Carsten Wicke is a

Rudra Veena The ''rudra veena'' () (also spelled ''rudraveena'' or ''rudra vīnā'') — also called the ''bīn'' in North India — is a large plucked string instrument used in Hindustani music, especially dhrupad. It is one of the major types of '' vee ...

player of German origin who lives in India. He studied

North Indian classical music Hindustani classical music is the classical music of the Indian subcontinent's northern regions. It may also be called North Indian classical music or ''Uttar Bhartiya shastriya sangeet''. The term ''shastriya sangeet'' literally means classica ...

with several master musicians since the 1990s, after learning western violin and vocal music as a child.

Musical tradition

His journey into Indian music started while learning India's popular percussion instrument

tabla A ''tabla'' is a pair of hand drums from the Indian subcontinent. Since the 18th century, it has been the principal percussion instrument in Hindustani classical music, where it may be played solo, as an accompaniment with other instruments a ...

with the most tabla maestro Pandit Anindo Chatterjee in Kolkata. Being fascinated by the old classical

Dhrupad Dhrupad is a genre in Hindustani classical music from the Indian subcontinent. It is the oldest known style of major vocal styles associated with Hindustani classical music (for example in the Haveli Sangeet of Pushtimarg Sampradaya), and is als ...

music Wicke met rudra veena master

Padma Bhushan The Padma Bhushan (IAST: ''Padma Bhūṣaṇa'', lit. 'Lotus Decoration') is the third-highest civilian award in the Republic of India, preceded by the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan and followed by the Padma Shri. Instituted on 2 Januar ...

Ustad Asad Ali Khan, whose musical family tradition goes back over many generations, including Beenkars (veena players) like Sadiq Ali Khan, Musharraf Khan, and Rajab Ali Khan. Ustad Asad Ali Khan accepted him as one of his few veena disciples and taught him traditional rudra veena in the Khandarbani style. Wicke also studied Dagarbani Dhrupad with Ashish Sankrityayan, the current director and teacher at the Dhrupad Kendra in Bhopal.

Performer

Carsten Wicke is today one of the few international rudra veena performers. His Raga presentation unites the meditative depth in the Alap (introduction) – the unparalleled fortitude of the Dagarbani Dhrupad – with the dynamic interpretation of the faster performance stages (Jor, Jhala), a distinguished characteristic of the Khandarbani style. Combining subtle melodic variations with complex rhythmical finger stroke techniques his veena playing creates a unique listening experience that is appreciated by Indian music lovers as well as by the international audience.

Instrument making

Being based in Kolkata, Carsten Wicke also develops and manufactures new veenas in collaboration with local craftsmen, not the least to counter the current shortage of instrument makers for rudra veenas in India.

Media

As film-maker, author and media producer he documents Indian music traditions, particular the old-classical Dhrupad Music.

References

External links

Carsten Wicke website

Performances of Carsten Wicke on YouTube
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wicke, Carsten 1970 births Hindustani instrumentalists Living people Rudra veena players