Music Exponents MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Music Exponents - Download Free PDF
Last updated on Jun 16, 2025
Latest Music Exponents MCQ Objective Questions
Music Exponents Question 1:
Which of the following Indian tabla players was nominated for an Oscar in 1957?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 1 Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Pandit Chatur Lal.
Key Points
- Pandit Chatur Lal was a pioneering tabla maestro who introduced the tabla to Western audiences in the 1950s.
- He was nominated for an Oscar in 1957 for his work on the Canadian short film "A Chairy Tale".
- He is remembered for his significant contributions in bridging the gap between Indian classical music and Western audiences.
Additional Information
- Pandit Chatur Lal's contribution to Indian classical music and his groundbreaking work on the tabla is still celebrated in music circles worldwide.
- His nomination for the Oscar in 1957 highlighted the international recognition of Indian musicians during the 20th century.
- He remains an influential figure in the field of Indian classical percussion.
Music Exponents Question 2:
Pandit Ram Narayan was associated with which of the following instruments?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 2 Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Sarangi.
Key Points
- The sarangi is a bowed instrument that was made popular by Indian artist Pandit Ram Narayan as a solo performance instrument in Hindustani classical music.
- He also became the first sarangi performer to achieve fame on a global scale.
- The sarangi is played with a bow just like a violin, but in contrast to the violin, it is held vertically with the sound chamber below.
- It normally has three primary strings, with a fourth string serving as a drone occasionally.
- A solo concerto is a type of music in which an orchestra plays behind a single solo instrument that plays the melodic line.
- A solo concerto has three movements: a quick section, a slow section, and then another fast section.
Additional Information
Instrument | Famous instrumentalist of India |
---|---|
Flute Musicians |
Hariprasad Chaurasia |
Santoor Musicians | Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma |
Tabla | Ustad Zakir Hussain |
Sarod Musicians |
Amjad Ali Khan |
Shehnai Musicians |
Bismillah Khan |
Sitar Musicians | Pandit Ravi Shankar |
Sarangi Musicians | Pt. Ram Narayan |
Rudra Veena |
Ustad Asad Ali Khan |
Mridangam |
Ramnad V. Raghavan |
Ghatam | T. H. Vinayakram |
Music Exponents Question 3:
Bade Ghulam Ali Khan was a prominent singer of the ______ gharana.
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 3 Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Patiala
Key Points:Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan
- Indian Hindustani classical vocalist, from the Patiala Gharana.
- Patiala Gharana was founded in the mid to late 19th century by his great-grandfather Mian Kallu.
- His pen name: Sabrang
- He was awarded by
- Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1962)
- Sangeet Natak Akademi fellow (1967)
- Padma Bhushan Award (1962)
Additional Information: Rampur Sahaswan:
- Ustad Rashid Khan is an Indian classical musician in the Hindustani music tradition.
- He belongs to the Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana.
- Ustad Ghulam Mustafa Khan was an Indian classical musician in the Hindustani classical music tradition, belonging to the Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana.
- Ustad Inayat Hussain Khan (1849–1919) was an Indian classical vocalist and the founder of Rampur-Sahaswan Gharana.
The Bhendi Bazaar Gharana was founded around 1890 by brothers Chhajju Khan, Nazir Khan, and Khadim Hussain Khan in the Bhendi bazaar area of Mumbai
Music Exponents Question 4:
Who among the following is an exponent of the classical instrument, Santoor?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 4 Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Pandit Shivkumar Sharma.Key Points
- Pandit Shivkumar Sharma is an exponent of the classical instrument, Santoor.
- He is a renowned musician and composer who has contributed immensely to Indian classical music.
Additional Information
- The Santoor is a hammered dulcimer-like instrument that originated in Kashmir.
- It is played by striking the strings with a pair of light wooden mallets.
- Pandit Kumar Gandharva was known for his unconventional approach to classical music.
- He experimented with different genres and styles and was known for his innovative compositions.
- Pandit Bhimsen Joshi was a disciple of Sawai Gandharva and was known for his mastery over the Kirana Gharana style of music.
- He was awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, in 2008.
- Pandit Ravi Shankar was a sitar maestro who collaborated with numerous Western musicians and popularized Indian classical music in the West.
- He was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 1999.
Music Exponents Question 5:
Gangubai Hangal and Prabha Atre were exponents of the ________ Gharana.
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 5 Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Kirana
Key Points
- Gangubai Hangal and Prabha Atre were exponents of the Kirana Gharana.
- The Kirana Gharana is known for its focus on perfect intonation and the intricate use of microtones (shrutis).
- Gangubai Hangal was an Indian classical singer of the khyal genre of Hindustani classical music.
- Prabha Atre is also a renowned Indian classical vocalist from the same Gharana, known for her innovative approach and contributions to classical music.
Additional Information
- Other Gharanas
- Rampur Gharana is known for its mix of Dhrupad and Khayal styles.
- Jaipur Gharana is recognized for its intricate and complex singing style.
- The Mewati gharana is a Hindustani classical music apprenticeship tribe that was founded in the late 19th century by brothers Ghagge Nazir Khan and Wahid Khan of Indore.
- Key Exponents - Pandit Jasraj, Ustad Rais Khan, Mohd Shafi etc.
Top Music Exponents MCQ Objective Questions
Abdul Karim Khan was the exponent of which school of Hindustani Music?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 6 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Kirana Gharana.
Key Points
- Abdul Karim Khan was the founder of the Kirana Gharana of classical music.
- Kirana Gharana is one of the most prominent Indian classical khayal gharanas and is associated mostly with the perfect intonation of notes.
- The Gharana style was further evolved and was established as one of the important styles in modern Indian classical music in the late 19th /early 20th centuries by the musicians Abdul Karim Khan and Abdul Wahid Khan.
- The name of this school of music comes from Kirana or Kairana, a town and tehsil of Shamli District in Uttar Pradesh.
Additional Information
Gharana | Founder | Remark | Exponents |
---|---|---|---|
Gwalior Gharana | Ustad Naththan Pir Bakhsh |
This is the oldest among all the Khayal Gayaki (vocal) styles. The distinctive feature of this style of singing has been noted as its lucidity and simplicity. |
Bal Krishna BaIchal Karanjikar, Vishnu Digambar Paluskar, Pandit Omkarnath Thakur, Veena Sahasrabuddhe and Malini Rajurkar |
Benaras Gharana | Janaki Prasad |
The Benaras Gharana evolved as a result of the great lilting style of khayal singing known by Thumri singers of Benaras and Gaya. |
Rajan Mishra, Sajan Mishra, Girija Devi, and others. |
Agra Gharana | Haji Sujan Khan, Ustad Ghagghe Khuda Baksh | The Agra Gharana places great importance on developing forcefulness and deepness in the voice so that the notes are powerful and resonant. | Faiyyaz Khan, Latafat Hussein Khan, and Dinkar Kakini. |
Kirana Gharana | Abdul Karim Khan and Abdul Wahid Khan | The name of this school of music comes from Kirana or Kairana, a town and tehsil of Shamli District in Uttar Pradesh. | Hirabhai Barodekar, Begum Akhtar, Bhimsen Joshi, Gangubai Hangal, and Prabha Atre. |
Patiala Gharana | Ustad Fateh Ali Khan and Ustad Ali Baksh | Patiala Gharana is regarded as an offshoot of the Delhi Gharana. The Patiala Gharana is characterized by the use of greater rhythm play and by Layakari with the abundant use of Bols, particularly Bol-tans. | Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ajoy Chakravarti, Raza Ali Khan, Nirmala Deni, Naina Devi, Parveen Sultana, and others. |
Delhi Gharana | Mia Siddhar Khan Dhadi | The Delhi Gharana was represented by Tanras Khan and Shabbu Khan. The highlights of Delhi Gharana are pleasing vistaar and exquisite compositions. | Chand Khan, Nasir Ahmed Khan, Usman Khan, Iqbal Ahmed Khan, and Krishna Bisht. |
Mewati Gharana | Ghagge Nazir Khan. | The Mewati Gharana gives importance to developing the mood of the raga through the notes forming it and its style is Bhava Pradhan. It also gives equal importance to the meaning of the text. | Pandit Jasraj, Moti Ram, Mani Ram, Sanjeev Abhyankar, and others. |
Who among the following is known as ‘Sarod Samrat’ in Indian Classical Music?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 7 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Amjad Ali Khan.
Key Points
- Ustad Amjad Ali Khan-
- A distinguished maestro in the field of playing the sarod, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan is popularly known as the “Sarod Samrat“.
- He is the sixth generation sarod player in his family.
- He learned from his father Haafiz Ali Khan, who was a court musician in Gwalior up until Independence in 1947.
- He was awarded India's second-highest civilian honor Padma Vibhushan in 2001.
- The name sarod comes from the Persian ‘sarod’ meaning ‘melody’, alluding to its more melodic tone.
Additional Information
Instrument | Famous instrumentalist of India |
Tabla |
|
Violin |
|
Veena |
|
Which of the following pairs of musicians and their instruments is INCORRECT?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 8 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Pt. Ram Narayan - Sarod.Key Points
- Pandit Ram Narayan, an Indian musician, is renowned for his contribution to popularizing the sarangi as a solo concert instrument.
- He is a Hindustani classical musician known for his expertise in playing the sarangi, a bowed instrument with a skin-covered resonator.
- Born in 1927 in Amber village, Rajasthan, he played a pivotal role in elevating the sarangi's status as a solo classical instrument.
- Pandit Ram Narayan's efforts led to the recognition of the sarangi's potential for solo performances in the world of classical music.
Additional Information
Instrument | Related Personality |
---|---|
Santoor | Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, Bhajan Sopori |
Sarod | Amjad Ali Khan, Sharan Rani, Ali Akbar Khan, Buddhadev Dasgupta |
Sitar | Pt. Ravi Shankar, Anushka Shankar, Mushtaq Ali Khan, Ustad Vilayat Khan |
Sarangi | Shakoor Khan, Pt. Ram Narayan, Ustad Binda Khan |
Veena | Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, Emani Sankara Shastri |
Violin | MS Gopalakrishnan, M Chandrashekhar, N Rajam |
Guitar | Braj Bhushan Kabra |
Mandolin | U Srinivas |
Shehnai | Ustad Bismillah Khan, Ali Ahmad Hussain |
Flute | Hari Prasad Chaurasiya, Pannalal Ghosh |
Tabla | Zakir Hussain, Allah Rakha Khan, Pt. Krishan Maharaj |
Mrindagam | KV Prasad, SV Rajarao, Palghat Mani Iyer |
Kanjra | Puddukkoti Dakshinmurthi Pillai |
Ghatam | TH Vinayakaram, EM Subramaniam |
Pakhawaj | Totaram Sharma, Pt. Ayodhya Prasad, Gopal das |
Identify the INCORRECT pair.
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 9 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFCorrect Answer Ustad Vilayat Khan – SarodKey Points:
- Ustad Vilayat Khan was a prominent Sitar player.
- He was born on 28 August 1928 in Gouripur in East Bengal, now Bangladesh.
- He invented a new technique of playing Sitar with the left hand which lasts for longer consistency.
- He also invented many Ragas enriching Indian Music.
- Mogubai Kurdikar (15 July 1904 – 10 February 2001) was a renowned Indian classical vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana
Additional InformationImportant Instruments and Related Personalities:
Instruments | Related Personality |
Santoor | Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, Bhajan Sopori |
Sarod | Amjad Ali khan, Sharan Rani, Ali Akbar Khan, Buddhadev Dasgupta |
Sitar | Pt. Ravi Shankar, Anushka Shankar, Mushtaq Ali Khan,Ustad Vilayat Khan |
Sarangi | Shakoor Khan, Pt. Ram Narayan, Ustad Binda Khan |
Veena | Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, Emani Sankara Shastri |
Violin | MS Gopalakrishnan, M Chandrashekhar |
Guitar | Braj Bhushan Kabra |
Mandolin | U Srinivas |
Shehnai | Ustad Bismillah Khan, Ali Ahmad Hussain |
Flute | Hari Prasad Chaurasiya, Pannalal Ghosh |
Tabla | Zakir Hussain, Allah Rakha Khan, Pt. Krishan Maharaj |
Mrindagam | KV Prasad, SV Rajarao, Palghat Mani Iyer |
Kanjra | Puddukkoti Dakshinmurthi Pillai |
Ghatam | TH Vinayakaram, EM Subramaniam |
Pakhawaj | Totaram Sharma, Pt. Ayodhya Prasad, Gopal das |
The musician Sivamani is associated with which musical instrument?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 10 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Drums.
Key Points
- Sivamani, known by his stage name Drums Sivamani, is a renowned percussionist from India. He plays many instruments including drums, octoban, darbuka, udukai, ghatam, and kanjira.
- Over his career, he has performed in various stages and for different types of events, including the IPL Championships in 2008 and 2010.
- He has been associated with prominent musicians, like A.R. Rahman, and has performed for various compositions across film industries.
Additional Information
- List of Famous Musicians with Instruments:
- Santoor: Pt Shiv Kumar Sharma
- Sarod: Allauddin Khan,Amjad Ali Khan.
- Sitar: Pt Ravi Shankar, Budhaditya Mukherjee.
- Surbahar: Annapurna Devi, Sajjad Hussain.
- Rudra Veena: Asad Ali Khan, Zia Moin-ud-din Khan.
Which of the following pairs of musicians and their instruments is INCORRECT?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 11 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is K Vaidyanathan – Sitar.Key Points
- Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan was an Indian classical music violinist and music composer.
- Pandit Ram Narayan is a Hindustani classical musician who plays the bowed instrument, the sarangi.
- Ustad Vilayat Khan was an Indian classical sitar player.
- Ustad Bismillah Khan used to play Shehnai.
- Hence K Vaidyanathan – Sitar pairs of musicians and their instruments is INCORRECT.
Additional Information
- Ustad Bismillah Khan (1916 – 2006) (Real name is Qamaruddin Khan), was an Indian musician credited with popularizing the Shehnai.
- He was felicitated with several awards including:
- Padma Shri in 1961
- Padma Bhushan in 1968
- Padma Vibhushan in 1980
- Bharat Ratna in 2001
- Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan of the Agra Gharana composed bandishes in many ragas under the pen name Pran Piya.
- Ustad Vilayat Hussain Khan was born in 1895.
- Vilayat Khan received his early training in Hindustani classical music from his father Nathan Khan.
- Pundit Ram Narayan
- He is a Hindustani classical musician who plays the bowed instrument, the sarangi.
- He is credited with popularizing the sarangi as a solo classical instrument.
- He was born in 1927 in Amber village in Rajasthan.
An exponent of Hindustani classical music, Gangubai Hangal was an eminent singer to have hailed from the gharana of the Hindustani Khyal family.
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 12 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Kirana. Key Points
- Indian vocalist Gangubai Hangal specialized in the khayal style of Hindustani classical music.
- She hails from Karnataka and was renowned for her resonant voice.
- Hangal was a member of the Kirana gharana.
Additional Information
- Patiala:
- Mian Kallu, a sarangi player for the Jaipur durbar, founded the gharana somewhere between the middle and end of the 19th century.
- Agra:
- The Nauhar Bani is the ancestor of the Agra gharana, a school of Hindustani classical vocal music.
- Gwalior:
- One of the oldest Khyal Gharanas in Indian classical music is the Gwalior Gharana.
- The Mughal emperor Akbar's rule marked the beginning of the Gwalior Gharana's ascent.
Abdul Karim Khan and Abdul Wahid Khan were the founders of the ______ gharana.
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 13 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Kirana.
Key Points
- Kirana Gharana is one of Hindustan's most prolific Khayal Gharana.
- The name of this music school stems from Kirana or Kairana in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli region, which is also the hometown of stalwarts like Ustad Abdul Karim Khan and Ustad Abdul Waheed Khan who founded this Gharana.
- The Kirana style is primarily concerned with Swara, or individual notes, specifically precision tuning and note expression.
- Individual notes of the raga are regarded as autonomous domains of music capable of horizontal growth in the Kirana Gayaki, not merely random positions in the scale.
- It is regarded as the best in terms of a note or Swara intonation
- The major emphasis of the Kirana style is Swara, namely exact tuning and note expression.
- There were four schools or vanis of singing the dhrupad.
Additional Information
Gharana | Origin | Notable Musicians | Vocal Style |
---|---|---|---|
Jaipur-Atrauli | Jaipur, Rajasthan |
Mallikarjun Mansur, Kishori Amonkar, Ulhas Kashalkar, Alladiya Khan |
Laykari-oriented, with emphasis on complex rhythm patterns and Sargam improvisation |
Gwalior | Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh | Tansen, Kumar Gandharva | Dhrupad-based, emphasis on precise intonation and the use of microtones |
Agra | Agra, Uttar Pradesh | Faiyaz Khan, Khadim Hussain Khan, Siddheshwari Devi | Khayal-based, emphasis on lyrical expression and intricate ornamentation |
Who among the following is related to the musical instrument Santoor?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 14 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Pandit Shivkumar Sharma.
Key Points
- Pandit Shivkumar Sharma was an Indian famous classical musician, who attained international fame by playing the musical instrument, the santoor.
- The Santoor is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer often made of walnut wood and has 72 strings, which are struck with two delicate carved wooden mallets.
- The santoor is essentially a folk instrument that originated in the Kashmir Valley, and it achieved the status of a classical instrument due to the persistent efforts and genius of Pandit Shivkumar Sharma.
- With his hard work, determination and talent, Pandit Shivkumar Sharma made the santoor a global name.
Additional Information
Pandit Ravishankar Prasad | Indian sitarist and composer |
Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia | Indian music director and classical flautist |
Pandit Jasraj | Indian classical vocalist, belonging to the Mewati Gharana |
Shahid Parvez Khan, Budhaditya Mukherjee and Anoushka Shankar are associated with which of the following musical instruments?
Answer (Detailed Solution Below)
Music Exponents Question 15 Detailed Solution
Download Solution PDFThe correct answer is Sitar.Key Points
Instrument | Associated Persona(s) |
---|---|
Been (also known as Bin or Rudra Veena) | Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar, Ustad Asad Ali Khan, Ustad Bande Ali Khan |
Santoor | Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, Bhajan Sopori, Rahul Sharma |
Sitar | Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Anoushka Shankar, Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan, Shahid Parvez Khan, Budhaditya Mukherjee |
Sarod | Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Amaan Ali Bangash, Ayaan Ali Bangash, Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan, Ustad Bahadur Khan |