Pandit ShivKumar Sharma - Sound of the Kashmiri Santoor

Pandit ShivKumar Sharma - Rare Archival Recording.
A recording from His youth, in the early period of modifying the instrument and style of play.

Second channel with ShivJi music on Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/user47924989/videos

My channel with my santoor music:
   / @michaelmarg  

Contact: [email protected]


Pandit Shivkumar Sharma - He was born in Jammu in India on January 13, 1938 and died on May 10, 2022. He was an Indian musician playing on santoor "shata tantri veena" which means from Sanskrit "100 stringed instrument". His Guru and father Uma Dutt Sharma, taught him singing and playing the tabla from an early age, then he gave him the santoor instrument. Santoor was not a folk instrument, music was played on it to sufi and mystical songs mainly in Kashmir. Pandit ShivKumar Sharma was a precursor and representative of a new style of this instrument, which he completely modified, improved its sound, increased the tonal range, made the sound "slip" technique, used "chikari" to set the rhythm, worked on the shape, material, hammers (kalams) changed the number of strings, He introduced many of his other concepts to be played on a classical music platform.
He developed his own system of playing the instrument, established a new position (the instrument on the lap), e.g. for better resonance. All his talent and genius contributed to the creation and improvement of the instrument to perfection, He also externalized the talent in a subtle and extraordinary way of playing, masterful and unsurpassed by anyone. No one has achieved such a degree of artistry and aesthetics, such dignity and such a transcendental mesmerizing melody. His son and apprentice Rahul Sharma became the successor of Master ShivKumar Sharma who continues His playing methods and goes his own way in this field. There are many of His students in the world, we owe the music on the santoor to Him, it is ShivKumar Sharma is the legislator, source, the main and chief person, who showed us what this instrument is and how to play it, showed us what it means to be true art and devotion to developing talent . The amazing thing is that no one can master this instrument like Him. Without ShivKumar Sharma, the music as we know it on the santoor or an instrument of that style would not exist. He was an absolute genius of music, a composer, a thinker, a sage and a very wise and gentle man. He talked about the creative power that is inside and through Him a melody is formed when He focuses. He did not admit that it was He who created it, but that force/vibration/inner sound/Anahad Nad, that created the whole world. You cannot train such musicians, they are born once in many millennia. We will always remember as a disciple, this channel is for worship and homage to our Master and Guru - Pandit ShivKumar Sharma Ji, who gave us very poetic and heavenly music. It was He who started the fame of santoor, it was He who promoted this instrument all over the world, not only in Kashmir. His name is synonymous with this instrument. His death is a great tragedy, a loss, He was and is an authority for us disciples in every area of life.