. Its name is derived from the words "dhruva" and "pada"...
, dhamar
Dhamar (music)
A dhrupad set to the 14-beat time signature dhamar tal is called a dhamar. It is seen as a light musical form, and associated with the Holi Spring Festival of colours....
, as well as thumri
Thumri
Thumri is a common genre of semi-classical Indian music.The text is romantic or devotional in nature, and usually revolves around a girl's love for Krishna. The lyrics are usually in Uttar Pradesh dialects of Hindi called Poorbi and Brij Bhasha...
, tarana
Tarana
Tarana is a type of composition in Hindustani classical vocal music in which certain words and syllables based on Persian and Arabic phenomes are used in a medium-paced or fast rendition...
and hori
Hori
Hori may refer to:HoriThe son of Khaemweset. Hori became a scribe and High Priest in Ancient Egyptian Times. He is the grandson of Ramsees II.-General:*Hori , a Japanese manufacturer of video game peripherals...
. Under the guidance of her ustad
Ustad
Ustad is an Arabized Persian word is a honorific title for a Muslim man in South Asia. The title precedes the name and is usually used for well regarded teachers and artists, most often musicians. It is applied and used via informal social agreement. It is abbreviated as ut. or ud.-References:*...
, Rao developed a unique style of rendering taranas.
Her first concert abroad was in 1981. She has performed in France, UK, US and Canada and is a top-grade artiste of All India Radio
All India Radio
All India Radio , officially known since 1956 as Akashvani , is the radio broadcaster of India and a division of Prasar Bharati. Established in 1936, it is the sister service of Prasar Bharati's Doordarshan, the national television broadcaster. All India Radio is one of the largest radio networks...
. Rao regularly performs on the Radio and Television.
Rao was one of the key figures in setting up a trust "Sajan Milap" in the mid-seventies, to popularise the music of her Ustad, who used the pen name "Sajan Piya". She was the chief coordinator for the Ford Foundation Archival project at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy
ITC Sangeet Research Academy
ITC Sangeet Research Academy is a Hindustani classical music academy run by the corporate house, ITC Ltd.. It is located in Kolkata, India. Noted musicians associated with the academy include Ulhas Kashalkar...
from 1989-91. Few years later she herself sang for the Ethno-Musicology Department of the University of Washington in Seattle. for them to archive the music of her Agra gharana
Agra gharana
Agra Gharana is a tradition of Hindustani Classical Vocal Music descended from the Nauhar Bani. So far, Nauhar Bani has been traced back to around 1300 AD, during the reign of Emperor Allauddin Khilji of Delhi....
.
Rao lost her voice on the eve of a tour of Europe in 1994 but gradually recovered with the help of a voice trainer. She lives and teaches music in Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
.
Partial discography
- Bihag; Kedar; Thumri(1986) HMV PSLP 1373
- Beyond Reach: Ragas Durga & Pilu (2003)
- Raga Darbari Kanhada, Raga Desh (2006)
External links
- Gangubai Hanagal presenting ‘Puttaraj Samman’ to vocalist Lalith J. Rao in Hubli. http://www.hindu.com/2009/03/04/stories/2009030453610300.htm
- 2003 Interview http://lalith_jrao.mondomix.com/fr/itw1946.htm