Anuradha Biography
Personal life and Career
The first and only female professional Tabla player in the world , Anuradha Pal stormed into the music world with her extraordinary concert performances as a child prodigy when she was barely 10 and a half years old. Performing a rare blend of diverse styles of Tabla accompanying the virtual whos who of Indian classical music, Anuradha has also extensively performed with African, Jazz and World Music musicians in major festivals in USA, Europe, Japan, Australia,U.K, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore and Africa. Single minded dedication and an over riding hunger for musical excellence training from her Gurus, Tabla legends Ustads Alla Rakha and Zakir Hussain and the guidance of great musicians and her accomplished parents Devinder and Ilaa Dev Pal, have established Anuradha Pal as one of the 30 leading Women of India and a percussionist par excellence. Clarity and tonal balance, pinpoint precision in rhythm and an amazing repertoire spiced with creativity and spontaneity have made Anuradha Pal the most creative and influential female musician of Indian classical music according to the A. V Max Music Magazine, May 2001.
Anuradha is the only Indian woman musician and the youngest Indian musician to perform in the world renowned WOMAD festival in UK to an audience of 1.5 lakh people in year 1999. She has the unique distinction of performing for dignitaries like the Queen of England, Prime Minister and President of India. Music Direction Anuradha Pal is the founder and music director of two distinct music groups Stree Shakti (year-1996) and Recharge (year-2006) Anuradha Pals Stree Shakti is Asias much acclaimed only all female, percussion-based, instrumental and vocal fusion group whereas Anuradha Pals Recharge is a unique World music fusion group combining various elements of Indian, African, Latin and Jazz music. Anuradha gave the background score in the acclaimed M.F Husain film Gaja Gamini in year -1999, which won tremendous acclaim in the Cannes Film Festival. A recipient of several important awards, Anuradha was given the Sanskrutic Puraskar, the highest cultural award by the State of Maharashtra in year-2006.
She has been appreciated by the prestigious Encyclopedia Britannica, Asian-American, Indo American Whos who journal and Influential people of the world journal for her well balanced musicianship and pioneering contribution as a trail blazer and trend setter for societies around the world. Anuradha has several CDs like Stree Shakti, Anu and Jugalbandi,Sheer Magic, Nirvana, Sensational and DVDs to her credit, released internationally.
Landmark Performances in prestigious International festivals In U.K : WOMAD (World of music and dance festival), World premier of the Commonwealth Games, Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, BBC Music live festival, Bath International Music Festival, Rhythm Sticks festival, Cardiff Jazz festival, Asian Music festival, City of London festival amongst several tours with prominent artists. In USA : Masters of Indian Music festival, Young Music Wizards of India, Ali Akbar Khan festival and workshops/ lecture- demonstrations at prestigious universities like Harvard, Carnegie Mellon, Johns Hopkins etc.
She has also been invited as an artist in residence by the prestigious New England Conservatory, Boston to teach percussion to Percussion major students in September 2006.
In Japan : Tokyo Music Festival, Phoenix Music festival etc. In Europe : Voices of the world festival (Denmark), Museum Rietberg (Zurich), Sangam Indian Music Festival ( Germany) In Australia : Bellingen Global Festival, Carnivalli Festival, Melba Conservatory of music, Queensland Performing arts complex In New Zealand,Hong Kong, Singapore and for the CHOGM summit in Africa amongst other concerts all over the world.
