Santoor: The Rich Tradition by Pandit Shivkumar Sharma

[Written by Harshad Parashare on the occasion of the upcoming concert series planned by Para Share Entertainments as a tribute to Pandit Shivkumar Sharma. Performed by his son, Rahul Sharma on Santoor, and Ojas Adhiya on Tabla]

“All the art forms aspire to be music”, a legendary playwright Prof Mahesh Elkunchwar said in his speech while responding to the most prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in India. Simply put, the purity & grace of the musical notes is unmatched. And that’s how even the people who don’t understand the technical nuances of music, can still appreciate the purest form of emotions just by the sound of the notes. Allowing yourself to get lost in the world of music can be liberating.

Music has the power to soothe, inspire, and heal, making it an important tool for promoting mental health and enhancing the quality of life for all. Research shows that music can positively impact the mental health of humans. Mental health conditions can cause difficulties in all aspects of life, including relationships with family, friends and community. They can result from or lead to problems at school and at work. In 2019, 970 million people globally were living with a mental disorder, with anxiety and depression the most common. – WHO, 2019. Several studies have demonstrated that listening to music can be an effective tool for reducing stress and inducing calmness. Music has the power to evoke emotions, relax the mind, and even change brain functioning, leading to a significant reduction in stress levels.

As an advocate of mental well-being and a lover of all things entertainment, I can proudly say that at PSE we strive to produce content that offers the audience unique experiences and unforgettable memories to cherish.

The best moments of our lives are not materialistic; they are rather simple yet memorable moments that remind us how good we felt while experiencing them. We remember not the instances, but the emotions at that moment. And that’s the goal of PSE – to build a platform where we generate unique experiences that make the audiences nostalgic every time they look back.

While music is available on various devices, apps, and digital platforms today, the experience of witnessing it live teleports you to a whole different world.

What do you do when it comes to going to an in person concert:

• You schedule your evening.
• You get some friends together.
• You plan dinner around the evening.
• You dress up, drive, and go to the venue.
• Grab a drink.
• Sit with your friends, and then immerse yourself in the musical evening that takes you in a peaceful world that is far away from the routine worries of your office, future of your kids, thoughts of mortgages, retirement planning, doctor appointments, and whatnot.

At Para Share Entertainments, we aim to positively influence the happiness quotient of 1 billion global citizens in the next 3 years by offering them opportunities to experience live music.

Late Pandit Shivkumar Sharma is an eminent Indian musician, renowned for his mastery of the Santoor, a traditional Indian musical instrument. He was born in 1938, in Jammu, India. Panditji is credited with popularizing the Santoor and elevating its status globally as a classical instrument in the Indian music scene. Panditji is recognized and awarded with Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Vibhushan, some of India’s highest civilian honors.

Today, after the demise of Panditji, his son, Rahul Sharma, a Sangeet Natak Akademi award recipient, elegantly carries over the musical legacy, and takes it forward to be an ambassador of the rich heritage from the beautiful state of Kashmir in India.
We have invited Rahul Sharma, the torchbearer of Santoor to the United States to perform at several locations. We would like to invite you to come and experience the musical magic presented by him. With him would be an equally talented, Ojas Adhiya on tabla (Indian drums).

Concert schedule in the United States 2024:

1. April 6, Saturday – Detroit MI
2. April 7, Sunday – Atlanta GA
3. April 12, Friday – Seattle WA
4. April 13, Saturday – Austin TX
5. April 14, Sunday – New Jersey
6. April 19, Friday – Dallas TX
7. April 21, Sunday – San Jose CA