Ashwini Bhide Deshpande at a concert

July 16: She started learning the nuances of classical music at the tender age of five from Pandit Narayanrao Datar and the 47-year-old singer is currently all set to impart her knowledge to wannabe singers.

The city is all set for a rendezvous with vocalist Ashwini Bhide Deshpande, one of the most talented singers of Hindustani classical music in the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana.

Deshpande will not only perform for classical music lovers during a weeklong stint, but will also hone the skills of aspiring singers.

She will conduct a five-day workshop on classical and semi-classical music organised by city-based school of music Saptak, beginning Tuesday.

Her mellifluous voice can be heard at a classical concert organised by Saptak, in association with Taal, an academy of performing arts, at Rabindra Bhawan on Thursday.

“We wanted to provide the best of classical music training to talented singers. With that in mind we invited Deshpandeji. She has attained fame among the vocalists of the younger generation in the Jaipur-Atrauli tradition. We are thankful that she has consented to be part of the workshop,” said singer Mitali Dey, the founder member of Saptak. Altogether 13 participants will be a part of the workshop, which will be held at Hrishikesh Apartment in New Guwahati.

After the training, the participants will be provided a platform to showcase what they have learnt at the auditorium of Vivekananda Kendra on July 22.

“The performance will be a kind of evaluation of participants, where their skills will be judged by a group of experts from the field of classical music,” said Dey.

A group of children, who were trained at a recently concluded workshop organised by Saptak, will also perform on the day. Singers Monojyotsna Mahanta, Banikona Ghosal and Rupjyoti Ojha conducted the workshop.

But it is the classical musical soiree in which Deshpande will be performing that music lovers are waiting for with bated breath. Whereas Dey will also perform at the concert, instrumentalist Nobin Rajkonwar will regale audiences with a sitar recital.

“It is not often that the city gets to play host to a vocalist of Deshpande’s stature. Her style is a systematic exposition of the structure of a raga, a variety of taans and ease and grace in all the three octaves. She can build up any raga into an experience of rare aesthetic pleasure,” said music critic Utpal Dutta.

Deshpande has graduated in classical music with a sangeet visharad from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya.

Her mother, Manik Bhide, also a khayal singer, became her mentor. Ashwini’s unique voice is the combination of her mother’s style with her own innovative touch.

“Her schemes of improvisation, systematic exposition of the raga, alapchari style, taans and command over three octaves distinguish her style,” added Dutta.

She is a resident of Mumbai and is a graduate in microbiology and also holds a PhD in biochemistry.