Divyang Vakil

Pandit Divyang Vakil (Gujarati દિવ્યાંગ વકીલ, Hindi दिव्यांग वकील ), is an Indian tabla guru (teacher), composer and philosopher, commonly known as Guruji.

Musical career

Pandit Divyang Vakil began his musical career from early childhood. At the age of 3, he gave his first performance as the youngest drummer in Gujarat performing with a Gujarati orchestra.^[1] He formally trained in classical tabla under three Gurus - Pandit Sudhirkumar Saxena of Ajrada gharana, Ustad Latif Ahmed Khan of Delhi gharana and Ustad Allarakha Khan of Punjab gharana.^[2] Vakil has also accompanied many of the great masters of Indian classical music including Pt. Nikhil Banerjee and Pt. Maniramji.

Over 15 years ago, Vakil renounced his career as a tabla performer to dedicate himself wholeheartedly to teaching, composing and his spiritual practices.^[3]

The Tabla Guru

In 2009, Vakil (affectionately known as "Guruji" to his students) completed his 30th year of teaching tabla. Vakil has taught hundreds of students in his 30 plus years of teaching journey.^[4] He is the founder of Rhythm Riders Music Institute in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. An affiliate institute of Rhythm Riders Music Institute is the Taalim School of Indian Music in the US, which is run by American disciples of Vakil.^[5] Students of Vakil have also established tabla schools in places such as Australia, Korea, UK and the US.^[6] Many of his students have gone on to careers in tabla teaching and performance.

Vakil teaches the latest and modern styles of Tabla playing as well as the classical and traditional methods, which he has mastered. His students produce a harmonious compilation of modern and classical aspects of Indian classical music. He caters unique teaching techniques for each student and his/her skills, interest etc. His students don't only learn the commercial and popular form of Tabla but also distinguish spiritual aspects of it.^[7]

Awards

He received 'Gujarat Gaurav Puraskar' (Gujarat State honour) by Gujarat sahitya Akademi on 8th December 2014 for his years of contribution in the filed of music.

The Composer

Vakil is most well known for his contemporary classical tabla ensemble Tālavya. Through his compositions, Vakil has given a modern form to classical tabla playing.^[8] Tālavya currently performs Vakil's latest group tabla composition entitled Tabla Ecstasy. His latest work, Pradhanica, is a kathak dance performance accompanied by a live world percussion ensemble. Pradhanica has been touring around United States. Previous group works include Tabla Tarkhat, Tabla Taandav, Tabla Triveni, etc.^[9] In 2007, his tabla duet called Power of Tabla was the first musical performance by Gujarati artists to be performed in the history of IIM-Ahmedabad Chaos Festival.^[10]

Vakil has composed several full-length instrumental ensemble pieces for the international stage. One of his most difficult works is Ardha Taal Chakra (literally meaning "circle of half rhythms"). Ardha Taal Chakra explored half-beat Indian rhythm cycles.^[11] Created in 2006, it was recomposed and renamed in 2010 to become Ardha Taal Chakravyuha.

In 2011, he collaborated with renown South Korean musician Yu Kyung-hwa. Vakil composed a piece for Yu to play on the traditional Korean instrument, the Janggu, and set it to popular Indian rhythms. The piece debuted in February 2011 at Rhythm Riders Music Institute in Ahmedabad, India. The collaboration was such a success that Vakil was invited to Seoul the following month to compose and teach Indian rhythms and theory to Korean artists in an international music exchange program.^[12]

References