My
name is Tóth Szabi ('Tot' - is my family
name and 'Sabee' - is my given name in proper
Hungarian order where the family name is the first:).
I have been learning music and composing since my
childhood. I had composed a lot of music for films,
theatre performances, and other applied-music as well,
when an encounter with the Hindustani classical music
changed my life. I started to learn from Pandit Budhaditya
Mukherjee, the excellent sitariya of the Imdad
Khani Gharana. And later on I became the disciple of Pandit
Rajeev Janardan who is one of the best exponents
of the gayaki ang, the "singing Sitar-style".
This is the Surbahar, the brother of Sitar
I
also learn from my Guruma (Guru-mother) Dr.
Kamala Shankar, a fantastic player of Shankar-guitar, invented by herself.
performing at DD1 with Pandit Vinode Pathakji on tabla - 08.12.2006.
I have given concerts in India (Delhi, Benares, Jaipur, Jabalpur, Puri etc.) and in Europe (London, Krakow, Wien, Berlin, Prague, Zurich, Paris, Budapest etc.) as well.
I
have been running a weekly radio program for long
years (I'm also able to manage my program while I'm
in India) on Indian classical music called Alap
in the non-profit Tilos
Radio of Hungary. I also give lectures and
demonstrations in many reputed institutes of Hungary and abroad and as far as I know I have been the first in my country who has written a thesis about Indian Classical Music.
references from celebrities of India:
Dr. Veer Bhadra Mishra, Mahantji of Sankat Mochan Temple (Varanasi), and the director of the oldest Indian Music festival, the famous Sankat Mochan Sangeet Samaroh wrote to me:
I was happy to hear your concert in my town, Varanasi. I was really surprised by your playing in Gayaki Ang Sitar style. Your Sitar is really singing and you have a very soft touch of the instrument but you can also play extremely fast as well, You have deep knowledge of our traditional classical music. You are very creativite and you have a joyful attitude as well. You have such a perfection in Indian Classical Music and also you have deep knowledge of Indian Culture. My blessing is on your playing!
Padmabhushan Pandit Chhannulal Mishra India egyik leghíresebb Khyal énekese írta nekem:
I heard your concert on stage in Benares (India) and I was really impressed by your Sitar playing in Imdad Khani Gharana's style. I would like to congratulate! I was highly impressed by your nice rendition of all those Indian tunes and melodies, admiring your impeccable command of the sitar and your sensitive communication with the other musicians. You have an excellent technique of Sitar and extraordinary creativity. You have a perfect taste of Indian Classical Music and you have a great knowledge in Indian Culture. My blessing will be always on your playing!
The following passage was written to me by Dr.
Gitsudha Bhatt, the senior Sitar teacher of the famous
Sangeet Sanstan of Jaipur after my concert on 25th
of August 2005.:
Dear
Szabi!
I've
heard your sitar (playing). You have a good
understanding (of music). It was a pleasure
to hear you playing such difficult layakaaris. Your
passion will definitely bring you fame.
