Evocation

Pt. Aniruddha Bhattacharya is one of the most accomplished vocalists of the Kirana Gharana of Hindustani classical music. He has performed extensively across India and overseas, including the USA, UK and France. Born in 1971, he began learning music early under his mother, Smt. Gouri Bhattacharya, herself an outstanding vocalist and a disciple of Pt. A. Kanan. In 1989, his formal training began under veteran gurus Pt. A. Kanan and Smt. Malavika Kanan, and in 1990 he entered the ITC Sangeet Research Academy as a scholar. The Sur Singar Sansad of Mumbai awarded him the “Surmani” title in June 1998. He has done multiple national programs for the All India Radio and is an empaneled musician with Doordarshan and ICCR. He has performed at festivals including the Dover Lane Music Conference, Kolkata; Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan, Jallandhar; the Darbar Festival, London; and Saptak, Ahmedabad. A natural poet and composer adept in both Indian as well as Western classical, he also has two Bengali poetry books to his credit which were released in the prestigious Kolkata International Book Fair.

Soorya Upadhyaya, son of Sri K.S. Upadhyaya and Smt. Lakshmi Upadhyaya, is a dedicated harmonium artist who began his musical training under Vidwan Ananth Bhagwath and is currently learning from Dr. Ravindra Katoti. He has had the privilege of accompanying renowned maestros such as Pandit Birju Maharaj, Pandit Rajan Sajan Mishra, Vidushi Lalith J. Rao, Pandit Vinayak Torvi, Vidushi Shruti Sadolikar, Pandit Parameshwara Hegde, Pandit Jayateerth Mevundi and Vidushi Kaushiki Chakraborty, among others. He has performed extensively across India and abroad, earning appreciation for his sensitive and refined accompaniment. Though academically qualified as a Chartered Accountant, he is now fully devoted to the pursuit of music.

Shri Shrivatsa R. Koulgi is an ‘A’ Grade Tabla Artist of All India Radio, composer and music educator from Karnataka. He began learning tabla at the age of six, trained initially by the late Pt. Veeranna Kaamkar of Hubballi and the late Pt. Maruti V. Kurdekar of Goa, and is presently under the guidance of Pt. Ravindra Yavagal of Bengaluru. He has performed at venues such as Sawai Gandharva Music Festival, Sangeet Natak Akademi Rare Instruments Festival, and NCPA Mumbai. Known for his innovative approach to rhythm, he has explored and performed solo in rare talas, and composed original works including Vindhya – Epitome of Rhythm and Eka Vimshati – A Triplet of Seven. He is the founder of Rhythm and Beyond.