INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC FESTIVAL (ICMF 2023)
SEPT: 7th and 8th EDMONTON SEPT: 15, 16, and 17th, 2023 CALGARY
Artists Biography Sept:17th ICMF 2023
Vedya Spurthi's Kuchipudi Dance Artist
Vedya Spurthi Konda is a senior disciple of Sri JaiKishore Mosalikanti & Smt. Padmavani Mosalikanti, having had her formative training under Guru Smt. Himabindu Challa. Vedya Spurthi has performed on numerous stages across the United States, India, Hong Kong, and Mexico, including most recently as the youngest soloist at Sridevi Nrithyalaya’s 2023 Satyam-Shivam- Sundaram Festival and the Consulate of India, Hong Kong as well as as a part of the Shivamohanam ensemble at the 16th Annual Madras Music Academy Dance Festival and the 2022 Konark Dance Festival.
Vedya Spurthi holds a Diploma in Kuchipudi from the University of Silicon Andhra and a Senior Certificate in Kuchipudi from SAMPADA and Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University. She is a 2017 National YoungArts Foundation Winner, and the 2018 Saptami Foundation National 1st prize winner in Kuchipudi. She has also recently received an apprenticeship grant from the Government of California’s Alliance for Traditional Arts.
She holds a certificate from Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University in Telugu Language and has also learned Carnatic Music from Guru Smt. Jayashree Varadarajan for 10 years. Vedya Spurthi recently graduated from Santa Clara University with her B.S. in Computer Science, Math, and Art History and will be pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania beginning this August.
Bharatanatyam Dance Artist Jyotsna Vaidee
JYOTSNA VAIDEE Jyotsna is a dedicated Bharatanatyam dancer who has immersed herself in the art from the young age of 5. What started as a childhood hobby turned into her life’s mission to learn, perform, create new dance works and teach. A multi faceted personality she holds a Masters in Computer Engineering from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor and is a passionate Product Manager & Visionary currently with Google.  She finds that ultimately creativity is the driving force that helps her excel at both Art & Technology Jyotsna considers herself blessed to have trained in India with eminent Gurus of the Kalakshetra tradition, Padma Bhushan Prof. C.V Chandrasekhar, Aravindakshan & Vasantha Aravind, K.P Kunhiraman & Katherine Kunhiraman.  Jyotsna’s dance has been commended for neat clean nritta and a natural, communicative approach to abhinaya. Jyotsna has given numerous solo performances in India, Canada and the US for various arts organizations and festivals including Ragamala Music Society, YuvaBharathi, NorthwestFolkLife and at Kartik Fine Arts, Hamsadwani, Parthasarathy Sabha, Mylapore Fine Arts, Thyaga Brahma Gana Sabha and others in Chennai. In addition to solo performances Jyotsna has also performed in group productions. She has performed extensively with internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer Lata Pada (Sampradaya Dance Creations). in numerous productions including Melange; Songof Mira; Skanda; Re:Percussions; Thygaraja Vibhavam; Revealed by Fire at prestigious venues including the National Canada Dance Festival, Ottawa and the Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Toronto.She was also a performing artist with Contemporary Dance Company NATYA
(http://www.natya.info). Jyotsna continues to share her love for the art by teaching Bharatanatyam at her dance school, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Artists Biography Sept:16th ICMF 2023
Sensuta Mangotra Indian Classical Vocalist
SENSUTA MANGOTRA VOCALIST
This is Sensuta mangotra, I’m a Hindustani classical vocalist and gold medalist (Gwalior Gharana) from Amritsar, Punjab, India. My journey of music started from my early childhood days when I was only 3 years old and got my first music lessons from my Grandfather, who is also my Guru Late Shri. Om Prakash Mangotra. Being a classical vocalist, I did many classical concerts in India and now I am glad that I am going to sing at icmf 2023 which is indian classical music festival organised by sarb akal music society of Calgary I also got an appreciation for my singing by famous Indian Bollywood singers and I’ve also collaborated with famous artist ……. nephew of renowned Pakistani Sufi vocal Ustad Javed Bashir. I look forward to sharing all my musical knowledge with you so that you can embark on your journey of music too.
Ms. Ankita Joshi Indian Classical Vocalist
 Ms. Ankita Joshi
Ankita was born with a powerful voice and a creative mind. She started performing early at the age of 6. This gifted child was initially trained in music by her uncle (Mama) Shri Lakshmikant Ravande from the age of 5. Ankita had the courage to meet the legendary vocalist Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj Ji at the age of 10 in the green room of Sawai Gandharva music festival at Pune. As a childhood she had always admired Pandit Jasraj Ji and followed his musical expressions in her own little way. The Maestro accepted her as a student after listening to her Raag Bihag in the green room and told her to come to Mumbai for guidance under his tutelage, thus her further journey on the path of music began. With the blessing of her Guru today she is accepted in Pandit Jasraji’s family as their own in every respect. Â
Artists Biography Sept:15th ICMF 2023
Vidushi Sanhita Nandi Indian Classical Vocalist
Sanhita Nandi is a prominent Hindustani classical vocalist of the Kirana Gharana.[1][2] The central motif of her style is slow tempo raga development (voice culture, voice throw, and tonal application) and ornamented sargams. She is getting guidance under Mashkoor Ali Khan.
Sanhita Nandi has travelled extensively to perform, both within and outside of India. She has been invited to perform at music festivals such as Sawai Gandharva Music Festival, Tansen Samaroh in Gwalior, Saptak Festival of Music in Ahmedabad, Harballabh Sangeet Sammelan in Jalandhar, ITC Sangeet Research Academy in Kolkata, SPIC MACAY, Gururao Deshpande Sangeet Sabha in Bangalore, Laxmi Narayan Sangeet Samaroha in Amritsar, Parampara Dance and Music Festival in Chennai, Samaagamaa Festival in Chennai, KM Music Conservatory in Chennai, Ustad Rahmat Khan Sangeet Sammelan in Dharwad, Samrat Sangeet Sammelan in Goa, Yashwant Rao Chauhan Smriti Sangeet Samaroha in Maharashtra, Glimpses of Kirana Gharana Music Festival in Hyderabad, and Dadar Matunga Cultural Center and Sangit Mahabharti in Mumbai.
She has been also invited to music concerts in the US and Canada, such as Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Chhandayan All Night concert in New York, Cornell University, Drexel University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, and Royal Alberta Museum in Edmonton.
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Vidushi Gauri Pathare Indian Classical Vocalist
Gauri Pathare is a name to reckon with amongst the present generation of Indian Classical Music. Having initially trained under the guidance of Pt. Gangadharbuwa Pimpalkhare of kirana gharana, Gauri has had the good fortune of imbibing musical knowledge from Late Pt. Jitendra Abhisheki & Pandita Padmatai Talwalkar for several years . Since 2010 Gauri has been receiving Jaipur gharana training under Pt. Arun Dravid. This wonderful opportunity of training under different Gurus has left an indelible mark on Gauri’s gayaki. She has skilfully picked the nuances of the 3 gharanas, viz. Jaipur, Gwalior & Kirana. Her various accolades include being awarded the prestigious Smt. Kesarbai Kerkar scholarship conferred by the NCPA in 2000-2001 . Gauri received the Surmani Puraskar in 2006 and the Pt. Ramkrishnabuwa Vaze Yuwa Gayak Puraskar in 2007, amongst many others awards. The most coveted “swara-bhaskar” puraskaar instituted in the memory of late Pandit Bhimsen Joshi for the year 2012-13 was awarded to Smt. Gauri Pathare . Gauri was also conferred the equally prestigious Aditya Vikram Birla “Kala Kiran Puraskar” for the year 2013. Gauri has performed at most of the prestigious classical music festivals in India including Sawai Gandharva Mahotsav , Tansen festival, Chandigadh sangeet Sammelan , Kesarbai Kerkar Sammelan , Pt. Kumar Gandharva sangeet Sammelan, etc. Gauri Pathare also hosts an annual Indian classical music festival in mumbai called Parle Swar Vasant in month of February, click here for details. Gauri has successfully blended jaipur, Gwalior and kirana gharanas gayaki to form her unique style of khayal presentation.Retaining emotional quotient of each raag while blending the gayaki is what Gauri believes in. |