Samuel Dass
Encyclopedia
Samuel Dass is a Malaysian based sitarist and disciple of Shahid Parvez
.
at the age of 7. His first guru was his father, Mr. Jabamalai Dass, who drilled into him the basics of sitar playing. He then joined The Temple of Fine Arts Malaysia, where he learnt the finer nuances of this traditional art-form from Mr. Orme Maheswaran. At the same time he also sought the guidance of Giani Bachitar Singh, who inculcated in him the characteristics of the various Hindustani Raagas. He underwent training under the tutelage of Mr. Raj Kumar Sharma and Professor Haridev of Chandighar University under whom he was able to obtain the ‘Sageeth Bushan’ which is equivalent to a senior diploma in music.
, which toured South East Asia extensively for 2 years and recorded a studio album
Recently silencing all critics, Samuel won seven gold world championships at the World Championships of Performing Arts
in Los Angeles
. Samuel was also the only Malaysian to perform in the finals.
Shahid Parvez
Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan is a sitar player of Hindustani classical music. He carries on a legacy of sitar playing that goes back several generations in his family. He belongs to the famous Etawah Gharana and belongs to the seventh generation of this musical lineage...
.
Early life
Sam started playing SitarSitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
at the age of 7. His first guru was his father, Mr. Jabamalai Dass, who drilled into him the basics of sitar playing. He then joined The Temple of Fine Arts Malaysia, where he learnt the finer nuances of this traditional art-form from Mr. Orme Maheswaran. At the same time he also sought the guidance of Giani Bachitar Singh, who inculcated in him the characteristics of the various Hindustani Raagas. He underwent training under the tutelage of Mr. Raj Kumar Sharma and Professor Haridev of Chandighar University under whom he was able to obtain the ‘Sageeth Bushan’ which is equivalent to a senior diploma in music.
Current
In 2002 Sam had the good fortune to study the finer intricacies of the sitar under the world renowned sitar maestro Ustad Shahid Parvez Khan in Pune ,India. He was under Shahidji’s guidance for 7 years and his talent was acknowledged by the maestro himself. He then formed the successful group PranaPrana
Prana is the Sanskrit word for "vital life" .It is one of the five organs of vitality or sensation, viz. prana "breath", vac "speech", chakshus "sight", shrotra "hearing", and manas "thought" Prana is the Sanskrit word for "vital life" (from the root "to fill", cognate to Latin plenus...
, which toured South East Asia extensively for 2 years and recorded a studio album
Recently silencing all critics, Samuel won seven gold world championships at the World Championships of Performing Arts
World Championships of Performing Arts
The World Championships of Performing Arts is the first and only international competition to find the best aspiring performing artists worldwide. This competitive contest which is held annually in Hollywood, California is often referred to as the "Olympics of the Performing Arts"...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Samuel was also the only Malaysian to perform in the finals.
School
Leaving PRANA on hold temporarily Samuel has moved back to his roots and has recently opened his new school the Samuel Dass School of Hindustani Music in K.L, Malaysia.Discography
- Sitarasa
- Sitarasa Nostalgia
- Vrajalila
- Biography of Swami Sivananda
- Vidiyal
- Raga Moods
- Prana
- Moments
Awards
- Cameronian Arts Awards 2004 – for the best original composition and best solo performance.
- World Championship of Performing Arts in Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA 2006 . He won 7 gold medals and one silver medal for the eight categories he took part in. He also won 7 Champion of the World plaques.