Feb 15 2025 to Feb 15 2025 7 p.m.

Where

Bangalore International Centre

7 4th Main Rd, Stage 2, Domlur 560071

Event Description

Hindustani (North Indian Classical) Music is a 2,000 year-old tradition that has thrived despite the onslaught of invasions and uprisings – while constantly evolving into new forms. ‘Khayal’, meaning ‘Imagination’, is the art of improvising and elevating content, with the classical compositions as a core.

Ashwin, Abhay and Gaurav will take you on a time-lapsed journey to and through Hindustani music in its various forms, while pulling back the curtain and providing context through the imagery of this timeless tradition.

Supported by:

Performers
Ashwin Baliga
Vocals

Ashwin began his Hindustani Classical vocal music journey in California under Mahesh Kale, and trained with him for several years. Thereafter, Ashwin started learning from Pt. Milind Chittal of Kirana Gharana – and is now one of his senior disciples. Ashwin has performed at multiple venues across the US as well as in India. Some of the notable performances  include Washington DC South Asian Classical Music Festival, Bethesda, Maryland (USA); Shaktidham Ashram, Kinnigoli (India); All America Kannada Convention, Richmond, Virginia (USA); India Music Experience, Bengaluru (India).

He aims to extend the reach of classical music by integrating translation displays and contextual explanations into his performances and by rendering pieces across multiple Indian languages (Brij Bhasha, Hindi, Kannada, Konkani, Marathi). While Ashwin has had a lifelong propensity toward music, he was an engineering executive for most of his adult life and only recently almost entirely left the tech field to dedicate his life to his art.
Abhay Kulkarni
Tabla

Abhay Kulkarni started learning tabla at the young age of 4 and a half, under the tutelage of his father Pt. Amrutesh Kulkarni, and later trained under Pt. Dr. Satish Hampiholi, in Bengaluru, India. He was awarded the ‘Baala Prathibhe’ award in the year 2009, the ‘Karnataka Kalaashri’ by Govt. of Karnataka, India and the ‘Prathiba Puraskaara’ by Sadguru Music Academy.

He has performed at prestigious events in India and the US including All India Radio annual Festival and Baroda Music Festival to name a few and accompanied luminaries such as Anupama Bhagwat & Alif Laila (Sitar) , Abir Hossain (Sarod), Phil Scarff (Jazz Saxophone) and many more. A highlight of his career has been performing with two large ensembles – a 15 sitar Ensemble at Washington DC Music Fest and at Shatha Tabla Ustav – an an ensemble of 100 tablas organized by guru Dr. Satish Hampiholi.
Gaurav Gadiyar
Harmonium

Gaurav started his musical journey at the age of 6 by learning from Mangalamba Hegde, and subsequently became a student of Pandit Venkatesh Alkod – from whom he has been learning for the past 12 years.

Gaurav has performed at prestigious venues like IIT Madras, Bengaluru Ganesh Utsava, Gadag Punyashrama and has accompanied acclaimed artists like Pt. Jayateerth Mevundi, Pandit Uttam Chiguri, Pt. Upendra Bhat, Sri Ananth Bhagwat, Sri Shankar Shanbhogue and his guru Pt. Venkatesh Alkod at various programs.