Sumitra GuhaSumitra Guha brings to music a rare stream of singing that make her listeners aspire for a better quality of life. Her concerts are counted as ‘experiences’ that bear the stamp of exclusive
musical devotion.
Her first tutor was her mother, who imbued music with a spiritual fervor. At the age of 11, she began her formal education in Carnatic Music under the acclaimed S. R. Janakiraman (Sangeetha Vidwan). After completing her pre-university course, Sumitraji went to Viswa Bharati University in Shantiniketan to do her graduation in Philosophy. It is here that she found herself getting drawn to Hindustani music.
In 1964, Sumitraji started learning Hindustani Classical music under none other than Pt. A. Kanan and Vidushi Malobika Kanan. She is basically from Kirana Gharana. She assimilated both their styles in her music, and later received instruction from Pt.Sushil Kumar Bose, the accomplished disciple of Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan. She thus became the first Andhra woman musician to sing Hindustani Classical.
She sings Annamacharya kirtanas and Maharaja Swathi Thirunal compositions in Hindustani
Style and Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanam has recorded her Annamayya Sankirtanas in 1986.
TRAINING/ TEACHING
• She has founded the Sumadhur Hansadhwani School of Music where music is imparted in the Guru Shishya Parampara style. Some of her students are now graded musicians with the All India Radio.
• She has guided many Ph.D students
• Undertaken new project Gondwana Dawn as a part of which she is imparting free classical vocal training to children of the less privileged sections of the society
RECORDINGS
• Recorded for the archives of Sangeet Natak Academy and the National Channels of AIR and
Television.
• Have cassettes in India distributed by the Atlantis Co. and HMV.
• CDs for the Indian Archives in New York,
• Eye Foundation of North America,
• The MMY Movement Music Foundation
• India for the Master’s Music Co., G M Records, Bihaan Music Co. and so on in India.
GONDWANA DAWN
• A fusion of Indian classical Music and African Gospel Music which has been released by ARC Music worldwide. She has recently collaborated with Rupam Sarmah and other eminent and Grammy Award winners for the Album “OMKARA” – THE SOUND OF DIVINE LOVE which
had also been nominated for this year’s Hollywood Music in Media Awards.
• Recorded an album with Robin Hogarth, a double Grammy Award winner
• Joint concerts with Robin Hogarth in the major cities of US in the year 2013
MUSICAL JOURNEY TOWARDS RISING INDIA
• Our current project, an innovative concept on “Musical Journey towards Rising India” – a journey of rich Indian history and pride to achieving of new India. The project is conceptualized by Sumitra Guha, Padmashri awardee and internationally acclaimed Indian classical musician and Rupam Sarmah, an award-winning music producer and composer.
Perhaps, Sumitraji’s musical talent, divinity and blessing can be summed up with one quote from one of her concert reviews in a leading Indian daily: “Not only human hearts, but stones could also melt”.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES – INDIA
Performance
• Several Radio Sangeet Sammelans
• Several National programmes of Music on Radio and TV
• Indraprastha Sangeet Samaroh – New Delhi
• Kumar Gandharva Bhakti SangeetSamaroh – Delhi
• Harballav Music Festival – Jallandhar
• Saptak – Ahmedabad
• Golden Jubilee Festival of Sangeet Natak Akademi – Hyderabad
• Concert at the feet of Bhagwan Sri SathyaSai Baba – Puttaparthy
• Spirit of Unity Concerts – Srikakulam
• Maharana Kumbh Festival – Udaipur
• Champaran Music Festival
• Tansen Samaroh – Gwalior
• Maghotsav – Siddhivinayak Temple – Mumbai
• Times Music Festival – Kolkata
• Navratri Festival – Mysore
• Delhi International Arts Festival
• West Bengal State Music Academy Festival
• Ganga Mahotsav, 2010 – Varanasi
• All Bengal Music Conference – Kolkata
• Konark Dance & Music Festival – Bhuvaneshwar
• Dr. Vasantrao Deshpande Smruti Sangeet Samaroha – Nagpur
• Pawas Prasang – Raipur
• Kalabharati, Visakha Music and Dance Academy – Vishakhapatnam
• Rasavikalpam, Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi – Kerala
• Soorya Festival – Kerala
• 43rdPracheen Kala Kendra Nritya & Sangeet Sammelan – Chandigarh
• 25th Ugadi Celebrations by Delhi Telugu Academy – Delhi
• Swati Smriti – 2013 – Delhi
• SreeKoodalmanickyam Temple Festival – Kerala
• JT PAC, – Kochi
• The Palghat Fine Arts Society, – Kerala
• BEAME, – Kerala
• ITPO, – New Delhi
• Udayan, – Mumbai
• Naadaneeraajanam, Tirumala, – Tirupati
• Monsoon Festival, Navaneetham Cultural Trust, – Kerala
• Sri Swami HaridasSangeetSamaroh, – Vrindavan
• Sri Mookambika Temple, – Kollur
• SangeethaBharati Trust, – Kundapur
• Nadashree Kala Kendra, – Kumda
• Sri RajarajeshwariSangeethaVidyalaya, – Gokak
• RaagaVaibhava, – Mysore
• SawaiGandharvaBhimsenMahotsava, – Pune
• BalgandharvSangeetMahotsav, – Jalgaon
• Kalatrayee, – Patna
• Bhakti SangeetUtsav, – Delhi
• Sargam, – Delhi
• MalharUtsav, – University of Delhi
• Samanwayam, Swaralaya Dance & Music Festival, – Kerala
• Bodh Gaya Mahotsav, – Bihar
• SWAR PRABHAT, SangeetNatakAkademi – Delhi
• Kumbhamela, – Simhastha, Ujjain
• Sangeetostavby Khayal Trust, – Pune
• Diwali Puja Celebration by Sahaja Yogis
• 3rd edition of International Bhakti Festival by ICCR
• Panchakshar Sangeet Samaroh, – Bhopal
• Panchakshar Sangeet Samaroh by Veereshwar Punyaashram, – Bhopal
• Guru Pranam, Omkar 2017 – Kolkata
• Sangeet Samrat Alladiyakhan Music Festival 2017 – Mumbai
• Santvani Samaroh, Bharat Bhavan, 2017 – Bhopal
• India International Shravan Festival by Taag & Talim, 2017 – Delhi
• Delhi – Gwalior Sangeet Utsav by Tarana Arts & Music, 2017 – Gwalior
• Raja Mansingh Tomar Music & Art University, 2018 – Gwalior
• Surdas Sangeet Mahotsav, Sanskar Bharti, 2018 – Faridabad
• Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (JIIT), 2018 – Noida
• SaMaPa Sangeet Sammelan 2018 – Delhi
• International Geeta Mahotsav, 2018 – Kurukshetra
• Kumbh Mela Concert, 2019 – Prayagraj
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES – ABROAD
• MuséeGuimet in September 2006 – Paris, France
• Glasgow Royal Concert Hall – UK
• Kennedy Center in May 2007 – Washington DC
• Kabir Cultural Society in June 2009 – Montreal
• Harbourfront International Music Festival in August 2010 – Sirius Stage, Toronto,
• In prestigious universities (covering South-East Missouri State University, MIT (Boston), Brown & Wales University,
Sackler Music Hall at the Harvard University, University of Massachusetts, to name a few.
• At various Temples, Churches, Synagogues, etc.
• At large world festivals – IL SACRO ATTRAVERSO L’ORDINARIO at Turin, September
2006, World Music Festival at Istanbul – Turin, Istanbul
• MERU Concerts in July 2016 – Switzerland & Netherlands
• Concerts & Workshops – Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, July –Aug-16 – London
• Festival Of India in 2018, France – Paris, Marseillaise & Nantes
• The Great India Festival, 2018 – Ottawa, Canada
Apart from the sheer number of performances abroad covering countries in North America Europe, West Asia, South-east Asia, Mauritius, Algeria and Egypt, Sumitraji has demonstrated a unique capability to touch the human heart. She has also done Fusion Concerts and recording with western musicians.
• Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, Tirupati, 1972 – Gold Medal
• All India Vaggeykar Utsavams, Bhadrachalam – Gold Medal
• Dishari by the West Bengal Journalists Association, 1991 – The Best Vocalist of the Year
• All India Radio, 1995 – Top Grade Artist
• Sangeet Kala Kendra, Agra, at the Vishnu Digambar Samaroh,01-10-1997 – Sangeet Kala Ratna
• The Asian Academy of Television and Acting – Contribution to Indian Music
• The Sangam Kala Group National Music Awards 2006 sponsored by Hero Honda – The Best Music Teacher
• Pt. Gama Maharaj Smriti Samman, 2006 –
• Vishwa Jagriti Mission, 2007 – RashtraBhushanSamman
• Promotion of Fine Arts by the Delhi Telugu Academy, 2008 – DTA Excellence Award
• Face Award 2009
• PADMA SHRI, 2010
• Telugu Employers’ Welfare Association (Delhi),2010 – Mahandhra Excellence Award for Contribution to Music
• Sangeetanjali, Mumbai, 2010 – Naadbrahm Shiromani
• Gandhi Hindustani SahityaSabha – Sangeet Vibhuti Samman
• SangeetSree Award, Art & Cultural Trust of India
• ICCR – Outstanding Artist
• Kalasudha Telugu Association,Chennai, 2012 – SangitaSudha Saraswathi Award
• Sri Swami Haridas, Vrindavan – Sangeet Kalaratna
• Manas Sangeet Sabha, Bhopal – Manas Samman
• Ustad Ashique Ali Khan Trust – Sangeet Bhushan Award
• Indo-American Society, Mumbai,2018 – Excellence Award for Contribution to Indian Classical Music
