Pandit Shivnath Mishra is an Indian sitarist and composer.
Background
Shivnath Mishra was born in 1943 in Benares, United Provinces, British India into a family of professional musicians stretching back to the 15th century. He began receiving his initial training in vocal music at the age of five from his father Badar Prasad Mishra and uncle Pandit Mahadev Prasad Mishra.
Career
He is an exponent of the Benares Gharana school of Hindustani classical music He was formerly a lecturer and the Head of the Music Department at the Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi. At the age of eight, he started learning the sitar.
As a youth he played with Ravi Shankar and turned down the opportunity to study with him.
This was followed by a gold medal at the All India Music Conference in Calcutta in 1967. Mr. Mishra has played at several prestigious music festivals including Sangeet Natak Academy in 1993.
He has played many times in Ganga Mahotsav Cultural Program organized by the government of Uttar Pradesh. He has played Sitar with great Master Padmabhushan Late Pint
Samta Prasad, Padmashri Pt.Kishan Maharaj, Late Pint
Nanhku Maharaj, Pt.Lachhu Maharaj (Tabla Players) and also Sarod player Aashish Khan. He is a prominent "A" class Artist in All India Radio and television He has shown his art in many Indian movies also. Mr. Mishra has played Sitar in the Condolence Meeting of Late Prime Minister Mistress
Indira Gandhi, held at the Indian Embassy in Bonn, Germany at the occasion of assassination of Mistress
Gandhi. Mishra has toured extensively internationally including to Italy, Germany and the United States. The Academy aims to:
Establish a school for the teaching of Indian Classical music in the traditional Benaras Gharana style;
Provide scholarships to children to assist them in their learning of this musical style;
Create opportunities for students and young artists to develop their potential through study and performance;
Provide right livelihood for qualified and dedicated teachers.
The academy is notable for admitting non-Indian musicians including those from Europe and the United States of America.
Mr. Mishra is known for supporting social movements through his music
He has organized several charity events to support social organizations.
In January 2009 he organized a concert at his own academy in Varanasi as a tribute to the victims of 2008 Mumbai attacks. On 12 June 2012 Mr. Mishra organized another huge event to support Ganga Seva Abhiyanam’s fight to protect the purity and sanctity of the river Ganges. The event was organized at Shankaracharya ghat, Varanasi where 108 Sitar players played Raga Des along with 43 Tabla players which marked the end of 151 days of save Ganga campaign.