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VARANASI: The melody of classical music performed by noted classical singer and Padmabhushan awardee Girija Devi enthralled the audience during the Gulab Bari (the annual post-Holi celebrations) programme, jointly organised by Kala Prakash, Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Banaras Beads Limited in Ravindrapuri on Saturday evening.

भोपाल. The well known classical vocalist from Banaras Shri Debashish De is performing in a concert at Rabindra Bhavan Bhopal at 7 P.M.

Some lovers of classical music spend years mastering the art. Other passionate savants can identify ragas from their opening notes. And some are novice enthusiasts still struggling to grasp new musical language, waiting for someone to guide them. Music academy Sangit Mahabharati has now c ompiled that guidance into a three-volume encyclopaedia on Indian music, bringing together entries on various forms of music, their technical terms, instruments and artiste biographies. The Oxford Encyclopaedia of the Music of India is the product of more than 12 years of research and editing by 100 contributors, and covers 2,000 years of classical, folk and film music traditions through 5,500 text entries and more than 200 visuals. The Encyclopaedia will be formally released at Worli’s Nehru Centre. “Our encyclopaedia tries to answer queries of anyone who wants to know something ‘more’ on a topic within Indian music,” said Pandit Nayan Ghosh, son of tabla maestro Pandit Nikhil Ghosh, who founded Sangit Mahabharati and conceived of the Encyclopaedia in 1961 before his death in 1995.

The Chandigarh Arts and Heritage Festival 2011 will be held at Tagore Theatre and Sector 17 from March 25 to 29. On the opening day, a programme of tribal and folk dances, Indradhanush: Celebrating the Diversity of India, will be organised by the North Zone Cultural Centre at the Plaza. Nearly 300 folk artistes from different states will present a dance medley. On March 26 there will be a performance by noted sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan. On March 27 a live performance by Ustad Rashid Ali Khan, an Indian classical musician in the Hindustani music tradition, will be held.

"Silsila Suron Ka" an album produced by Perfect Octave has won the prestigious GIMA Award 2010 for "Best Classical Music Instrumental Album of the year". The album featured world's best Indian Music instrumental Jugalbandi by legendry maestros Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia & PT. Shivkumar Sharma (Shiv-Hari).

Begum Abida Parveev-Pakistani sufisinger-on her fascination with India and new album with Gulzar Icommunicate with God through my songs, at every opportunity I get. And that has been possible because of Sufism which is an intense blend of sensitivity and spirituality.

A London-based musician of Indian origin has rejected the 'Member of the British Empire' title offered by the Queen for his "services to the music industry" saying he is against such honours. "I personally don't think it's appropriate. I've never supported the honours system," said John Pandit, known as Pandit G