Anuradha Pal

tabla

Anuradha Pal has been internationally acclaimed as an accomplished soloist and a versatile and sought after accompanist. A disciple of the world-renowned tabla maestros, Late Ustad Alla Rakha and Ustad Zakir Hussain, she has performed extensively in India, USA, UK, Europe, Australia, Japan and the far- east with top ranking musicians like Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Jasraj, Vishwamohan Bhatt, Shahid Parvez, Smt Veena Sahasrabuddhe amongst others in prestigious festivals all over the world.

An irrepressible creativity, tremendous clarity and a fine tonal quality along with exciting rhythmic improvisations and spontaneity are the hallmarks of her style. An unremitting devotion to practice and learning have given Anuradha a meaningful identity amongst the musicians of today helping her to carve a distinct niche of her own. The prestigious Encyclopædia Britannica, the Asian-American Who’s who journal as well as the Limca Book of Records have lauded Anuradha for her contribution to music as well as her well balanced musicianship.

An A grade artist of the All India Radio, a recipient of many prestigious awards, Anuradha has several cassettes and CDs both as a tabla soloist and accompanist released both in India and abroad. An added dimension is her amazing foray into music direction and composition both in the medium of films like ‘Gaja Gamini’ as well as for commercial music albums like ‘ Shanti, Stree Shakti’

In 1996, Anuradha formed India’s only all female percussion based instrumental and vocal fusion group called ‘ Stree Shakti’. Stree Shakti has performed extensively in India and the UK in the WOMAD Festival, Rhythm Sticks Festival, BBC Music Live Festival, Asian Music Festival, amongst others enthralling audiences not only by their amazing prowess in male dominated fields of Indian percussion but also for their well evolved interesting Hindustani–Carnatic Combination. (North and South Indian music) Their album, also titled ‘Stree Shakti’, became one of the best selling classical albums in 2001.

Anuradha was featured in the BBC Radio World Service Program as one of the ‘Five Prominent Women Musicians of India’ in 1991. She has been widely featured on ITV, Asia TV (USA), BBC world service television and radio (UK), Australian and Japanese TV - Radio channels and Indian channels like Star TV, Zee, Alpha, ETC, ETV, Doordarshan and Radio amongst others around the world. Anuradha is on the prestigious panel of artists on the Indian Council of Cultural relations. She represented India in the ‘Asian Performers Summit’ in February 1999 where she spoke on Performers rights amidst an august gathering of International Musicians in Japan.

The Films Division of India made a documentary film titled ‘Aaj ki Nari’ and featured Anuradha along with a galaxy of great women achievers in 1999. Recently, the renowned USA based Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) made a film titled ‘ Adventure Divas’ featuring Anuradha Pal as one of the great women achievers of India and the World. This film was telecast in USA in September 2001.

Anuradha did an extensive concert tour of UK in July 2002 where she presented ‘Stree Shakti’ in the World Premier in the ‘ Commonwealth Games Festival City of London festival at the Barbican Centre (London), Cardiff Jazz Festival amongst other concerts in Reading & Manchester. Here she also collaborated and composed two pieces with the Pan African Orchestra in a unique fusion titled ‘ India & Africa in Conversation’ which was a great success.