FYI:Baithak ( Classical Indian Music Show)

Hello Everyone,

We had an enthusiastic response for our first concert of the Baithak series. With your expression of support and interest we are continuing this series. For our second concert (right around the corner) presenting vocalist Shri Achyut Joshi accompanied by Shri Kedarnath Havaldar on Tabla and Shri Rohan Prabhudesal on Harmonium. A team of extremely talented classical musicians.

When: Friday August 19th at 7:30 PM
Where: 30 River Court, # 2105, Jersey City

Suggested donation – $15

RSVP requested!

About the Artists:

Achyut Joshi u2013 vocal

Born in India and reared in New York, Achyut absorbed a variety of musical influences growing up:bhajans at temple; bel canto, Brahms and Broadway at school; Bollywood and Mariah Carey at home.

Achyut began his formal study of Hindustani vocal music at age 21 with Shiv Shankar Pandey in Jaipur, on a Duke University Benenson Award for the Arts. Some years later, he returned to India on a Fulbright Scholarship to begin learning from Raghunandan Panshikar, foremost disciple of world-renowned vocalist Kishori Amonkar of the Jaipur-Atrauli Gharana.

Other mentors include his high school choral director John Lewers, vocal coach Richard Harper, opera singer and teacher Jan Opalach, and Hindustani vocalists Vishwanath Shrikhande and Shubhangi Sakhalkar.

Achyut enjoys sharing his art with devotees of Hindustani music as well as those new to the tradition through performances, lecture-demonstrations and private teaching. When heu2019s not singing with histanpura, Achyut loves teaching high school math and practicing Iyengar yoga.

Kedarnath Havaldar u2013 tabla

Kedarnath Havaldar is fortunate to have been born into a family of musicians. His father, Dr. Nagraj Rao Havaldar, is a renowned Hindustani vocalist and mother, Sudhamayi, is a trained musician and a graduate from the College of Fine Arts in Mysore. At a young age, Kedar studied vocal music from his father for five years, but quickly became fascinated by the tabla, and its various possibilities forlayakaari.

His initial training in tabla began under Pt. Rajgopal Kallurkar, a renowned maestro of the Farukhabaad Gharana. Kallurkar’s affectionate training, which lasted 12 years, helped Kedar to blossom into a fine soloist and an accompanist. Kedar’s quest for knowledge led him to Pt. M. Nagesh, another dedicated teacher, and a disciple of Pt. Puttaraj Gawai. Punditji’s vast experience and interaction with many senior musicians has been handed over to young Kedar with much forethought and care. He continues to learn from both teachers. He is a recipient of Kishora Prathibha Puraskaar, a Karnataka State award for tabla.

Presently, Kedarnath is learning from the internationally renowned tabla maestro, Pt. Sameer Chatterjee, at the Chandayan School of Music in Manhattan.

Rohan Prabhudesai u2013 harmonium
Rohan Prabhudesai has been actively studying music for the past 11 years. He began his training in Hindustani classical music on the harmonium on one of his trips to India with Gokurdas Rasaikar, a disciple of Smt. Nirmala Kakode. He continued this musical pursuit under the guidance of Dr. Kedar Naphade, a senior disciple of Pt. Tulsidas Borkar. There have been several instances on his occasional vacations in India where he has had the privilege of learning from Pt. Borkar. Aside from this, he has had the opportunity to give many solo recitals and accompany various artists such as Pt. Madhav Bhatki, Shri Pranab Kumar Biswas, Smt. Mitali Bhawmik, Smt. Usha Kallianpurkar, Smt. Astha Shukla, and Dr. Mohan Deshpande.

Aside from Indian classical music, Rohan also draws interest from Western classical and Indian pop music. He has been taking regular piano lessons for about 10 years from Mr. Edwin Lopez, the concert master and conductor of Crescent Avenue Presbyterian church music program. He has given numerous recitals and fundraising concerts on the piano.
Rohan is 18 years old and is currently attending New York University’s Stern School of Business.