S. Ballesh


S. Ballesh is an Indian shehnai player.
He is also a Patiala gharana Hindustani vocalist and expert in Benares gharana shehnai playing and ghazal singer.
Ballesh trained under the shehnai virtuoso Ustad Bismillah Khan. He is a member of the Panchakshara Gavai brotherhood. He has performed in classical concerts, in jugalbandis, and in film music.

Early life

Ballesh was born to Shehnai Samrat Pandit Sanna Bharamanna and Smt. Yellamma in M.K.Hubli, Belgaum district, Karnataka. His all fore-generation family members were shehnai players in the district and Ballesh has traced his lineage to court musicians for advanced training.

Music Training

He started learning from his father and strengthened his musical roots, later he continued from his father's elder brother Pandit Dodda Bharamanna and with stalwarts such as Dr. D.P. Hiremath, Pt. Puttaraj Gawai and Kodhanda Singh Salunke and Prakash Singh Salunke, besides the Ustad Bismillah Khan shehnai in. He is playing often for AIR Dharwar and Doordarshan.

Career

In 2006 Ballesh and his son Krishna Ballesh
played a musical tribute to Krishna Hangal, daughter of Gangubai Hangal, at the presentation award ceremony for the first Krishna Hangal Memorial Award of the Hangal Music Foundation at the Sawai Gandharva Hall in Hubli.
In 2013 he was in the touring orchestra of the film music composer Ilaiyaraaja, and performed in Toronto, Canada.

Film music

Ballesh played shehnai for the Hindi movie Raanjhanaa, with music by Oscar winner A.R. Rahman. He also played shehnai for the song "The Dichotomy of Fame" in Imtiaz Ali's 2011 Hindi film Rockstar, with music by A.R. Rahman.

Awards and Recognitions

Awards

Ballesh had honorary doctorates from
Ballesh can play various style’s in his shehnai, aalaapi and aakaar like khayal singing, jhala like sitar and sarod, tatkar like kathak-dancers, meend & harquatts like sarangi and violin, continuity of tone like been and also he adds sweetness of bansuri to all this.

Performances

In 2015, Ballesh performed at the 140th Baba Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan that commenced at Shri Devi Talab Mandir, Jalandhar.
In 2016, Ballesh and his son Krishna were invited by Executive President of the Arya Sangeet Prasarak Mandal Pt Shrinivas Joshi to perform for the 100th birthday anniversary of their guru Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan in prestigious music festival the 64th “Sawai Gandharva Bhimsen Mahotsav” in pune founded by Bharat Ratna Pandit Bhimsen Joshi.