Abhishek Borkar, a young and versatile musician, was drawn to the sound of the sarod from a very early age. Born into a musically rich environment, he initially underwent training in vocal and table, at age 4, before anchoring himself on the sarod, under the tutelage of his father and Guru Pt. Shekhar Borkar, under the Maihar Senia Gharana.
Rigorous and intensive training followed. At the age of ten, he presented his first concert for which young Abhishek was lauded for his erudite performance by many connoisseurs of music. Many accolades and awards followed. He was awarded a National Talent scholarship instituted by the C.C.R.T (Government of India) and was subsequently specially invited to participate in many of their camps for outstanding young scholars. He won many music competitions in and around Maharashtra. Under the ‘Balodhyan’ initiative, he presented many memorable programmes for the All India Radio. He released his first solo CD titled ‘Pratibha’ in 2008, at the age of 16.
Following the footsteps of his father, today, Abhishek’s renditions are characterized by a unique blend of the sarod, sitar, sarangi and vocal styles of Hindustani Music. His natural instinct for aesthetic music coupled with his incredible control over sur and laya have enthralled audiences in various parts of India. Duet performances with his older brother Praashekh have also received critical acclaim. The melody in Abhishek’s music exhibits the influence of his idols, Ustad Allauddin Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and of course his father, Pt. Shekhar Borkar and the intricate layakari, the guidance of Pt. Shashi Bellare. Equally adept at playing the guitar coupled with his knowledge of western music and instrumentation led young Abhishek foray into the field of Classical fusion. Keeping the style of playing the sarod intact, he composes tunes with a classical twist, with which he aims to make Indian Classical Music more reachable to the generation today.
A Commerce graduate, Abhishek aims to pursue his masters in Indian Music. In the coming decades, Abhishek aims to carry the beacon of Indian music and take the magnum opus of his father Pt. Shekhar Borkar – the creation of ‘Tarankaar Baaz’ and the ‘Sur-tarang’ to the world. In his words, ‘the limitations of the sarod can be surpassed because music comes from the heart, and the heart never ceases to sing’.