Samarth Nagarkar is a Hindustani classical vocalist, known for his captivating performances and a traditionally rich music. Samarth features in several prominent music festivals and venues around the world. He has two albums titled ‘Pravah’ and ‘Pranali’ to his credit and has published a book tilted ‘Raga Sangeet’. Samarth is Guru and Director of Academic Affairs at Chhandayan Center of Indian Music in New York and also frequently presents lectures and master-classes at schools/universities like MSM and NYU. Trained under two of India’s most respected gurus and performers, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar and Pt. Dinkar Kaikini, he is a former scholar of the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, Kolkata. Samarth was awarded a Fellowship by the Department of Culture, Government of India and was one of the youngest musicians to be adjudged winner of the prestigious All India Radio National Competitions at 19 years. Pursuing a full-fledged career as a performer, composer, teacher and author, Samarth is described by critics as one of today’s most prolific performers and a torchbearer to the traditions he represents.
Josh Feinberg is the best-kept secret of the Hindustani music scene. Known and loved by top musicians and music lovers, he represents the future of sitar and the growing diversity of the Hindustani music field. Josh began his musical training at 4 years old with piano and western classical jazz bass in New York City, studying with some of the most accomplished musicians on the scene. He was hailed as a prodigy performing in jazz venues and concert halls across the New York area. In his teens, Josh became enamored with the music of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Pandit Nikhil Banerjee, and shifted his focus to sitar and Hindustani music. One of the first non-Indian musicians to be accepted as a leading performer, josh has learned with sarod maestro Ali Akbar Khan as well as Ud. Aashish Khan, Sri Alam Khan, Pt. Tejendra Majumdar, Dr. Peter Row, Dr. George Ruckert, Sri James Pomerantz, Sri Warren Senders and Smt. Vijaya Sundaram. Josh recorded his debut album, Homage, featuring tabla maestro Swapan Chaudhuri and released his second album, One Evening in Spring, in November 2014 featuring tabla maestro Anindo Chatterjee. Josh was a featured performer in the 2016 Chicago World Music Festival joined with Pt. Anindo Chatterjee. Josh’s new album with Pt. Anindo Chatterjee, A Fallen Blossom in the Thorns was released in early 2017. Josh has also accompanied Sri Alam Khan, the son of Ust. Ali Akbar Khan, in the US and India at prestigious venues such as the Saptak Festival in Ahmedabad, and the Dover Lane Music Conference in Kolkata. Josh has a Bachelors in Music from New England Conservatory, and a Masters of Fine Arts from Goddard College. Josh currently teaches at Lewis and Clark College, Reed College and Marylhurst University in Portland, and has offered courses at the University of Oregon.
Kedar Naphade, a Hindustani Classical Instrumentalist, is one of today’s leading exponents of the art of Harmonium Solo and Accompaniment. Kedar has performed both as a soloist as an accompanist across India, Europe and the U.S. including prestigious festivals and venues. After receiving preliminary training in Hindustani Classical Music from his grandfather, Shri Dadasaheb Naphade and from Shri Arvind Gajendragadkar, he has been a leading disciple of Pt. Tulsidas Borkar, arguably the most acclaimed harmonium player in India today. Kedar has also had training from Smt. Padmavati Shaligram-Gokhale, a veteran singer of the Atrauli-Jaipur gharana. Kedar also plays the semi-classical forms of Marathi Natyasangeet (Stage Music), Bhajans, Thumri, Dhun etc, and maintains an active concert schedule in the U.S.
Nitin Mitta, is one of the most sought after tabla players of his generation. Apart from being a dynamic soloist, he is a highly sought after accompanist, who has performed worldwide with some of India’s most celebrated Indian classical musicians. In 2010, Nitin joined forces with Grammy Nominee, Pianist Vijay Iyer and electric guitarist R. Prasanna, to produce a studio album titled Tirtha. Born and brought up in Hyderabad, Nitin had his training in Tabla under Gurus’ Pandit G. Satyanarayana and Pandit Arvind Mulgaonkar of the Farukhabad School of Tabla. He maintains a busy schedule of performances and tabla workshops, traveling throughout the U.S, Europe, Canada and India. He has performed at several prominent venues including the Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, the Lincoln Center and the Metropolitan Museum of Art In New York. He is an acclaimed accompanist who has performed with some of India’s most celebrated musicians including Pandit Jasraj, Pandits Rajan & Sajan Mishra, Pt. Debashish Bhattacharya, Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Ud Nishat Khan, Ud Shahid Parvez and Pt Nayan Ghosh.