Chaitanya Kunte

A harmonium player, composer and researcher, Chaitanya Kunte has been receiving intensive training in harmonium from Dr. Arawind Thatte and in vocal music from Mohanrao Karve.

He is a graded artiste with All India Radio and has provided harmonium accompaniment with notable vocalists for commercial recordings and concerts.

Drawing inspiration from traditional compositions and from the work of more contemporary composers of Hindustani vocal music, Kunte has also experimented with composing in a wide variety of forms like khayal, tappa, tarana, chatarang, sadra, sargam-geet, thumri, dadra, and bhajan. He has explored raags and taals that are not commonly heard and has also composed thumris in Marathi. Kunte presents thematic concerts featuring his compositions.

Chaitanya Kunte has received a fellowship for his research pertaining to tappa, from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. He is currently appointed as visiting lecturer at Lalit Kala Kendra (Centre for Performing Arts), Pune University. Apart from his research in music, Kunte also has Master’s degrees in Indology and History and an M. Phil. degree in Archaeology.