Apoorva Gokhale

GHARANA

Jaipur

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Apoorva Gokhale is a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Gwalior gharana. She comes from a family of traditional musicians: her grandfather was the late Gayanacharya Pt. Gajananrao Joshi, and her great-grandfather, Pt. Antubua Joshi, was a court musician in the erstwhile state of Aundh, district Satara. At the age of five she began learning from her grandfather, who insisted on tonal perfection and just intonation and instilled a keen sense of rhythm. She then trained rigorously in the guru-shishya parampara under her uncle, Pt. Madhukarrao Joshi, a vocalist and violinist. She also received guidance from her father, Shri Manohar Joshi, her aunt, Dr. Sucheta Bidkar, and Padma Shri recipient Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, a vocalist of the same tradition. She has since sought further guidance from Pt. Shankar Abhyankar, a sitarist and composer, Smt. Manik Bhide, Smt. Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, Pt. Yeshwant Mahale and Pt. Arun Kashalkar. Though influenced by traditional musicians, Apoorva has her own approach to presentation. Her khyal is lyrical and evocative while preserving the seriousness of the form, combining imaginative alaap, the gradual unfolding of the raga and an innate sense of laya (rhythm). She gives equal importance to gayaki (style) and to the purity of raga rendition.