21 Lives - Uvalde - A Benefit Concert featuring Asaan Group

100 Civic Center Drive,Lake Forest CA 92630

16 July, 2022

Description

BANSURI Aakash Pujara is a professional Bansuri (indian classical flute) from Lake Forest. He began his musical journey with Tabla training at the age of 8 from the Late Pandit Ravi Bellare, after which he went on to learn Tabla with Shri Hemant Ekbote. Aakash connected so well with the melody aspect of Indian music that he then also began training in Indian Classical Flute from Pandit Divyang Thakore in Gujrat, India. Aakash regularly contributes to Hollywood film scores including Julia Robert’s Eat, Pray, Love & Tom Cruise’s Ghost Protocol. Aakash continues to study Bansuri under Pandit Radha Prasad and Pandit Diviyang Thakore. SANTOOR Kamaljeet Ahluwalia is part of the new wave of Asian musicians emerging from the UK. She began her training at the age of 7 under Sitar Maestro Dharambir Singh (MBE). She continued her studies with Santoor Maestro Harjinderpal Singh and is currently under the tutelage of legendary Pandit Shiv Kumar Sharma. She uses her Indian classical roots to walk an innovative path on the Santoor, a rare and exquisite hammered dulcimer/zither that can simultaneously explore vast sublime melodies and intricate detailed rhythmic patterns. Together, with her husband Jas, they have written and produced music for live concerts, commercial advertising (Facebook), plays, and film/television scores (Disney). SITAR Rajib Karmakar is a Los Angeles based performance artist, composer, and educator Rajib has performed in many countries including India, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Switzerland, for the Ministry of Spain (Spain), the Ottawa Council for Arts (Canada), Boom Festival (Portugal), Festival of India (USA and Canada), NAMM (Los Angeles), Theatre Rogue Du Conservatoire (Montreal), National Arts Center(Ottawa), Straz Center (Tampa), Castello Di Romeo (Italy), Shrine Auditorium (Los Angeles) and many more. He has played in various projects for Disney, Sony, Universal, A&E Network and others and has also been an artist-in-residence for various colleges and universities. Rajib’s versatility and ability has allowed him to adapt his skills and knowledge to his various world music projects with his own creation “Mayur Tantri,” the world’s first double necked sitar. Rajib received his MFA in Music from California Institute of the Arts and currently he is the Artistic Director of the Los Angeles International Music and Arts Academy TABLA American-born Jas Ahluwalia studied the illustrious Tabla under the world renowned Ustad Tari Khan. Jas has learnt the Tabla in the traditional Ustad/Shagird relationship which entails a deep bond between master and disciple. Entrenched in the classical mode of training, he is utterly conversant in a variety of genres and is a favorite accompanist among touring musicians and an accomplished solo Tabla artist. Together, with his wife Kamaljeet, they have written and produced music for live concerts, commercial advertising (Facebook), plays, and film/television scores (Disney). For booking details, contact Asaan Group: Website: www.asaan.co Phone inquiries: Aakash Pujara: 626-375-1150 or Jas Ahluwalia: 951-961-6501 KATHAK DANCE Smita Rawal Alves – Founder and Artistic Director of Bhakt Bhav Dance - Smita has been dancing for over 30 years, trained in kathak under the guidance of Guru Smt. Anjani Ambegaokar. Smita toured across the US and Canada under Anjaniji’s school Sundar Kala Kendra and her company Anjani’s Kathak Dance of India. In 2008, Smita was highlighted as an emerging solo artist in the series hosted by The Music Circle. Currently, Smita continues to grow under Vidushi Durga Arya and taal vidya with Pandit Divyang Vakil, and spends her time focused on teaching and passing on this beautiful art. Bhakti Bhav Dance – Established in 2015, Bhakti Bhav Dance is a school for traditional classical Kathak where the purity and integrity of the art is retained while presenting and teaching it in a way that all students can relate to. With students as young as 3yrs old, Smita strives to develop self-sufficient dancers who can take what they learn and apply it in their own way. She sees kathak as a tool to nurture and encourage confidence, and to develop a love for the intricacies in technique, the play of rhythms, the joy of storytelling, and an expression of self through dance. Contact: (714)222-1312 Email: [email protected] FaceBook: www.facebook.com/bhaktibhavdance Instagram: @bhakti_bhav_dance https://www.instagram.com/bhakti_bhav_dance/ YouTube: Bhakti Bhav Dance https://www.youtube.com/c/BhaktiBhavDance