Vocal Concert by Saleena Ram & Aditya Phatak

Saleena Ram - Vocal
Brandon Ram - Tabla
Aditya Phatak - Vocal
Manav Khurana - Tabla
Srikar Ayyalasomayajula - Harmonium

Sitting: In the main room on the floor with back jack support, chairs in the second and third room.
Dress Code: Casual, comfortable, decent. Please take off your shoes before entering the studios.
Food and beverage: Only water is allowed inside the studios. Please bring your own supply.

Saleena Ram has indulged in the creative arts her entire life. She takes a special interest in studying Hindustani classical music and constantly learns to express herself and her emotions as she continues to explore the world of spirituality and religion. 

Saleena is an active, yet humble member of her community, especially in regard to music. Her passion for art and music has led her to be involved in many charity events and she uses her talents to help raise funds and support meaningful causes across her community. She is currently learning under her guru, Sanjoy Banerjee.

Saleena currently holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology, with a minor in Fine Arts. She is currently obtaining her graduate degree as one day she hopes to use her knowledge of music and art to further her career in clinical research and psychotherapy. She advocates for the importance of mental health and strongly encourages the youths of our community to explore self awareness and mindfulness. She hopes to one day make a difference in the world of psychology through music therapy with the use of Indian Classical Music. 

Brandon Ram has always been fascinated with Hindustani Classical Music. He started playing from the age of 9 where he learned under his first teacher Pandit Ajay Jha. He later wanted to advance his knowledge and sought out Guruji Pandit Samir Chatterjee, where he now studies under the Farrukhabad Gharana and continues to advance his tabla playing. He is also a full-time student at CUNY Baruch College pursuing a bachelor's degree in Statistics & Data science.

Aditya Phatak is a student of Hindustani vocal music and has been singing for the past 15 years. He received initial training from Smt. Rucha Jambhekar and is now studying under Shri Kiran Lele. When he is not pursuing music, Aditya is a junior at Columbia University studying Applied Mathematics.

Manav Khurana is a young tabla player from the Farrukhabad Gharana. His musical inclination became apparent at an early age, and his parents encouraged him to learn Dholak, Piano, and other instruments. As a teenager, he was initiated into the world of tabla by his dholak Guru, Shri Roger Sookraj. He soon continued his study of tabla under Shri Kumar Raj Gandharva and Sabir Hussain of the Punjab Gharana primarily focusing on the arts of Ghazal, Sufi, and Bhajan accompaniment. Subsequently, he began his serious training with Shri Dibyarka Chatterjee at the age of 14. In 2023 he became an initiated disciple (shishya) of tabla maestro Pandit Samir Chatterjee. Manav has already performed with some notable performers of Indian Classical Music including, Shri Biplap Mukherjee, Pandit Hindol Chattopadhyay, Pandit Sugato Nag, and his Guru Pandit Samir Chatterjee. He has also had the opportunity to perform with fusion ensembles blending Western jazz and rock with Hindustani music. Outside of music, he is currently pursuing his Bachelor's degree in Finance.

Srikar Ayyalasomayajula grew up in central New Jersey and currently lives in Brooklyn. He has learnt Harmonium from Guru Sri Hemant Kulkarni in New Jersey for over ten years. Srikar has performed harmonium solo pieces in a number of concerts and competitions in harmonium growing up, including winning first prize in national competitions conducted by Marathi Vishwa, Academy of Indian Music and Fine Arts, Bharat Sevashram, etc. Apart from solo performances, Srikar has also provided dynamic as energetic Harmonium saath to artists from around the world regularly for over a decade. Srikar was also the Music Chair of Michigan Sahana, the premier Indian Classical Music and Dance Organization at the University of Michigan and had been organizing and performing in their concerts throughout his time at the university. After graduating, Srikar had been continuing to be a part of both classical accompaniment and fusion collaborations across the country. Apart from music, Srikar currently works at Google as a Software Engineer in New York City.