Biography
Saskia Rao de Haas introduces a new sound in the world of Indian classical music. A brilliant cellist from the Netherlands, she has modified the cello to perform north Indian classical music. With a strong foundation in western classical and Indian classical music, and no precedent to follow, Saskia has worked with singular dedication to adapt the cello to Indian classical music. Her playing style enables her to bring out both the subtleties and embellishments characteristic of north Indian classical music. She has incorporated new techniques that allow her to nurture the inherent closeness of the cello to the human voice and further explore the brilliance of her instrument.
Saskia is based in Delhi with her husband Shubhendra Rao, well-known sitarist of the Maihar gharana. They compose and play together pieces that are based purely on Indian classical ragas as well as compositions in which their different musical backgrounds are explored.
Biography text from Last.fm, available under CC BY-SA.