Biography

HASU PATEL, composer, performer and educator, is one of the few world-class female artists performing today Classical Music on sitar, the most popular string instrument of India. Hasu plays Sitar in a very special style known as Gayaki Ang (vocal style), where the sitar replicates the fluidity and subtle nuances of the human voice. This innovative technique, which is credited to her Guru, the Sitar legend Ustad Vilayat Khan Sahib of Imdad Khani Gharana, is the most significant contribution to her music inheritance. She has dedicated her life to preserving and propagating in its pristine purity, the fascinating, and highly evolved classical music of Ancient India.

Born in the culturally rich city of Baroda, India, Hasu began her musical studies in early childhood. At the age of 10, she made her first public appearance. She had many years of rigorous training under her illustrious Gurus Prof. N.B. Kikani and Ustad Anwar Khan Sahib.  She is the first woman to receive a music degree with a Gold medal in the 75-year history of the Faculty of Performing Arts, M.S. University, Baroda, India. At the age of 21, she won the first prize in Gujarat State for the stringed instrument competition held by All India Radio.

“My Music, My Dream – It gives me an eternal pleasure when I teach the students and play before music lovers around the world. The more one plays, the more humility captivates one,” says Hasu with much determination and joy. To her, Indian classical music is a rare and divine art, which calls for absolute dedication called sadhana.

Here in the United States, she has continued to pursue music ceaselessly for the past three decades. She has performed the Classical Music of India known as Raga Sangeet (scientific, precise, subtle and aesthetic system of melodic notes accompanied with tremendous vitality on Tabla) at various universities, performing art centers, music and sound healing conferences, world/jazz/country music festivals, radio/television stations, churches/temples, yoga ashrams, and with Indian Classical dance ensembles.

Performances Include:

  • 2019 Woodstock’s 50th anniversary
  • 1999 Woodstock’s 30th anniversary
  • the Chicago Asian Jazz Festival
  • the Rheinberger Chamber Hall of Cleveland Orchestra
  • the Warner Concert Hall at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music
  • the Women in Music Festival at the Eastman School of Music
  • 9th Festival of Women Composers at Indiana University of Pennsylvania

International Activities

International activities include performing Sitar concerts in Canada, India and at the ‘2008 Beijing International Congress on Women in Music’ at the China Conservatory of Music, Beijing, China.

World Premiere of Sitar Concertos based on Indian Ragas with Western Orchestras

Hasu accepted the unique opportunities and challenges from three western conductors to compose Sitar Concertos featuring Indian Classical Ragas. The result was three stunning compositions, Mangal Dhwani (auspicious sound) and Swara Mangalam (musical notes are auspicious), both for Sitar, Tabla and Orchestra. The third Swara Leela (manifestation of musical notes) was composed for chorus and orchestra.

  • Performed the world premier of Mangal Dhwani (Raga Bageswari) with the Doctors Orchestra of Houston in February 2008
  • Performed world premier of Swara Mangalam (Raga Yaman Kalyan) with the Canton Orchestra of Michigan in March2008
  • Performed the world premier of Swara Leela (Raga Yaman Kalyan) with the Lafayette College of PA in April 2017.
  • Hasu became the first Indian female composer and performer of sitar concertos.

Recognition Awards

She was honored for her outstanding achievements in the field of Performing Arts, public service and contributions in music.

  • ‘Award of Excellence’ — Shiva’s Dance International of Cleveland, OH
  • ‘International Women Composers of the World’ – the 8th Annual Women Composers Festival, Hartford, CT.
  • ‘Hind Rattan Award’ – the NRI (Non-Resident Indians) Welfare Society of India, Delhi, India
  • ‘International Peace Ambassadors’ – The Life Time Achievement Award for extraordinary Service to Humanity by UNITED NATIONS
  • Ohio Heritage Fellowship Award – By Ohio Arts Council for authenticity, artistic excellence and tradition of Art form

Hasu is the only Indian musician/composer, was honored to be included among 25 prestigious Women Composers of United Stares in a book titled ‘In Her Own Words’ by Dr. Jennifer Kelly of Lafayette College, PA., a publication of University of Illinois.

Affiliations

  • Sursangam School of Music – Founder and Director
  • International Alliance for Women in Music (IAWM) – Member and past Board Member
  • The American Composers Forum – Member 
  • The Society for Ethnomusicology – Member                
  • The American Music Center – Member
  • Ohio Arts Council – Ohio Artists on Tour   and Arts Midwest performing artist
  • Greater Columbus Arts Council – Artists-in-Schools
  • Oberlin College of Ohio – Taught Classical Music of India at Conservatory of Music for 20 years
CV

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL CAREER OBJECTIVES:

As a Performer and Composer, I have dedicated my life to promote ancient Classical divine art form of Music of North India in its pristine purity. It is my dream to uniquely create an interest for the students in learning the skill for deep understanding of music theory and proper musical playing techniques on Sitar, Tabla as well as Voice and thus developing the comparative study between the Western and North Indian Classical music.

 

RECOGNITION / AWARDS:

ALL INDIA RADIO, Baroda, India
First prize winner in the State of Gujarat for the string instrument competition
Selected to perform Sitar Playing at Professional level at the age of 21

SHRI BHARATIYA SANGEET MANDAL, Nadiad, India.
1st prize winner of instrumental competition

SHIVA’S DANCES INTERNATIONAL, INC., Cleveland, Ohio
‘Award of Excellence’ for outstanding contribution towards the public service and development of Greater Cleveland

NRI WELFARE SOCIETY OF INDIA, New Delhi, India
‘Hind Rattan award 2009’ for the outstanding services, achievements and contributions in the field of music

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDED BY UNITED NATIONS AUGUST 2018
INTERNATIONAL PEACE AMBASSADORS – For extraordinary service to Humanity

2018 OHIO ARTS COUNCIL HERITAGE FELLOWSHIP AWARD, COLUMBUS, OHIO

 

EDUCATION:

1. B.MUS IN SITAR – Gold Medal Winner
M. S. UNIVERSITY, Baroda, India.

2. SANGEET VISHARD – Masters in Sitar with distinction
GANDHARV MAHAVIDYALAYA, Ahmedabad, India

3. MASTERS OF ACCOUNTANCY and FINANCIAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS
CLEVELAND STATE UNIVERSITY, Cleveland, Ohio

 

MUSICAL ACHIEVEMENTS:

1. PERFORMANCES: USA, Canada, China, Taiwan and India

2. SURSANGAM SCHOOL OF MUSIC, Westlake, Ohio. Founder / Director
Teaching Classical Music of North India, SITAR, TABLA and VOCAL

3. CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC, Oberlin College, Oberlin, Ohio. Since 1995 – 2015
Teaching Classical Music of North India on SITAR / TABLA / VOCAL

4. AFFILIATIONS: Ohio Arts Council, Greater Columbus Arts Council, International Association for Women in Music (IAWM), American Composer Forum

5. RECORDINGS: CD — GAYAKI SITAR – recording of ‘ALAP’ of three Ragas
CD/DVD ‘Mangal dhwani’ of Sitar Concerto with Doctors Orchestra of Houston
CD ‘Swara Managalam’ of Sitar Concerto with Orchestra Canton of Michigan
Three New CDs with Sitar and Tabla released in April 2017 in MP3 Format

6. SITAR CONCERTOS for WESTERN ORCHESTRAS
Composed and performed world premiere of three Sitar Concertos based on Classical Indian Ragas with Doctors Orchestra of Houston, Texas, Orchestra Canton, Michigan and Lafayette College Easton, PA. This unique milestone made a history in the world of Western Orchestras.