Kirit Dave’ has studied Indian classical music for over 30 years. He has published articles on the subject and taught classically based songs.
His interest in classical music developed during his primary school years at the age of 7 when he began representing his school in State wide inter school music competitions. He continued study of classical music theory and compositions through his high school years in India.
In 1975 under the guidance of AACM (Ali Akbar College of Music), California, he began his study in voice and Sitar. After three years of studies, he began focusing only on vocal music. However, most of his research and studies in music are independent. He studied styles of various classical music schools and developed deeper understanding in their variations. These schools of music called gharanas, have developed over hundreds of years and are full of rich compositions in melodies, rhythms and intricate variations.
Kirit has done the technical studies (Grammar and development of composition renditions) in the prominent ragas. He has also studied the modern and ancient styles such as Dhrupad, Khayal, Thumari, Ghazal and other light classical styles. His choice style in vocal music is the Patiala school of music represented by great maestro Bade Ghulam Ali Khan (1901-1967) of Patiala Gharana. Among modern singers, Ajoy Chakravartii most authentically illustrates that gharana. The lighter representation of the same gharana is best represented by Ghulam Ali in his Ghazal singing.
Sitar is Kirit’s favorite instrument and Shahid Parvez of Imdadkhani Gharana is his choice sitarist.
Kirit studied Prabhat Samgiit compositions in Calcutta for over 8 years from 1982-1990. He has been teaching the lyrics and music of Prabhat Samgiit to the interested audience for over 10 years now and has performed them in private programs.
Dan Schmidt has been studying and performing classical North Indian Tabla for more than 30 years. His musical lineage is of the Farukabad Gharana, and is a disciple of Michael Robbins, himself a disciple of tabla genius Jnan Prakash Ghosh. This musical heritage includes hundreds of compositions from masters of all Tabla Gharanas, which Dan enjoys sharing with his students and fellow tabla players.
In pursuing classical Hindustani accompanyment, Dan has performed in concert with such luminaries as Sarodia Buddhadev Das Gupta, Sitarist Sugato Nag, Vocalist Mudhuvanti Mirashi, Jeff Whittier on Bansuri, and many others.
In addition to performing in classical format, Dan is also accomplished in light-classical and Bhajan styles, and enjoys playing western musical forms as well.