Past Festivals

Shubhangi Sakhalkar performs Raag Marwa and Raag Kalavati at the Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival on October 8th, 2022. Accompanied by Ravi Gutala and Vivek Datar. Tanpura by Arabhi Sundararajan and Ranjita Swamy.

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.

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.

Shishir Rao performs Raag Yaman at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, October 8th, 2022. Accompanied by Ravi Gutala and Vivek Data.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Shishir Rao has been studying Khayal under Sri. Nachiketa Yakkundi (vocals) and Sri. Vivek Datar (harmonium) for the past 20 years. In addition to performing, he hosts OxKala, a podcast focusing on traditional arts sponsored by University of Oxford's South Asian Arts Society. Shishir is currently pursuing doctoral studies in Oxford.

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.

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.

Visham Pathak at Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival, October 8th, 2022. Accompanied by Tanmay Bichu.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Visham has been learning sitar since the age of 7 from Dr. Prasad Joglekar and from Pt. Partha Chaterjee for the last 3 years. Additionally, Visham has been learning Hindustani Vocals since the age of 7. Visham also received the AACM scholarship to learn from Ustad Alam Khan. Visham has performed and won many competitions and is an Indian Raga Fellow.

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.

Bruce Hamm performs Raag Bhimpalasi at the Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival on October 8th, 2022. Accompanied by Ravi Gutala.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Bruce Hamm is a gandabandha shishya of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan. He has performed on sarod all over the world and has played onstage with his Guru. He has played with many of India's leading tabla players, including Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. He is a respected teacher in the Bay Area.

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.

Krishna Veni Mellachervu performs Raag Shuddha Sarang at the Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival on October 8th, 2022. Accompanied by Prashant Phatak and Shripad Torvi.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Krishna Mellachervu started learning Hindustani classical music at an age of 10 yrs from Smt Sumitra Bhattacharya in Ranchi, India. As a kid she participated and won in several competitions and was also selected as a child artist to perform in AIR under classical music category. After coming to US she learnt music from Sri Sandeep Ranade for 4 years. She has been learning from Smt Shubhangi Sakhalkar since 2018.

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.

Arush Joshi performs a tabla solo in Teen Taal at the Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival on October 8th, 2022.

Arush is a rising junior at the University of Washington Seattle. He has learned tabla for the past 12 years from gurus Shri Shripad Torvi and Padmashree Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. He has performed with budding instrumentalists and vocalists in the Bay Area.

Achyut Joshi performs Raag Alhaiya Bilawal at the Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival on October 8th, 2022. Accompanied by Shripad Torvi and Vivek Datar.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Achyut Joshi is a Hindustani vocalist of the Jaipur-Atrauli gharana. Raised in New York, he learns khayal from Pt. Raghunandan Panshikar and thumri/dadra from Vidushi Subhra Guha of the Agra Gharana. He has also learned from Smt. Shubhangi 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.

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.

Preeti Tamhankar performs Raag Charukeshi at the Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival on October 8th, 2022. Accompanied by Manoj Tamhankar and Tanmay Bichu.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Preeti Tamhankar started learning singing from her parents, and then was lucky to learn from Vidushi Veena Sahasrabuddhe. She then was blessed with the opportunity to learn from Pt. Vijay Koparkar, and has been learning for the past 12 years. She also learns Kathak under the guidance of Smt. Anuradha Nag. Preeti is a recent graduate from UCLA and currently works as a UX Designer for a startup.

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.

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.

Devangi Vivrekar performs Raag Bhatiyar at the Ustad Amir Khan Music Festival on October 8th, 2022. Accompanied by Prashant Phatak and Shripad Torvi. Tanpura by Janaki Vivrekar.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Devangi Vivrekar is a Hindustani classical vocalist from San Jose, California. She began her training at the age of 8 under Smt. Anupama Chandatreya, and has continued under the tutelage of Smt. Shubhangi Sakhalkar since the age of 10. As a young artist, she won several Bay Area music competitions, and she has performed at several events in the U.S.

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.