THE TABLA NAWAZ USTAD SHAIK DAWOOD ACADEMY OF MUSIC
THE SPIRIT LIVES ON

Hyderabad , the historic city founded by Quli Qutub shah, the Fifth king of Qutub shahi dynasty, is not only the rendezvous of writers, poets and artists representing many languages, most prominently Urdu and Telugu, but it also earned the distinction of having a galaxy of social and cultural organisations which are committed to promote art and literature and to strengthen the unity and integrity of the country, at the same time serving one social cause or other.

Culture builds a global family. It wins the hearts of the people, it promotes Nationalism and international understanding. It creates love, respect and brings people together at all times always.

Culture has got its base in human hearts. It helped and helps making from the age of the wheels to the age of computer. This made some cultural magnets and music lovers to create thrill with realism and pathos to form" Tabla Nawaz Ustad Shaik Dawood Academy of Music" to foster and nourish musical talents in the years to come. It was launched in the year 1993 with its inaugural ceremony at Hyderabad. The academy in the name of Tabla legend Ustad shaik Dawood Saheb established by his disciple son Ustad Shabbir Nissar with the objective of spreading the rich heritage of his guru-father among the music-lovers of India, taking up the task of selection and grooming talented youngsters in various disciplines of Indian, classical Instrumental music, a task that was very dear to the Ustad himself, who taught the Tabla to over hundred students from India and abroad, and also other objectives.

• Organising Music concerts featuring accomplished and upcoming musicians
• Establishing a sizeable library of books, audio and video cassettes and relevant literature on Tabla, creating a research unit to conduct research on all the Gharanas of the Tabla in the Indian sub continent.
• Honouring reputed Artists, annually Organising international Tabla conferences, workshops to discuss the future of the Tabfa etc.

The Inaugural ceremony was marked by a concert which was also a tribute to versatile legend of
Tabla, TABLA NAWAZ USTAD SHAIK DAWOOD SAHEB who has made niche in the heart of music lovers. The galaxy of participants were ustad Alla Rakkha Khan, Ustad Sultan Khan, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt and Ustad Shahid Parvez the renowned exponents of classical music.

Soon after, Ustad Shaik Dawood Academy of Music became a shining example to the traditional music lovers particularly for Tabla artists with the able guidance of Ustad Shabbir Nissar, a Tabla Faculty in Govt. Music College and the third son of Tabla Wizard Ustad Shaik Dawood Saheb, who has given Tabla solo, public performance at the young age of sixteen. Having Taleem of four renowned Gharanas, PURAB ( Farukhabad and Lucknow) Delhi, Ajrahada and Punjab, though he himself belongs to the Luchnow Gharana. His music is a treasure house which draws inspiration from all these four Gharanas.

Ustad Shaik Dawood Academy of Music with the Aesthetic background, charismatic personality and excellent mannerism of founder, Ustad Shabbir Nissar, performed their first SURTAAL UTSAV in 1994 in Delhi featuring Ustad Zakir Hussian, Ustad Sultan Khan, Ustad Shahid Parvez, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt. The first Utsav proved the music lovers a memorable concert. People were anxiously waiting for Utsav every year not only to their love because of quality of management, presentation and performance of the artists which will linger their memory for years to come. Again in 1995 in Delhi, Academy organised another concert with renowned exponents Ustad Zakir Hussian, Pandit Vikku Vinayak Ram and Ustad Shabbir Nissar himself with his two disciples Jeevan Kulkarni and Sawan Kumar.

Ustad Shaik Dawood Academy of Music shotup into great fame and name and in 1996 again in Delhi the show was featured by the great Master's Begum Parveen Sultana and Ustad Dilshad Ahmed Khan, Pandit M.S. Gopala Krishna on Voilin and Ustad Lateef Ahmed Khan on Sarangi. With the solicited support by music lovers, Academy III the same year 1996, presented their show at Bangalore Munch with Pandit Rajan and Sajan Mishra, Ustad Shahid Parvez with Fazal Quraishi on Tabla, Ustad Shabbir Nissar, Pandit Parmeshwar Hedge, the highlight of the programme was the "SATKAR" of USTAD SULTAN KHAN and USTAD ALLA RAKKHA KHAN. Keeping in line with their tradition in 1997, Academy conducted SURTAAL UTSAV in Hyderabad at Lalitha Kala Thoranam with the performance of Exponents Pandit Rajan and Sajan Mishra, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Smt. Veena Sahasra Buddhe, Ustad Shabbir Nissar ( Tabla Solo) and Akram Khan ( Tabla Solo ).

In the year 1998 the academy presented a unique Jugalbandi of Sitar and Violin. This was also a Jugalbandi of Hindustanic music and Carnatic music. Ustad Shahid Parvez performed on Sitar and Shri Lalgudi Krishnan performed on violin. This jugalbandi was widely applauded by all music lovers. Prof Yella Venkateshwar Rao gave accompaniment on Mridangam and Shri Sukhvinder Singh Namdhari on Tabla.

The Academy as part of its effort to spread the classical music across the country organized a mega concert in 2002 featuring Ustad Zakir Hussain. Shri Shivmani and Pandit Vikkhu Vinayak Ram. This was percussion ensemble par excellence and it enthralled the audiences. The Academy also presented Pandit Rajan and Sajan Mishra and Ustad Shahid Parvez. The Academy has been continuously striving to serve the cause of music. We request all the music lovers to liberally contribute and help this noble cause.

The Academy's stream goes on with the sailing of disciples of Ustad Shabbir Nisar, the enduring earthy rythms of TABLA that transcend barriers of Time and space which will never end.

"After becoming an accomplished tabla player, if am not able to manage with and support the younger musicians, then what value is my own accomplishment... " - Ustad Shaik Dawood.