The Music Lovers Group is to host an Indian classical mandolin concert, in association with the Indian Cultural Centre, on January 28 in Doha.

The concert by Maestro U Shrinivas will be held at the ICC auditorium as part of the Indian Republic Day celebrations. The concert begins at 7pm.

Shrinivas, who last visited Doha in April 2002, will perform a duet with his brother U Rajesh. They will be accompanied by Murugaboopathy on the Mridangam and Ramani on the Ghatam.

Shrinivas, born on February 28, 1969 in Palakol, in Andhra Pradesh, came to prominence not only for his playing but for his choice of instrument: an electric mandolin (the acoustic instrument is incapable of sustaining notes or producing the “slides” between notes necessary for Indian music). In recent years he has toured with John McLaughlin as part of the group Remember Shakti.

At the age of six Shrinivas picked up his father Satyanarayana’s mandolin. Upon realising the talent of his son, his father started teaching him whatever Carnatic music he knew. Satyanarayana’s guru, Rudraraju Subbaraju, realised the potential of Shrinivas and started teaching him.