Past Festivals

Shubhangi Sakhalkar performs at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival on May 19, 2018. Accompanied by Ravi Gutala and Vivek Datar.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Shubhangi Sakhalkar is one of the founders of the Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival. Shubhangi brings a brilliant pedigree to her music from the early years of tutelage from Mrs. Kunda Vaishampayan, followed by the devoted learning from the renowned artists, Dr. Prabha Atre and her present guru Smt. Padma Talwalkar and years of ardent "riyaaz". She has performed in several musical circles and events in India and has accompanied her guru in concerts all over the country, including the highly regarded Savai Gandharva music festival.

A gold medallist with an M.A. degree in Hindustani classical music, Shubhangi believes in sharing the knowledge and raising the awareness of Indian Classical music by teaching her students for whom she is an inspiring mentor. She hopes for the Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival to provide opportunities to young artists in North America and to promote Hindustani Classical music appreciation throughout the world.

Ravi Gutala

Ravi was initiated at a very early age into Tabla by Shri P.Anjaiah, in Hyderabad, India and has been studying Tabla under Maestro Swapan Chaudhuri at Ali Akbar College since 1990. He has been teaching Tabla in South Bay for the past 20 years.

Ravi was recipient of All India National Talent Search Scholarship and was a regular performer at AIR, Hyderabad. He has accompanied many noted artistes such as, Pt.Jasraj, Dr Balamurali Krishna, Smt.Lakshmi Shankar, Dr.L.Subramaniam, Shri Anup Jalota, Master Shashank etc. and has played on 14 CD recordings.

Ravi designs 3D IC chips for a living!

Vivek Datar

Vivek learnt art of harmonium solo and accompaniment from (late) Pt. Vinayakrao Kale, who was a Gwalior Gharana vocalist. Kalebua was a prolific composer, with more than 800 compositions of his own. Vivek has taught several of them to his disciples in bay area. Currently Vivek learns from Vidushi Seema Shirodkar as and when time permits. Seema hails from Mumbai, and is a disciple of Pandit Tulsidas Borkar.

Vivek has accompanied several noted artists such as Vidushi Veena Sahastrabuddhe, Vishushi Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, Vidushi Padma Talwalkar, Pt Arun Dravid, Pt Madhav Gudi. He has keen interest in tuning theory and applications. He co-created a unique changeable-reed harmonium with Hinge Brothers from Mumbai.

Vivek resides and teaches in the Bay Area.

Prasad Jogalekar performs at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival on May 19, 2018. Accompanied by Ravi Gutala.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Dr. Prasad Jogalekar, a computer engineer by the day and Sitar player by the night and weekends, draws his inspiration from music stalwarts in instrumental as well as vocal traditions. Prasad is very fortunate to be a disciple of Late Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan and Pandit Partha Chatterjee. He has also learnt nuances of Vilayatkhani style of sitar from Ustad Shahid Parvez. Earlier he learnt music from his parents and Smt. Phadke from Pune. In spite of playing Sitar at odd hours his family, students and neighbors still love him. He has played in many concerts, including some collaborations with the San Jose Chamber Orchestra and Sacramento Chamber Orchestra, and has done guest lectures in Sitar at Stanford, Mills College and UC Davis.

Ravi Gutala

Ravi was initiated at a very early age into Tabla by Shri P.Anjaiah, in Hyderabad, India and has been studying Tabla under Maestro Swapan Chaudhuri at Ali Akbar College since 1990. He has been teaching Tabla in South Bay for the past 20 years.

Ravi was recipient of All India National Talent Search Scholarship and was a regular performer at AIR, Hyderabad. He has accompanied many noted artistes such as, Pt.Jasraj, Dr Balamurali Krishna, Smt.Lakshmi Shankar, Dr.L.Subramaniam, Shri Anup Jalota, Master Shashank etc. and has played on 14 CD recordings.

Ravi designs 3D IC chips for a living!

Nachiketa Yakkundi performs at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, on May 19, 2018. Accompanied by Ravi Gutala and Vivek Datar. Rochan Yakkundi on vocal support.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Hailing from Dharwad, Nachiketa Yakkundi was initiated into Hindustani vocal music by his parents. His formal study began in Madras under Shri B. N. Simha and later under Shri B. Hanumantachar. His rigorous and extended pedagogy came under the virtuoso late Padmabhushan Pandit Basavraj Rajguru. Nachiketa has performed in several cities across India and North America. A resident of the San Francisco Bay Area, he runs the Rajguru Sangeet Vidyaniketan school of music.

Ravi Gutala

Ravi was initiated at a very early age into Tabla by Shri P.Anjaiah, in Hyderabad, India and has been studying Tabla under Maestro Swapan Chaudhuri at Ali Akbar College since 1990. He has been teaching Tabla in South Bay for the past 20 years.

Ravi was recipient of All India National Talent Search Scholarship and was a regular performer at AIR, Hyderabad. He has accompanied many noted artistes such as, Pt.Jasraj, Dr Balamurali Krishna, Smt.Lakshmi Shankar, Dr.L.Subramaniam, Shri Anup Jalota, Master Shashank etc. and has played on 14 CD recordings.

Ravi designs 3D IC chips for a living!

Vivek Datar

Vivek learnt art of harmonium solo and accompaniment from (late) Pt. Vinayakrao Kale, who was a Gwalior Gharana vocalist. Kalebua was a prolific composer, with more than 800 compositions of his own. Vivek has taught several of them to his disciples in bay area. Currently Vivek learns from Vidushi Seema Shirodkar as and when time permits. Seema hails from Mumbai, and is a disciple of Pandit Tulsidas Borkar.

Vivek has accompanied several noted artists such as Vidushi Veena Sahastrabuddhe, Vishushi Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, Vidushi Padma Talwalkar, Pt Arun Dravid, Pt Madhav Gudi. He has keen interest in tuning theory and applications. He co-created a unique changeable-reed harmonium with Hinge Brothers from Mumbai.

Vivek resides and teaches in the Bay Area.

Jayanti Deshmukh performs Raag Bhimpalas at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, May 19, 2018. Accompanied by Shripad Torvi and Prashant Phatak.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Jayanti Deshmukh has started her music at an early age of 5 under the guidance of her mother Smt. Anita Athavale (Disciple of Vidushi Padma Talwalkar). She mainly acquired training in the tradition of Jaipur Gharana. Currently she is under the guidance of Smt. Shubhangi Sakhalkar (Disciple of Dr Prabha Atre and Vidushi Padma Talwalkar).

Jayanti is also trained in semi classical and light music. She was amongst top 15 contestants all over USA at the semifinal held in Boston by BMM Saregama in 2013. She has performed in various house concerts, cultural festivals like Discover India organized by India Association of Phoenix & in religious organizations. Jayanti has completed “Sangeet Visharad” (graduate degree) in Indian Classical music with first rank from Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Mandal, Mumbai for which she was awarded with “Tarabai Dixit Memorable Award” by prestigious organization Dadar-Matunga Cultural Centre, Mumbai – India.

Shripad Torvi

Shripad Torvi was introduced to Tabla in early childhood by his uncle, vocalist Pt. Vinayak Torvi. His formal education began after coming to the US, where he learned from Shri. Abhinay Padhye for about 5 years. Shripad has accompanied many artists locally and visiting artists from India. He has been continuing his tabla lessons from Tabla Maestro Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri for the last 5 years.

Prashant Phatak

Prashant Phatak is a self taught harmonium player. He has accompanied many artists such as Shrimati Shubhangi Sakhalkar over the past 20 years. He is currently learning Hindustani vocal from Shrimati Sakhalkar.

Ashwini Khaparde performs at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival on May 19, 2018. Accompanied by Shripad Torvi and Vivek Datar.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Smt Ashwini Khaparde began her initiation of music at the age of 5 under the guidance of her father, Shri Shashikant Thombre. Subsequently, she learned from the eminent Dr. Usha Paarkhi of the Kirana Gharana. It was under her guidance that she passed Sangeet Alankar. She has continued to learn from Dr. Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. Ashwini combines the two gharanas easily and melodiously, bringing out the best of both gharanas.. Ashwini's large repertoire includes Marathi Natyasangeet, Abhanga and other semi classical forms. She has performed in India and the USA at various platforms. For the past 20 years Ashwini has been teaching classical music in the bay area through her organization Swarasadhana. She is very passionate about teaching.

Shripad Torvi

Shripad Torvi was introduced to Tabla in early childhood by his uncle, vocalist Pt. Vinayak Torvi. His formal education began after coming to the US, where he learned from Shri. Abhinay Padhye for about 5 years. Shripad has accompanied many artists locally and visiting artists from India. He has been continuing his tabla lessons from Tabla Maestro Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri for the last 5 years.

Vivek Datar

Vivek learnt art of harmonium solo and accompaniment from (late) Pt. Vinayakrao Kale, who was a Gwalior Gharana vocalist. Kalebua was a prolific composer, with more than 800 compositions of his own. Vivek has taught several of them to his disciples in bay area. Currently Vivek learns from Vidushi Seema Shirodkar as and when time permits. Seema hails from Mumbai, and is a disciple of Pandit Tulsidas Borkar. Vivek has accompanied several noted artists such as Vidushi Veena Sahastrabuddhe, Vishushi Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande, Vidushi Padma Talwalkar, Pt Arun Dravid, Pt Madhav Gudi. He has keen interest in tuning theory and applications. He co-created a unique changeable-reed harmonium with Hinge Brothers from Mumbai. Vivek resides and teaches in the Bay Area.

Rohan Joshi performs Raag Todi at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, May 19, 2018. Accompanied by Rahul Joshi.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Rohan has been learning Harmonium for last 9 yrs from Guru Vivek Datar, disciple of Sri Vinayakrao Kale of the Gwalior Gharana. Rohan also learns sitar from his guru Dr. Prasad Jogalekar, disciple of Sitar Maestro Ustad Abdul Halim Jaffer Khan. He has accompanied various artists in the Bay Area on the harmonium. Rohan is currently a freshman at UC Berkeley.

Rahul Joshi

Rahul Joshi just completed his second year at UC Berkeley. He is majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology. He has learned Hindustani classical vocal from Smt. Shubhangi Sakhalkar. He has also learned table from Shri Ravi Gutala and Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri.

Ranjita Swamy performs Raag Lalit at the 2018 Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival. Accompanied by Prashant Phatak on harmonium and Shripad Torvi on tabla.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Ranjita Swamy started her Hindustani classical vocal training at the age of 5 from Pt. K.S.Naik in Bangalore. Her Guruji laid a very firm foundation for her advanced training in the later years. In high school, she continued training from Pt. Veerabhadraiah Hiremath of Gadag, based in Mysore. She continued her training in Bangalore after her graduation, from Pt.Indudhar Nirody ji.

After moving to Bay Area, she took music lessons from Smt. Jayanti Sahasrabuddhe ji for a brief period. 

Currently, she is training under Smt. Shubhangi Sakhalkar ji who is one of the most sought after teachers and performers in the Bay Area. She feels very blessed and fortunate to be able to receive her constant guidance and direction at each step of my musical journey. 

She works as a computer engineer for a living.

Prashant Phatak

Prashant Phatak is a self taught harmonium player. He has accompanied many artists such as Shrimati Shubhangi Sakhalkar over the past 20 years. He is currently learning Hindustani vocal from Shrimati Sakhalkar.

Shripad Torvi

Shripad Torvi was introduced to Tabla in early childhood by his uncle, vocalist Pt. Vinayak Torvi. His formal education began after coming to the US, where he learned from Shri. Abhinay Padhye for about 5 years. Shripad has accompanied many artists locally and visiting artists from India. He has been continuing his tabla lessons from Tabla Maestro Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri for the last 5 years.