Kedar Naphade

Kedar Naphade (Marathi: केदार नाफडे) is an Indian classical harmonium player.^[1]

Kedar Naphade
Born	(1972-01-10) January 10, 1972 (age 53)
Origin	India
Genres	Indian classical music
Occupation	Musician
Instrument	harmonium
Years active	1982–present

Early life

Kedar Naphade was born on 10 January 1972 to a Maharashtrian family in the city of Mumbai, India. From the age of 9, he started learning harmonium solo and accompaniment from Tulsidas Borkar.^[2] He also received education from Padmavati Shaligram-Gokhale of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana from 1989–1993.

He completed his engineering degree at the Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai in 1993. Subsequently he moved to the United States of America, where he completed his Ph.D. in Operations Research from Lehigh University in 1997.

Career

Kedar has been involved in the field of harmonium performance since 1982, both as a soloist and an accompanist in hindustani classical music. He was a child artist on Mumbai Television Channel Doordarshan during the early 1980s. He started his professional career in Hindustani classical music at the age of 18, with solo and accompaniment performances from 1990.

Kedar gained recognition with his performance at the Annual Alladiya Khan Smruti Samaroha in Mumbai in 1992, collaborating with Smt. Padmavati Shaligram-Gokhalie.

Kedar's musical style draws influence from the works of musicians like Tulshidas Borkar and P. Madhukar. He performs classical renditions, semi-classical forms like Marathi Natyasangeet (Stage Music), bhajans, and thumri.

He has provided accompaniment for vocalists in concerts across India, Europe, and the United States. He has made 500 concert appearances, including performances at events and venues like the Alladiya Khan Smruti Samaroha, Dadar Matunga Cultural Center, and Vile Parle Music Circle in Mumbai, Kala Academy in Panaji Goa, Lincoln Center in New York, Carnegie Hall in New York, and The Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C.

He has collaborated on stage with other musicians such as Veena Sahasrabuddhe,^[3] Ulhas Kashalkar,^[4] Prabha Atre and Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande. He has worked in instrumental ensembles with other instruments such as the sitar, flute, violin and mandolin.

Kedar started teaching the harmonium at Ace Open University in 2010.

Awards and recognitions

Swar Sadhana Samiti young artist award (1983, 1984)