Sahnai - Shailesh Bhagwat
Tabla - Dibyarka Chatterjee
Harmonium - Srikar Ayyalasomayajula
Come join us at the Chhandayan Center for a performance of Hindustani music on the Sahnai by Shailesh Bhagwat. The performance will also be streamed live.
Shailesh Bhagwat
Pandit Shailesh Bhagwat is a venerated shehnai maestro and the most esteemed disciple of the legendary Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan Saheb. Born on 2nd June 1958 in Thane, Maharashtra, his musical odyssey began at the sacred Kopineshwar Mandir under the able guidance of Pandit Aurangabadkar. He further refined his art under the tutelage of the distinguished sitarist Pandit Maruti Patil.
For more than four decades, Pandit ji has meticulously honed the shehnai, imbuing it with the rich cultural and musical “sanskaar” bestowed by his revered Guru, Ustad Bismillah Khan Saheb, who honored him as his cultural heir and torchbearer. His performances are celebrated for their soulful expression and nuanced interpretation, achieved through the “gayaki ang” technique— a style that emulates the subtle inflections of the human voice.
His exceptional breath control and mastery over intricate ragas such as Shivamat-Bhairav, Shahana- Bahar, Hans-Narayan, Kirwani, Hanskinkini, and Meghranjani have earned him accolades from connoisseurs of Indian classical music. Moreover, his versatility shines through in his renditions of light classical forms including Natya Sangeet, Abhang, Bhajanbuing it with the rich cultural and musical “sanskaar” bestowed by his revered Guru, Ustad, Ghazals, and classical film tunes.
A humble and widely travelled artiste with simple habits, Pandit Shailesh Bhagwat is steadfast in his commitment to preserving both the spiritual essence and scientific integrity of classical music. Whether captivating audiences with enchanting recitals at prestigious venues across India or engaging in insightful lecture-demonstrations, his lifelong dedication continues to inspire a deep appreciation for the divine art of the shehnai.
Further attesting to his multifaceted expertise, he was awarded a fellowship by the Government of India to elucidate the physics of musical wind instruments—his pioneering thesis now resides in the Delhi Public Library Archives (Department of Culture). Additionally, he has been an empaneled artiste of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) since 2004.
Dibyarka Chatterjee
Dibyarka Chatterjee is a young and promising tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana. His natural inclination towards tabla became evident shortly after his birth, and at the age of five he was initiated by his illustrious father Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Since then he has been going through the rigorous discipline of lesson and practice.
Dibyarka was born in Kolkata (and spent the first 10 years of his life there), where he was already performing for the All-India Radio as a child prodigy. Shortly afterwards, he moved to the U.S. with his family, he was recognized for his talent by music lovers and tabla enthusiasts and started performing with his father and in group performances composed and directed by him. He has also performed with the Dance Theater of Harlem, NYC, with the Battery Dance Co. in “Songs of Tagore”, with Janaki Patrick in “Ka-Tap”, with Pt. Jasraj, Smt. Lakshmi Shankar, Ud. Shujaat Khan, Pt. Buddhadev Dasgupta, Pt. Ramesh Mishra, Ud. Mashkoor Ali Khan, Smt. Shubhra Guha, Sri Partha Bose, Smt. Tripti Mukherjee, Steve Gorn, and others. He has been collaborating with fusion musicians like Salman Ahmad (Junoon), Gary Lucas, Najma Akhtar, and others. He has performed in some prestigious venues like the Chhandayan All Night Concert, Indian Consulate (NYC), City Center (NYC), Lincoln Center (NYC), Place des Arts (Montreal), etc.
Srikar Ayyalasomayajula
Srikar grew up in central New Jersey and currently lives in Brooklyn. He has learnt Harmonium from Guru Sri Hemant Kulkarni in New Jersey for over ten years. Srikar has performed harmonium solo pieces in a number of concerts and competitions in harmonium growing up, including winning first prize in national competitions conducted by Marathi Vishwa, Academy of Indian Music and Fine Arts, Bharat Sevashram, etc. Apart from solo performances, Srikar has also provided dynamic as energetic Harmonium saath to artists from around the world regularly for over a decade. Srikar was also the Music Chair of Michigan Sahana, the premier Indian Classical Music and Dance Organization at the University of Michigan and had been organizing and performing in their concerts throughout his time at the university. After graduating, Srikar had been continuing to be a part of both classical accompaniment and fusion collaborations across the country. Apart from music, Srikar currently works at Google as a Software Engineer in New York City.