The Gurmat Sangeet Project presents :

"Sikh Musical Heritage"

(Note : Scroll down for recordings)

Sikh Musical Heritage at the Millis Gurdwara on August 1 2003;
Balbir Singh, Ranbir Singh, Kudrat Kaur, Prof. Surinder Singh, Surjit Singh

The Gurmat Sangeet Project was delighted to host Prof. Surinder Singh and his group from Sikh Musical Heritage in Boston for two wonderful Kirtan programs at the start of their 2003 US tour. Recordings from these two sessions are featured on this page. In addition some shabads sung by the children of the Boston Gurmat Sangeet Project as well as Bhai Gopal Singh are also featured.

Sikh Musical Heritage's 2003 US Tour had a great start in Boston. Both programs were very well attended. The Sangat greatly enjoyed the melodious Kirtan, sung in the Ragas in which the Shabads were revealed to the Guru Sahiban, to the accompaniment of string instruments. The most remarkable feature of the singing was how accessible the group made Raga based Kirtan to the Sangat. There were no displays of musical virtuosity, no gratuitous Alaaps or Tankari, just a very dignified and soulful rendering of the Guru's shabad.

During this visit Prof. SUrinder Singh and his group provided great inspiration to students of Gurmat Sangeet, in particular evoking a strong interest in studying traditional Sikh instruments such as the Dilruba and Taus.

This page contains short bios of the musicians, recordings and plenty of pictures fomr the visit. The Sikh Musical Heritage group's 2003 US Tour Dates are also available.

	Professor Surinder Singh spent several years studying for a BA and MA in Music at the Guru Nanak Dev University, Panjab. During this period he also studied vocal music, tabla and various string instruments under Pandit Khraitee Lal Ji Taheem of Delhi Gharana. He has also trained in the Pt. Ram Narayan style of Sarangi from Shri Surjeet Singh Aulakh ji. Prof. Surinder Singh Ji has made several contributions to Gurmat Sangeet including releasing Mere Mun, a set of Shabads with compositions in 59 ragas as defined in the Guru Granth Sahib, together with a detailed book introducing Sikh musicology . In order for the message of the Shabad to remain as the Guru intended, each Shabad has been sung in the prescribed Raag. The Raags have been harnessed to explain and enhance the message of Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Prof Surinder Singh has offered Kirtan Seva and sung at many venues, most recently at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Prof. Surinder Singh currently heads the Raj Academy of Music, which was established in 1994 and now runs its music courses in conjunction with East Berkshire College. The Raj Academy was established to restore the traditions of Gurmat Sangeet and was inspired by the musical system of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. It is the only school in the UK offering a nationally recognized course in Gurmat Sangeet.
	Surjit Singh is a senior student of Pandit Ram Narayan's, who is the leading exponent of the Sarangi today. He started his early training under the tutelage of Gurdev Singh and Ustad Harbhajan Singh. He is a member of the staff at Raj Academy and includes Prof. Surinder Singh in his students. Surjit Singh has performed extensively all over the world and has accompanied leading vocalists as well as performing solo.
	Ranbir Singh is an extremely talented and versatile young musician. He is one of the handful of musicans in the world today to have mastered the Taus (pictured here). He receives instruction on the Sarangi from Surjit Singh. Ranbir Singh also plays the Dilruba and is an excellent tabla player. Ranbir is a talented vocalist and has provided vocal support on the recordings featured on this page. Ranbir is extremely bright, humble and unassuming and has the potential to develop into a leading musician. He was kind enough to volunteer to play the tabla with the Boston Gurmat Sangeet Project children during the Sikh Musical Heritage group's visit.
	Balbir Singh was trained in the Punjab Tabla Baj by Rakesh Malviya, a student of Ustad Alla Rakha's. Humble and unassuming, Balbir is an outstanding tabla player with a wide repertoire. On the recordings featured here, Balbir has played talas as diverse as Chartaal, Tintaal, Jhaptaal and Dipchandi.
	Kudrat Kaur is a student of Prof. Surjit Singh's. She receives vocal instruction and studies the Dilruba as well. Kudrat Kaur is the manager of the Sikh Musical Heritage and is responsible for formidable logistics of the US tour. Guru Das Singh is a musician and a musicologist. He is working on his Masters in Music from London University and is currently writing a dissertation on Siri Rag, analyzing and comparing various seminal compositions sung nby eminent Ragis. Guru Das Singh has a deep interest in Gurmat Sangeet and is a talented singer as well.
Ranbir Singh, Prof. Surinder Singh and Surjit Singh at Hopkinton on August 2, 2003	Balbir Singh, Kudrat Kaur, Ranbir SIngh and Prof. Surinder Singh at Hopkinton on August 2, 2003

Bhai Gupal Singh at Hopkinton on August 2, 2003

Ekongkar Singh Khalsa, Harbhajan Kaur and Amritpal Singh at Millis on August 1, 2003

Prof Surinder Singh teaching Mehr and Amrit (Hopkinton August 1, 2003)

Simran tries his hand at the Dilruba (Hopkinton August 1, 2003)

Mehr at the Dilruba (Hopkinton August 1, 2003)

Amrit tries out Dilruba as Vijayant, Avneet, Aman, Deep and Baljot watch (Hopkinton August 1, 2003)

Guru Das Singh and Kudrat Kaur give Baljot and Avneet a lesson (Hopkinton August 1, 2003)

Prof Surinder Singh offering Kirtan Seva(Hopkinton August 1, 2003)

Ranbir Singh, lost in the intricacies of his Taus(Hopkinton August 1, 2003)

Balbir Singh, Ranbir Singh,Aman, Mehr, Kudrat Kaur, Guru Das Singh and
Surjit Singh take some time off to enjoy a stroll in Hopkinton State Park