Based in Southall UK, Ustad Gurdev Singh is one leading players of Sarod and dilruba. He is a disciple of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and is well-known internationally through his performances in the USA, Canada, India and UK.
Gurdev Singh was born on 15th January 1948 and brought up in a remote village in Harayana, North India. He began learning music at the age of seven under Ustad Tara Singh and Piara Singh who taught him Dilruba, a bowed instrument of great antiquity, which Gurdev still plays today with great brilliance. He is also trained in vocal music under Pandit Mahadeo Prasad in both contemporary and the traditional Dhrupad style.
In 1967 Gurdev became a disciple of the world famous Sarod Maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan in Delhi and was introduced to the Sarod with the Holy patronage of H.H. Shri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji. The Sarod is an extremely demanding instrument to handle, partly because it is fretless. It is capable of an extraordinary range of sounds, from haunting sweetness to dazzling speed and power.
His success can be measured by his popularity in India, in both live and radio concerts, and by the increasing international demand for his performances, especially in the U.K. His U.K performances have included the BBC, Midland TV, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Bhartiya Vidya Bhavan, Bath and Oxford University, the 1984 Liverpool garden festival and South Bank. In North America he has played in Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, Seattle University and the prestigious Amir Khusro Society in Chicago. He has also visited Switzerland, Denmark, Darmstadt festival in Germany and other European countries. Every year he performs in major festivals held all over India.
Gurdev Singh has released a CD with ARC Music called “The Art Of Indian Sarod” of Germany adding to his other CDs and records collection.
Gurdev Singh is a constant companion with Ustad Harbhajan Singh Ji in performances of Gurmat Gurbani Kirtan in the UK. Gurdev Singh is very popular amongst all major Indian classical artists. He has exposed known musicians to crowds in the UK, particularly through his sangeet samellans in memory of Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji under the banner of Surnaad. Link to Surnaad festival of August 2015.
Sarod performace by Ustad Gurdev Singh . He is accompanied by tabla mastereo Sukhvinder Singh Namdhari and Shri Illyas Khan on sarangi.
More at namdhari-world.com
More information is available Gurdev Singh’s Surnaad website.
Gurdev Singh Live: Raag Darbari- Mudh Teen Taal & Drut
Gurdev Singh Live: Raag Bhairavi
Gurdev Singh Live: Raag Bhairavi – Ustaad Gurdev singh plays Raag Bihaag on Tarshenai accompained by Gurbux Singh and Navinderpal Singh on tabla.
Sarod & Sitar : Raga MALKAUNS -Pt. Viram Jasani on sitar and Pt .Gurudev Singh on sarod.
Raag Desi Thodi – performed at Namdhari Center Southall