Venue

Baumgaertner Auditorium
Brady Education Center
University of St. Thomas, St. Paul

Veena Sahasrabuddhe comes from a family of musicians and composers. Her father, late Pandit Shankar Shripad Bodas, was a disciple of Pandit Vishnu Digambar Palsukar. Young Veena started her musical education with Kathak dance. She was initiated into Khayal singing by her father and her brother, late Pandit Kashinath Shankar Bodas. Padmashri Balwantrai Bhatt, late Pundit Vasant Thakar and late Pandit Gajananbua Joshi have also contributed to her education. The style she has created for herself retains the fundamental values of Gwalior gharana while borrowing somewhat from Kirana and Jaipur gharanas.  Her music has something for every listener because it respects traditional values while being very personal.  Connoisseurs laud the authenticity of her music, but the lay listener is moved by its directness and intensity.  Apart from her Khayal and Tarana renditions, she is sought after for her rich repertoire of bhajans.

She has sung at all the prestigious venues and occasions including Tansen Samaroh in Gwalior and Sawai Gandharva in Pune. At the Vokalfestival in Stockholm and at the Voices of the World festival in Copenhagen she represented the Indian Classical Voice.  She has recordings under many leading labels.  She was awarded the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1993.

Veenatai holds a doctorate from Pune University and is as excellent a teacher of music as she is a performer.  She has taught formal and informal music courses at Universities and has offered a number of music workshops in India and abroad.  She also teaches advanced students privately.  Veenatai has a number of publications to her credit and has over 41 recorded albums to date.