Past Festivals

Madhuvanti Bhide at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, June 1, 2019. Accompanied by Tanmay Bichu and Manoj Tamhankar.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Hindustani Classical Vocalist Madhuvanti Bhide got a solid training for about 9 years from her Gurus, Dr. Alka Deo Marulkar and Alkatai's father Late Pt. Rajabhao Deo. She obtained her Bachelor of Performing Arts from Lalit Kala Kendra, Pune University. She also received the prestigious Scholarship from the Govt. of India. Madhuvanti has received Sangeet Visharad from Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, Pune.

Along with many awards, she was awarded the Gandharva Award at the Ayurvedic Association of Professionals in North America.

Madhuvanti's golden voice and poignant rendering is a powerful combination that captivates the audience wherever she performs. Resident of the Bay Area, Madhuvanti has given stellar performances throughout North America, India, and Singapore, and continues to do so. Madhuvanti has two published albums "Arpan", and "Ase Sur Gave". She enjoys and performs semi classical, Hindi/Marathi light music. Madhuvanti enjoys training students of all ages. She continues to learn from her Guru, Dr. Alka Deo Marulkar.

Tanmay Bichu

Tanmay Bichu began learning tabla since the age of 6, under Shree Manohar Pimpalaskar. He has been taking advanced training under Pt. Ramdas Palsule for more than 10 years and is now learning under Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri at the Ali Akbar College of Music. He has performed several Tabla solos in India and the US and is a sought after accompanist for all formats of Indian Classical Music - vocal, instrumental and dance.

Manoj Tamhankar

Manoj Tamhankar learnt basics of Harmonium playing from Shri Haribaba Khare of Guhagar in Konkan region of Maharashtra. For the last 20+ years, he has accompanied many artists from the Bay Area as well as had opportunities to accompany visiting well known artists from India such as Vidushi late Dr. Veena Sahasrabuddhe, Pandit Vijay Koparkar, Pandita Shalmali Joshi, Pandita Shubhada Paradkar, Dr. Alka Deo Marulkar, Vidushi Arti Ankalikar et al. He has a keen interest in composing music and has 2 albums published to his music credit and has provided music to numerous shows as well. Along with his wife Archana, he also teaches Hindustani Classical music to the younger generation of the Bay Area.

Prasad Bhandarkar at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, June 1, 2019. Accompanied by Vikas Yendluri.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Prasad Bhandarkar started learning Hindustani music when he was 8 years old. He was initiated into classical music by his mother. Prasad got his initial training on Harmonium and Hindustani vocal music.

During his engineering college years, Prasad wanted to learn a solo performing instrument and happened to attend a concert by the renowned maestro Padma Vibhushan Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia in Gunidaas Sammelan in Mumbai. The simplicity of the Bansuri flute and Hariji's playing style really appealed to him. Soon he started learning Bansuri from Shri Anantrao Patwardhan of Mumbai. In 1988, he was fortunate to become student of Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia. Prasad derives strong influence from Pandit Chaurasia’s emotional and soulful style of playing Bansuri. In recent years, Prasad has been learning music from the noted Sitar player of Maihar Gharana, Pandit Partha Chatterjee who is one of the prominent disciples of the late Pandit Nikhil Banerjee. Partha-da perfectly combines the gayaki (vocal) and and tantrakari (string instrumental) styles in his music and Prasad finds this approach very attractive and replicable in Bansuri.

Vikas Yendluri

Vikas Yendluri is a tabla artist in the tradition of Punjab, and a disciple of Sri Arshad Syed since the age of 5. He has also been studying with Ustad Zakir Hussain. Vikas has accompanied some of the most illustrious artists of Indian classical music in concerts across the United States.

Vikram Shrowty at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, June 1, 2019. Accompanied by Tanmay Bichu on tabla.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Vikram Shrowty is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a student of Pandit Debashish Bhattacharya, the maestro of Hindustani slide guitar. He has also received training in the past from Smt. Sisirkana Dhar Chowdhury and currently from Pandit Parthapratim Chatterjee.

Tanmay Bichu

Tanmay Bichu began learning tabla since the age of 6, under Shree Manohar Pimpalaskar. He has been taking advanced training under Pt. Ramdas Palsule for more than 10 years and is now learning under Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri at the Ali Akbar College of Music. He has performed several Tabla solos in India and the US and is a sought after accompanist for all formats of Indian Classical Music - vocal, instrumental and dance.

Arabhi Sundararajan performs Raag Vrindavani Sarang at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, June 1, 2019. Accompanied by Shripad Torvi and Prashant Phatak.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Arabhi started learning Hindustani classical music at the age of 5 in Kanpur, India. She was initiated in classical music by her parents, who are ardent lovers of both Hindustani and Karnatik music. Arabhi got her initial training from Mrs. Snigdha Biswas (a senior disciple of Pandit Kashinath Shankar Bodas) and later from Pandit Kashinath Bodas himself. After moving to California in 2000, Arabhi has continued her advanced training under the guidance of Shrimati Shubhangi Sakhalkar. She has given solo performances at many platforms like LOTUS, ICC, Basant Bahar, Sangati Center, and Badarikashrama in the Bay Area.

Arabhi also gives music lessons to music enthusiasts of all ages, because she strongly believes in passing on her knowledge of pure classical music to the next generation and sharing her passion.

She is equally passionate about Mathematics, and is a faculty in the math department at De Anza.

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 Shubhangi Sakhalkar.

Anupama Chandratreya at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, June 1, 2019. Accompanied by Tanmay Bichu and Vivek Datar.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Anupama Chandratreya is a versatile vocalist in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her repertoire includes a wide variety of all Gayaki (singing) styles including Hindustani Classical, Light Indian vocal, Ghazal, Bhajan, Bhavgeet, and Folk music. Anupama was groomed at a young age in Hindustani Classical music by her mother Dr. Jyoti Dhamdheri, and received further training from Ustad Mohomad Hussein Khan and T.D. Janorikar. Renowned artist Smt. Veena Sahasrabudhe has also coached Anupama in refining her Hindustani vocal training.

After completing her Masters Degree in Hindustani Classical music and moving to the USA, Anupama continued with her training, riyaaz, and performing. She has performed in several music events and delighted audiences in India, USA, and Canada for over twenty years. Anupama established her own Saptak Music School in Cupertino to preserve, develop, and propagate Indian classical and traditional music. She has a large student base from all ages. Today she is recognized as a fine mentor, teacher, and artist who enriches and passes on the Hindustani music tradition and knowledge to her listeners and students.

Tanmay Bichu

Tanmay Bichu began learning tabla since the age of 6, under Shree Manohar Pimpalaskar. He has been taking advanced training under Pt. Ramdas Palsule for more than 10 years and is now learning under Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri at the Ali Akbar College of Music. He has performed several Tabla solos in India and the US and is a sought after accompanist for all formats of Indian Classical Music - vocal, instrumental and dance.

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.

Arjun Kshirsagar performs Raag Raageshri at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, June 1, 2019. Accompanied by Shripad Torvi.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Arjun is 17 years old and is a high school senior. He has been learning music since the age of 5. He began learning Hindustani Classical with Archana & Manoj Tamhankar and continues till date. Around the age of 11, under Manoj-jis tutelage Arjun started learning to play the harmonium. He started accompanying his class on the harmonium and has accompanied several artists by now. Around the same time Arjun expressed his desire to learn to play the sitar. He has been a student of Prasad Jogalekar-ji for the past 6 years and performs routinely.

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.

Roopak Phatak performs Raag Bhatiyar at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, June 1, 2019. Accompanied by Shripad Torvi and Prashant Phatak.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Roopak Phatak has been learning from Shubhangiji for the past 11 years. He has given short solo performances at Sunaad and Guru Poornima. He is a graduating senior at Lynbrook and will be attending UC Berkeley this fall. Outside of music and school, he enjoys running and watching basketball.

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 Shubhangi Sakhalkar.