Ustad Rais Bale Khan and Ustad Hafiz Bale Khan About Us: Ustad Rais Bale Khan and Ustad Hafiz Bale Khan are familiar names in the world of Hindustani music. Belonging to the Gwalior Kirana Gharana, they have carved a unique niche for themselves in the area of classical sitar over and above the lineage they have inherited. They belong to the family of Late Sitar Ratna Rahimat Khan (great-grandfather), Late Ustad Abdul Karim Khan (grandfather) and Late Ustad Bale Khan (father)—all credited with popularizing the sitar in south India. Both Rais and Hafiz have been trained in the guru-shisyan tradition by their father and grandfather. Under this esteemed tutelage, the brothers have developed a unique jugalbandi presentation—an engrossing music conversation. http://sitarratna.com/ JugalBandi Performances Our Musical Journey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpFi16qYvB4 Further to their musical journey together, each has developed his own http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDsX00ew_CQ individual imagination and distinctive style of playing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLloZSspvyE Rais is a gold medalist with a post-graduate degree in instrumental music http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWaAMdl8t30 from Karnataka University, Dharwad. His music exemplifies the best of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0RGGuzWK7c sitar, incorporating all the aspects of Gayaki Ang (the reproduction of the https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUJsJQmc6No sung notes). Performing with French pianist Philip Fennice has been an enriching experience in his career. He was awarded the Guru Gangadhar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuIQ65Fv-nM Pradhan Memorial Award, Bhubaneshwar, in 2011. Hafiz has a way of drawing in the listener to connect with the essence of raga, which he achieves with his devotion to traditional Gayaki Ang and old Gats of his family tradition. Intellectually, he has explored and understood the distinctiveness of his Khandani baaj (family’s way of playing – which is a specialization within the Gharana itself). In addition to their exceptional instrumental talents on the sitar, they also excel at vocal presentation of many forms of Hindustani singing – Khayal, thumri, ghazal, and specialize in Kannada vachanas and dasara padas. Both Rais and Hafiz are approved artists of All India Radio and Doordarshan for sitar and Hindustani vocal. Contact Details: #10, 1st Floor th 5th Cross, 16 Main KSRTC Layout J.P.Nagar 2nd Phase Bangalore - 560 078 .