North India?s violinist Pandit D. K. Datar wil perform North Indian classical music in a concert with percussionist Aneesh Pradhan April 28. The event is sponsored by the Vivek Wagle Foundation in cooperation with the Sacramento State Department of Music and the World Music Club.

Datar combines classical music with Ragas, a traditional, melodic type of Hindu music that expresses an aspect of religious feeling and sets forth a tonal system on which variations are improvised within a prescribed framework of typical progressions, melodic formulas, and rhythmic patterns.

Datar is fluent in thumaris, the most classical of the light Indian musical forms, and bhajans, songs of praise, adoration, and devotion to God.

“His style is extremely uncommon,” said James Chopyak, a Sac State ethnomusicologist. “The violin is not usually played in the North, so we are very fortunate to be able to host this event.”

Datar has trained with Pandit Vighneshwar Shastri, musicologist Professor B.R. Deodhar and Indian vocalist Pandit D. V. Paluskar, who introduced Datar to gayaki, an Indian vocal style. Datar adapted this style to his violin, creating his original style of music.

He has received many awards, including the Sangeet Natak Academy Award in 1996 and the Maharashtra Government Award in 1998, and has taught at Bombay University and Khairaghar University.

Datar has toured around the world, with performances in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, Iceland, Japan, United Arab Emirates and countries of South East Asia.

Pradhan plays a percussion instrument called the tabla, a hybridized drum that is used heavily in Indian music, and is noted as one of the most multitalented players in India.

The performance begins at 5 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall in Capistrano Hall. Tickets are $15 for general admission and $8 for students. Advance tickets are available through the Central Ticket Office at (916) 278-4323.