Shreya Bhanja Choudhury - Vocal
Neil Khare - Tabla
Rohan Misra - Sarangi
Srikar Ayyalasomayajula - Harmonium
Come join us at the Chhandayan Center for a performance by several up-and-coming artists. The performance will also be streamed live. It will begin with a tabla solo by Neil Khare accompanied by Rohan Misra on Sarangi. This will be followed by a vocal performance by Shreya Bhanja Choudhury.
Shreya Bhanja Choudhury
Shreya Choudhury has a passion for a variety of musical genres. She started taking training in Indian vocal music from her father Suranjan Bhanja Choudhury and was a former high honors recipient of Hindustani classical vocal music from the Shankar Mahadevan Academy. She has won many recognitions and accolades in various music competitions. In 2017 Shreya published her first recorded album of original Bengali Songs. She is also receiving training from Padma Bhushan Pandit Sajan Mishra-ji.
Shreya also trained rigorously in Western classical piano from Westminster Conservatory. She received her distinction for the Advanced Performer Certificate administered by Trinity College of London. She has received several recognitions for her piano and performed in prestigious places such as Carnegie Hall and in recitals hosted by the New Jersey Music Teachers Association.
Shreya completed her Master of Music degree in Western classical voice performance from Rider University and Bachelor of Music from Rutgers University.
Shreya has performed in numerous events and occasions across US and has started teaching as well.
Neil Khare
Neil Khare started learning tabla at the age of 4 from his father Anil Khare, continued his training from Shri Surakshya Deshpande, and currently learns from Dr. Amod Dandawate. He has accompanied artists such as Srimati Gauri Pathare for her USA 2023 tour, Srimati Aarti Anklikar during her workshop presentation, has played on a New York TV Channel, and has received many awards in the Instrumental solo category. He is a recent graduate from Rutgers University and is working full-time in finance in Philly.
Rohan Misra
Rohan Misra is a young promising musician, specialized in the unique Indian bowed instrument called the Sarangi. As the son and disciple of great Sarangi virtuoso Pandit Ramesh Misra, Rohan has inherited many of his father-Guru’s specialties, including tonal quality and aesthetic approach.
Rohan Started learning the Sarangi (translation: An instrument with a hundred colors) from his father at the age of six. His exposure to music since early childhood attracted him to learn other Indian instruments as well. He has been learning Tabla from the renowned maestro Samir Chatterjee. Rohan is also pursuing his education in western music, particularly focused on the Piano and Clarinet. Coming out of the family of nine generations of Sarangi players, Rohan aspires to be successful as the 10th generation in his lineage. He also wishes to further his musicality by blending certain aspects of western music into his emblem of Indian classical music and emerge with a unique musical expression.
Rohan has performed at the Carnegie Hall, Columbia University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C., California and North Carolina. He has performed with luminaries such as Pt. Birju Maharaj, Smt. Kumudini Lakhia, Pt. Anindo Chatterjee, Samir Chatterjee, among others. He is on the faculty of Chhandayan Center for Indian Music in New York City.
Srikar Ayyalasomayajula
Srikar Ayyalasomayajula 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.