For the Fall 2019 music concert series, MITHAS (MIT Heritage Arts of South Asia) will be presenting 6 renowned artists, three hailing from South India and three hailing from North India in classical vocal and instrumental performances. A unique offering on Saturday, October 12, 2019 features the presentation of morning and evening ragas on the same day by the acclaimed Hindustani vocalist Vidushi Ruchira Panda. For the cost of a single membership to MITHAS or for a day ticket priced at $30, music lovers can attend both concerts. MITHAS membership allows you free admission to all concerts (www.mithas.org/join)

On Saturday, September 14, 2019 at 4pm, the young and talented Shri Abhishek Raghuram will present a Carnatic vocal music concert at Wong auditorium, MIT. He will be accompanied by Shri H.N Bhaskar on the violin and Patri Satish Kumar on the Mridangam. Grandson of the renowned Mridangam maestro Sangeeta Kalanidhi Shri Palakkad Raghu, Abhishek is also an expert Mridangam and Kanjira artist and has been giving public concerts since a very young age.

On Sunday, 22 September at 4pm, Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar will present a Hindustani concert on the Sarod instrument at Wong auditorium, MIT. Disciple of the renowned instrumentalists, the late Ustad Bahadur Khan and the late Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, Pandit Majumdar is considered as one of the most popular and celebrated modern Sarod players of the current times. Winner of All India Radio music competition in 1981 and recipient of the President’s gold medal, Pandit Majumdar has also provided music direction for Bangla movies.

On Saturday, 28 September at 6pm, Padmashri Vidushi Kanya Kumari will present a Carnatic classical concert on the violin. A veteran violinist, she has played solo, has accompanied artists, composed and taught music for over four decades. She has published several audio albums produced by top brand music labels in India. She has also created a unique instrumental ensemble called “Vadyalahari” that blends the music of the Nadaswaram with veena/violin/flute and percussion instruments. On September 28, Vidushi Kanya Kumari will be joined by two of her disciples and the trio will present a unique fusion of three stayis(octaves) in a ThriStayiSangamam themed MITHAS concert.

On Saturday, October 12, there is a unique opportunity to hear the brilliant Hindustani vocalist Vidushi Ruchira Panda in two separate concerts on the same day. Both concerts will be held at Wong auditorium, MIT with the morning session beginning at 10am and the evening session at 7pm. Vidushi Ruchira Panda, disciple of Pandit Manas Chakraborty hails from the Kotali gharana, a style of classical music that is native to Bengal and East Indian states. Her music is characterized by an open throated voice, emphasis on melodic content, fast taans and improvisations. It will be a great treat for music lovers to listen to the presentation of morning and evening ragas by the same artist on one day.

On Sunday, October 20 at 4pm, renowned vocalist Vidwan Vijay Siva will present a Carnatic classical concert at Wong auditorium, MIT. The artist is considered to be a traditionalist to the core, and is a torchbearer of the singing styles (banis) of veteran Carnatic musicians Vidwan DK Jayaraman and Vidushi DK Pattamal. In a special tribute concert titled “Tribute to Poonguyil Pattamal” to be presented on October 20, the artist will celebrate his Guru Vidushi DK Pattamal’s centenary year - 2019.

On Sunday November 3 at 4pm at Wong Auditorium, MIT, Vidushi Smt. Aditi Upadhya will present a Hindustani classical recital. She is the daughter of veteran musicians Agra gharana exponent, the late Pandit Dinkar Kaikini and his wife Smt. Sushila Kaikini. She has also been trained in singing Thumri and Dadra by the renowned late Vidushi Shobha Gurtu. Vidushi Aditi Upadhya has not only upheld her family’s fine musical legacy but has trained vocalists in the younger generation to continue singing in the Agra Gharana tradition.

The Fall 2019 music series by MITHAS promises to bring fine classical music concerts by the best known performers from India. Admission to MITHAS members and students is FREE. To apply for membership, visit www.mithas.org/join. Tickets for individual concerts can be purchased at http://www.mithas.org or at www.lokvani.com. 

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