Shailesh Bhagwat - sahnai
Praveen Narayanswamy - tabla
Srikar Ayyalasomayajula - harmonium

Sitting: In the main room on the floor with back jack support, chairs in the second and third room.
Dress Code: Casual, comfortable, descent. Please take off your shoes before entering the studios.
Food and beverage: Only water is allowed inside the studios. Please bring your own supply.

Shailesh Bhagwat
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.

Praveen Narayanswamy
Born to the esteemed Mridangist Sri Narayana Swamy, a dedicated disciple of the renowned Vidhwan Sri Guruvayur Dorai, rhythm flows through his veins from an early age. With his father as his first Guru, he imbibed the essence of percussion, carrying it within him as an intrinsic part of his being. Building upon this foundation, he embarked on a
musical journey as a disciple of Sri Muthu Kumar, honing his skills in classical Tabla for the past fifteen years. Additionally, he has sought guidance from the illustrious Pt Ramdas Palsule from Pune, further enriching his musical prowess.
Praveen performs regularly with the renowned Mandolin Vidhwan U. Rajesh, who is the brother of legendary Mandolin U Srinivas. He is also part U. Rajesh’s band"Dhruvah". He also regularly accompanies the Veena Maestro Rajhesh Vaidhya.
He has also played with the famous Drums Sivamani, renowned vocalist Padma Shri Aruna Sairam, P. Unnikrishnan,
Bombay Jayashree, Rajini Gayathri, Vishaka Hari and so on. Alongside Pianist Sri Anil Srinivasan and Stephen Devassy when it comes to fusion. He is honoured to be perform along with the Grammy award winner Ghatam Maestro T H Vikku Vinayakram in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

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.

Sahnai Concert - Shailesh Bhagwat

Sahnai Concert - Shailesh Bhagwat