Krishna Ballesh is from a family of shehnai players which began playing in the 1600s. He was born in Bailoor, near M.K.Hubli (Belgaum district) in Karnataka, and he received initial training from his grandfather Shehnai Vidhwan, late Pandit Sanna Bharamanna, He continued under his father, a player in south Indian film music “Shehnai Chakravathy", Pandit S. Ballesh, a famous shehnai player of southern India and disciple of "Bharat Ratna" Ustad Bismillah Khan who is known as Dakshin Bharat Bismillah Khan.
At the age of 7, he started his musical training, and learnt Hindustani vocal Kirana gharana from Late Pandit Dr. DP. Hiremath of M.K Hubli. When he was 10, he started learning Gwalior gharana and bhajans from Gadag Pandit Puttaraja Gawai, and started giving performances in sangit sabhas. His greatest inspiration during childhood had been his father's Patiala gharana singing style. He had further training from the Asthan Vidhwan of Hyderabad Nizam's Court , Maharashtra Maha Pandit Sri. Kodhanda Singh Salunke Maharaj and Pandit Sri. Prakash Singh Salunke (Pune). There he was trained in classical Hindustani music, ghazals and thumri.
At first, he performed shehnai recitals in Chennai in the august presence of Ustad Bismillah Khan, along with his father Pandit S. Ballesh to get his blessings. After receiving showers of blessings, Ustad Bismillah Khan took him to Benaras for training, after which Krishna Ballesh became the (Shishya) disciple of the Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan. He was trained by Khan Saheb in Varanasi for many years, and during daily shehnai practice sessions, Khan's younger son Ustad Nazim Hussain would accompany them on tabla. He learnt Benarasi Gharana shehnai Khayal Gayaki ang, Thumari ang, Dhun and Kajri. He has accompanied Bismillah Khan in Ganga Mahostav in Varnasi. Krishna Ballesh refined his Shehnai skills and mastery under Khan's guidance.He gave his first public appearance accompanying his father Ballesh, at the age of 12years in Sitar Maestro Late Ustad Ahmed Hussain Khan Music Circle in Chennai and started his music career.
Krishna Ballesh has accompanied his father for past several years, and has given several solo performances in Sangit Sabhas in India and abroad. He has also performed for various cultural events. In Chennai, at the Ganayogi Panchakshari Gavayi Sangeet Sammellan, Krishna performed with his Maternal Uncle Surmani Samrat and Karnataka Rajostav Puraskar Awardee Violinist, Dilruba and Thar-Shehnai Player Pandit Veerashwar Madri for a Shehnai and Dilruba Jugalbandi, thereby captivating the listeners with the Shehnai Gayaki Ang, taankari and tone.
Krishna Ballesh is presently working as a professor in the Tansen Academy Of Music School, Chennai as Head Of Dept. He is Co-Founder of Ustad Bismillah Khan Shehnai Prathisthan Trust.
At the age of 7, he started his musical training, and learnt Hindustani vocal Kirana gharana from Late Pandit Dr. DP. Hiremath of M.K Hubli. When he was 10, he started learning Gwalior gharana and bhajans from Gadag Pandit Puttaraja Gawai, and started giving performances in sangit sabhas. His greatest inspiration during childhood had been his father's Patiala gharana singing style. He had further training from the Asthan Vidhwan of Hyderabad Nizam's Court , Maharashtra Maha Pandit Sri. Kodhanda Singh Salunke Maharaj and Pandit Sri. Prakash Singh Salunke (Pune). There he was trained in classical Hindustani music, ghazals and thumri.
At first, he performed shehnai recitals in Chennai in the august presence of Ustad Bismillah Khan, along with his father Pandit S. Ballesh to get his blessings. After receiving showers of blessings, Ustad Bismillah Khan took him to Benaras for training, after which Krishna Ballesh became the (Shishya) disciple of the Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan. He was trained by Khan Saheb in Varanasi for many years, and during daily shehnai practice sessions, Khan's younger son Ustad Nazim Hussain would accompany them on tabla. He learnt Benarasi Gharana shehnai Khayal Gayaki ang, Thumari ang, Dhun and Kajri. He has accompanied Bismillah Khan in Ganga Mahostav in Varnasi. Krishna Ballesh refined his Shehnai skills and mastery under Khan's guidance.He gave his first public appearance accompanying his father Ballesh, at the age of 12years in Sitar Maestro Late Ustad Ahmed Hussain Khan Music Circle in Chennai and started his music career.
Krishna Ballesh has accompanied his father for past several years, and has given several solo performances in Sangit Sabhas in India and abroad. He has also performed for various cultural events. In Chennai, at the Ganayogi Panchakshari Gavayi Sangeet Sammellan, Krishna performed with his Maternal Uncle Surmani Samrat and Karnataka Rajostav Puraskar Awardee Violinist, Dilruba and Thar-Shehnai Player Pandit Veerashwar Madri for a Shehnai and Dilruba Jugalbandi, thereby captivating the listeners with the Shehnai Gayaki Ang, taankari and tone.
Krishna Ballesh is presently working as a professor in the Tansen Academy Of Music School, Chennai as Head Of Dept. He is Co-Founder of Ustad Bismillah Khan Shehnai Prathisthan Trust.