AKASH (Sergey Antsupov)

The name AKASH was given to Sergey Antsupov by his teacher - world famous sarod player Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Sahib from Delhi. The name AKASH as a word has a number of meanings, some of which are related to space, the universe and ether, one of the world's primordial elements. Akash's Guru represents the legendary musical traditions of India - Senia Beenkar Gharana and Bangash gharana. Sarod was invented by the forefathers of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Sahib seven generations ago by modifying an Afghan traditional instrument - the rabab.

At the age of 6 AKASH was encouraged by his brother to take up guitar. As a teenager he became famous as jazz-rock and fusion guitar player. In 1980 he was recognized as the best guitar player, the best instrumental group leader and the best original composition author at National music competition of the year in Latvia. Yet a few months later AKASH gave up the guitar and started to learn new music and new instrument - sarod, known as one of the most difficult Indian classical music instruments.

Now more than 20 years passed in studying and performing improvisations based on North Indian classical music. This unique music is recognized as one of the world's deepest and most sophisticated classical musical systems, flowing from an unbroken line of tradition spanning over five millennia. There are two important axioms to this music as taught by Guru Ustad Amjad Ali Khan Sahib. The first is "Freedom in discipline" and the second, "Inner peace is paramount". These two are like lighthouses, guiding Akash in his journey through music .

"My music resounds because of my Guru's blessings and the contributions of people around me, especially my parents and my elder brother Alexander, but also the late Jivani Mikhailov, professor of Moscow Conservatory, the guitarist John McLaughlin, my wife Ludmila, my children as well as all of my friends." Akash adds: "If you practice for 10 years, you may begin to please yourself, after 20 years you may become a performer and please the audience, after 30 years you may please even your guru, but you must practice for many more years before you finally become a true artist -- then you may please even God."

At the Tartu Early Music Festival, AKASH will perform together with Rytis Kamičaitis, one of the best tabla players in the Baltics.