Dr. Gurnam Singh
Dr. Gurnam Singh is founder Professor and Head, Department of Gurmat
Sangeet and Head, Department of Gurmat Sangeet Chair. Dr.
Singh has to his credit two decades of experience which witnessed him engaged in
constant research and teaching . He also occupied the chair of Head,
Department of Music at Punjabi University, Patiala and Guru Nanak Dev
University, Amritsar, Punjab (India).
A true
inheritor of the Gurmat tradition of Music, Dr. Gurnam Singh, who received his
primary training in music from his father, Shiromani Raagi Bhai Uttam Singh
Patang, elder brothers, Shiromani Raagi , Dr. Jagir Singh and Dr. Bachittar
Singh, formal and systematic understanding from Sangeet Acharya Prof. Tara
Singh, Padam Shri Ustad Sohan Singh of Agra Gharana, Ustad Baqur Hussain of
Patiala Gharana and Principal S.S. Kareer, who made him familiar with the
mystic quality of music.
Dr.
Gurnam has made a commendable contribution to the world of music by publishing
14 original books,
27
edited books,
32 research papers,
64 research articles
in addition to making several musical compositions and
signature-tunes. As a Project Director, Dr. Singh has also organized five
Punjabi Folk Music Festivals and produced six documentary films based on
different recordings of 400 folk artists. As an approved Radio artist
and Member of Audition Committee (Music), Dr. Singh has served All India
Radio for many years. He has contributed 14 audio Cassettes, three video
cassettes and many musical compositions to the World of Music. He added another
feather to his cap by recording 31 Raagas and 31 Raaga forms of Shri Guru
Granth Sahib for the first time in the World of Music and Sikh History in the
form of 10 audio cassettes and 6 CDs produced by the Gramaphone Company of
India Pvt. Ltd. RPG-HMV.
A senior
fellow of Sangeet Natak Research Academy, New Delhi, Dr. Singh has been
conferred Shiromani Raagi Award by the Punjab Government. He has
played a significant role in getting Gurmat Sangeet recognised as an
independent subject at various academic levels.
Recitation of
Gurbani in 62 Ragas for the first time
In an epoch-making attempt in the music world, Dr
Gurnam Singh, Head, Department of Gurmat Sangeet Chair and Gurmat Sangeet
Department, Punjabi University, Patiala has recorded the recitation of Gurbani
in 62 ragas (31 main ragas and 31 raga forms) . This pioneering effort is based
on the original Sikh musicological system (Gurmat Sangeet).
According
to Dr.
Gurnam, with his maiden attempt, the Gurmat tradition would be further fostered
and the recitation of Gurbani would be encouraged. He said that with his
experiment, the
vacuum that existed in the absence of recital of ragas embodying Sri Guru Granth
Sahib, as conceived by the Gurus, would be filled.
Acknowledged as one of the biggest exponents of shabad singing style, Dr Gurnam
Singh's steadiness in rendition of shabad and swaras has been recognized by Shiromani
Gurudwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) by giving him a certificate for being
an original singer of Gurubani.
HMV, spotted him
last year and offered to record his cassettes and CDs in shape of 10 audio cassettes containing 62 raagas
of Guru Granth Sahib, composed and recited according to the Gurmat Sangeet
tradition with string instruments.
The cassettes contain a shabad-oriented recital
meeting the objectives of Gurubani. The original kirtan compositions had been
rendered in the form of Asthpadi, Chaupade, Partal and Alahuni Bani. The
instruments used include Rabab, Saranda, Dilruba and Sitar.
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