Shadaj Music Festival
Festival Info
Shadaj Music Festival 2026
Saturday, March 28 2026: 10am – 10pm
Venue: Lexington High School, 251 Waltham St, Lexington, MA 02421
Artists:
- Pratik Shrivastava (Sarod), Tejavrush Joshi (Tabla)
- Dr Ashwini Bhide Deshpande (Vocal), Sanjay Deshpande (Tabla), Siddhesh Bicholkar (Harmonium)
- Rakesh Chaurasia (Flute), Amit Kavthekar (Tabla)
- Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty (Vocal), Gourab Chatterjee (Harmonium), Soumen Sarkar (Tabla), Meher Paralikar (Vocal)
Tickets: Book your tickets
Donor $500 / Platinum $170 / Gold $120 / Silver $100
Discounts
- 10% discount to Shadaj Members with active 2026 membership. Become a Shadaj Member
- 10% early bird discount for non members. Expires on December 31
- 10% discount to students with valid ID. Contact tickets@shadaj.org for discount code.
- Total discount on a ticket is capped at 10%
Program Schedule
Start Time | End Time | Description |
|---|---|---|
10:00 AM | 11:00 AM | Registration |
11:00 AM | 12:30 PM | Concert 1 – Pratik Shrivastava (Sarod), Tejavrush Joshi (Tabla) |
12:30 PM | 1:30 PM | Break – Lunch |
1:30 PM | 3:30 PM | Concert 2 – Dr Ashwini Bhide Deshpande (Vocal), Sanjay Deshpande (Tabla), Siddhesh Bicholkar (Harmonium) |
3:30 PM | 4:00 PM | Break – Tea |
4:00 PM | 6:00 PM | Concert 3 – Rakesh Chaurasia (Flute), Amit Kavthekar (Tabla) |
6:00 PM | 7:30 PM | Break – Dinner |
7:30 PM | 9:30 PM | Concert 4 – Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty (Vocal), Gourab Chatterjee (Harmonium), Soumen Sarkar (Tabla), Meher Paralikar (Vocal) |
Details
SHEOWS.org
Shadaj is proud to support SHEOWS.org, a Delhi based non-profit organization committed to providing care and support to abandoned, destitute, and homeless elderly. Proceeds from Shadaj Music Festival will be used to support activities of both Shadaj and SHEOWS.
Cancellation and Refunds
Tickets are non-refundable.
Parking
Although there is adequate parking available at the venue, arriving early will let you find a parking spot closer to the venue and avoid the inconvenience of parking further away which could take some time.
Arrivals, Registration and Seating
- As you know, Shadaj concerts always strive to start on time and we would greatly appreciate your cooperation in making this happen.
- Please plan on arriving at least 30 mins before start of the concert to find parking, check-in and be seated 10 minutes before the event starts.
- At the registration counter, please present the Tugoz confirmation email containing the QR code for quick check-in.
- The doors open at 10 am. Please be seated latest by 10.50 am.
Late Arrivals
The auditorium doors will be closed at the start of the concert. To be respectful to the audience and the artists, you may only be allowed entry during a break. Please be seated by 10.50 am. We expect to have a long waitlist and would like to accommodate as many people as possible. Please note that we cannot guarantee seating for late arrivals.
Dress code
Festive Indian / Western. Let the finest fabric of tradition wrap you in its splendor in this celebration. We highly recommend that you adorn yourself in the finest weaves of cotton or silks; garments that reflect the timeless elegance of our rich heritage.
Photography and Video
Photography and Videography is not permitted.
Volunteering opportunities
Need based opportunities available for students. Committed full day volunteers will get a free entry to the hall. Please contact admin@shadaj.org to join the team of volunteers
Excuse of Obligations
Shadaj shall be excused from its obligations here under in the event of sickness, accident, airline flight cancellations, act of God, war, natural calamity, force majeure, delay or rejection of the visa petition or any other legitimate condition or occurrence beyond its control.
Help
tickets@shadaj.org / 781-605-9399
Food
- Lunch, Dinner, Snacks and Tea/Coffee will be will be available for purchase at the venue. Stay tunned for details.
- Food is NOT included in the ticket price.
- Please note that no food or drinks are allowed inside the auditorium.
Festival Magazine
Festival Video
Coming Soon!
Artists
Vidushi Dr Ashwini Bhide Deshpande
Ashwini Bhide Deshpande is an outstanding vocalist of Jaipur-Atrauli Khayal Gayaki tradition and represents the new generation of veterans worthy of wearing the mantle of the old masters. Her performances are celebrated for their tonal sweetness, profound understanding of raga structure, and effortless navigation of complex melodic patterns. She has also composed many bandishes, some in rare ragas.
Rakesh Chaurasia
Rakesh Chaurasia has carved a niche for himself as an accomplished flautist. Incorporating the tradition of his renowned uncle Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, he has evolved a style which, while maintaining the purity of the flute, manages to capture the attention of the young listeners too. Rakesh’s flute has matched note and rhythm with wind instruments of other cultures as well as having performed ‘jugalbandis’ with Carnatic and world famous instrumentalists .
Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty
Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty is a musical encyclopaedia with a powerful, versatile voice. While he is a masterful exponent of the Patiala gharana, his deep knowledge extends across many major classical styles, including Carnatic music. Beyond his command of khayal gayaki, he is celebrated for his renditions of semi-classical and devotional genres such as thumris, tappas and bhajans. He is a respected guru, lyricist and composer. A Padma Bhushan recipient, his performances are a testament to his lifelong dedication and rich musical lineage.
Sidhesh Bicholkar
Siddhesh Bicholkar is a celebrated Hindustani classical harmonium virtuoso, known for his masterful technical prowess and deep emotional resonance. A senior disciple of the renowned harmonium exponent Pandit Tulsidas Borkar, he has honed his craft to embody a rare blend of precision and spontaneity. His versatility extends to the rare and difficult art of playing the jaltarang, a feat he was inspired to undertake by his first guru, Shri Sharad Mathkar.
Amit Kavthekar
Amit Kavthekar is a highly respected tabla virtuoso and the last ganda-bandh disciple of the legendary Ustad Alla Rakha, continuing his tutelage under Ustad Zakir Hussain. Revered for his exceptional technical command and emotional depth, he has become a leading accompanist for a wide array of top classical musicians. Kavthekar’s versatility extends to collaborations with Western classical, jazz, and fusion artists, showcasing his ability to seamlessly blend traditional rhythm with contemporary styles.
Gourab Chatterjee
Gourab Chatterjee is a respected vocalist and accomplished harmonium accompanist within the Hindustani classical tradition. Initially trained by his mother, he received advanced training from masters of the Agra gharana before becoming a scholar at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy under Pandit Arun Bhaduri. His expertise is widely sought by leading artists, and he has provided sensitive and nuanced accompaniment to many musical stalwarts.
Soumen Sarkar
Soumen Sarkar is an accomplished tabla player whose soulful and intricate rhythmic accompaniment has earned him a place among the top-ranking musicians of his generation. His initial training was under the late maestro Pandit Anand Bodas. An in-demand accompanist, Sarkar regularly performs with eminent artists across various genres, from Hindustani classical stalwarts like Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty and Vidushi Girija Devi to light classical and ghazal maestros such as Ghulam Ali.
Sanjay Deshpande
Sanjay Deshpande’s journey with the tabla began under the guidance of Pandit Sabade, and he later refined his skills through intensive training with Ustad Allarakha and Pandit Suresh Talwalkar. Today, he continues to expand his musical knowledge by studying with Pt Yogesh Samsi and Shri Vivek Joshi. Deshpande serves as a respected Guru at Lalit Kala Kendra, Savitribai Phule Pune University, where he imparts his deep understanding of tabla to the next generation.
Abhinav Ravande
Hailing from a family with a strong musical and kirtan tradition in Nanded, Abhinav’s training began with his father, Shri Laxmikant Ravande. He later pursued advanced training under the guidance of Pandit Pramod Marathe at the Gandharva Mahavidyalay in Pune. Ravande is a sought-after accompanist who has performed with eminent vocalists at prestigious festivals across India and abroad.
Meher Paralikar
Meher Paralikar represents a new generation of musicians trained under master such as Pt Padmakar Thatte and since 2011, under the tutelage of Padma Bhushan Pt Ajoy Chakrabarty. Paralikar’s rigorous training is evident in his sensitive renditions of ragas. Based in Pune and Mumbai, he is also a dedicated teacher, helping to preserve and pass on the rich vocal traditions to upcoming students.
Pratik Srivastav
Pratik Shrivastav is a talented sarod player, recognized as a leading young exponent of the Maihar Gharana. Initiated into music by his grandfather, Pandit Rabi Chakraborty, he continued his training with Dr. Rajeeb Chakraborty and received advanced guidance from vocalists and sarodias like Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty and Pandit Tejendra Narayan Majumdar. Pratik is known for his crystal-clear taans and superb layakari. He has performed extensively at major music festivals across India and the world, including the prestigious Darbar Festival in London.
Tejovrush Joshi
Tejavrush Joshi is a young tabla artist, hailing from a strong musical lineage. He received rigorous training for over 13 years under the tutelage of the late Pandit Bapusaheb Patwardhan of the Farukhabad Gharana, a successor to the legendary Ustad Ahmedjaan Thirakhwa Khan Sahib. He has rendered impressive solo tabla performances at many prestigious venues across India and internationally, earning several accolades. He is also a versatile accompanist having accompanied many well known and emerging vocal and instrumental artists.