Top French honour for Hariprasad Chaurasia

Nov 10, 2010 - Age Correspondent |

New Delhi

Classical flute exponent Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia was today conferred the “Chevalier dans l’ Ordre des Arts et des Lettres”, the highest civilian award by the French government for his contribution to music. The flute maestro was honoured at the French embassy in New Delhi.

The award was presented to the 72-year-old by French ambassador Jerome K. Bonnafont during a ceremony at the French embassy here. “It’s an honour to meet him and watch him perform live,” said the French ambassador after handing over the award to Pandit Chaurasia. The award function was followed after a live performance by Pandit Chaurasia.
Meanwhile, a book and a CD Hariprasad Chaurasia and the Art of Improvisation by Henri Tournier, the flute maestro’s French assistant at the Rotterdam Music Conservatory was released at the awards ceremony.
Pandit Chaurasia is also the artistic director of the Indian music department at Rotterdam Music Conservatory, where he has been teaching for the past 15 years.
The book offers a discovery of Pandit Chaurasia’s “extraordinary mastery of improvisation” and also aims to guide scholars, performers and composers endeavouring to explore his music. The book features art works by artist Sujata Bajaj.

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