Headlining Performers
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Hariprasad Chaurasia
Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia is an internationally renowned exponent of the bansuri. By the age of fifteen, he was studying classical vocal music from Pandit Raja Ram of Benares but changed his focus to playing the flute after hearing a recital by Pandit Bholanath. Chaurasia is considered to be one of India’s most-respected classical musicians; earning him several prestigious awards and honours – which included the Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Natak Academy Award, National Eminence, the title ‘Officer in the Order of Orange-Nassau’ by the Dutch Royal family at Amsterdam, Knight in the Order of Arts and Letters by Ministry of Culture of the Republic of France, amongst many others. He serves as the artistic director of the World Music Department at the Rotterdam Music Conservatory in the Netherlands.
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Jasraj
Pandit Jasraj is an iconic classical vocalist from India, and exponent of the Mewati Gharana. He was first introduced to music by his father Pandit Motiram. Jasraj continued his training under the guidance of his brothers Pandit Maniram and Pandit Pratap Narayan, after his father’s passing, and also trained under Maharaja Jaiwant Singh Waghela of Sanand during later years. He has performed at numerous shows in India and abroad. Jasraj is a recipient of the Padma Shree, Padma Bhushan, Padma Vibhusan, Sangeet Natak Academy Award, ITC Sangeet Research Academy Award, Global Indian Music Award (GIMA), amongst many others.
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Kaivalyakumar
Pandit Kaivalyakumar is a distinguished classical vocalist from India, an exponent of the third generation of the Kirana Gharana. His grandfather Pandit Ganapatrao Gurav was one of the first disciples of Ustad Abdul Karim Khan, the founder of the Gharana. Training under Pandit Ganapatrao Gurav and Pandit Sangameshwar; Kaivalyakumar's father and guru, Pandit Sangmeshwar Gurav, is a doyen renowned for practicing true forms of the Kirana tradition. Gifted with a naturally high pitched, mellifluous voice; Kaivalyakumar’s rendition of raagas are marked by his natural approach and rhythm. Kaivalyakumar has performed at prestigious festivals in India and abroad. He is a recipient of the Suryadatta National Award, Bharatratna Pt. Bhimsen Joshi National Award, Hubbali Dharwad Dharohar Purskar, Kumar Gandharva Purskar, Karnatak State Government Award, Raza Foundation Award, amongst many others. Kaivalyakumar is a trustee of Kalanubhava Charitable Trust and has also established a Kalanubhava Academy in Pune.
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Kala Ramnath
Kala Ramnath is a distinguished violinist from India, an exponent of the Mewati gharana. She began her training under the guidance of her grandfather, Vidwan A Narayan Iyer and went on to become a disciple of the legendary vocalist Pandit Jasraj. During this mentorship Ramnath revolutionised the violin technique and produced a sound so unique, evocative and akin to classical Indian vocal music that today her style is best known as the ‘Singing Violin’. Ramnath stands amongst one of the best instrumentalists in the world. She has performed at prestigious shows in India and abroad. Her music has also been featured in many Hollywood films, including the Oscar nominated ‘Blood Diamond’. Ramnath is a recipient of many awards, most notably the Rashtriya Kumar Gandharva Sanman, Pandit Jasraj Gaurav Puraskar, Sur Ratna and a Grammy nomination.
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Kalyanjit Das
Kalyanjit Das is a notable sitarist from India, an exponent of the Senia Maihar Gharana. He represents the fourth generation of musicians from his family – he is the great-grandson of Late Bimal Chandra Das, grandson of Late Sailen Das, and son of sitar maestro Pandit Kushal Das. Das trained under the guidance of his father and Pandit Sanjoy Bandopadhyay. He also trained in the disciplines of classical vocals under his mother Sujata Das and Ustad Rashid Khan. His other mentors include Biplab Bhattacharya, Pandit Subhankar Banerjee, and Pandit Shankar Ghosh. Das has performed at shows in India and abroad. He is a recipient of the Jnana Pravaha Scholarship in 2012, 1st Prize in All India Radio Music Competition in 2013, Ravi Koppikar Memorial Award, and National Scholarship by the Government of India in 2014.
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Kushal Das
Kushal Das is a noted North-Indian sitar and surbahar artist. He was born into a family of musicians in Kolkata – his grandfather, Bimal Chandra Das, was a renowned esraj player and his father, Sailen Das, and uncle, Santanu Das, are also highly reputed sitar players. Das began his training under the guidance of his uncle and father. He later continued his formal training from Pandit Ajoy Sinha Roy, Pandit Manas Chakraborty, Pandit Ramkrishna Basu and Pandit Sanjoy Banerjee. Das has a profound knowledge of music and raga improvisation and is a recipient of the Sangeet Visharad (Gold Medal) from Pracheen Kala Kendra of Chandigarh and Sur-Mani Award from Sur-Singar-Samsad of Mumbai. He participated in most of the major music festivals in India and has toured overseas. Das is a Guru at the Bengal Parampara Sangeetalay in Dhaka.
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L Subramaniam
Dr. L Subramaniam is an internationally acclaimed violinist from India. He began his training under the guidance of his father Professor V Lakshminarayana and today, apart from a successful career as a renowned performer, Subramaniam is also known as a composer and conductor – he has written music for orchestras, ballets, as well as Hollywood films. He has toured extensively in India and abroad, and has accompanied numerous artists including K V Narayaswamy, Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer,Dr. Balamurali Krishna, amongst many others. Subramaniam’s contribution to music is acknowledged through a sea of awards. He is a recipient of Padma Shri; Padma Bhushan; a Grammy Nomination; D. Litt. Honoris Causa of ITM University; Lifetime Achievement Award, Limca Book of Records; GIMA (Best Carnatic Instrumental Album – Innovations), Global Indian Music Academy; Uttam Vag Geykar Jialal Vasant Award, Big Star IMA Award; Honorary Doctorate, Bangalore University; Creative Music Award, Sangeet Natak Akademi; Best Western Instrumentalist, IIT Madras; President's Award for Best Violinist, All India Radio; to name a few.
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Mysore Manjunath
Dr. Mysore Manjunath is a renowned violinist from India. He is the son and disciple of Prof. S Mahadevappa. Dr. Manjunath has extensively toured in India and abroad. He was the first Indian violinist to be invited to perform at the prestigious International Violin Conference held in Sandiego, and Persian Academy in The Islamic Republic of Iran. He is a recipient of the Sangeet Natak Academy Award and Rajyothsava Award, amongst numerous others.