In-person |$20 In advance, use promo code VOCAL, exp. 11/22 |$25 Day of

Please join us for a South Asian Hindustani Classical Vocal Concert by our neighbor Vivek Anand, joined by Bay Area artists – Nikhil Pandya on Tabla and Ben Kunin on Sarod. This trio recently presented Vivek’s solo concert, Now My Boat – Ab Mori Naiyya, at Noe Valley Ministry. We are delighted to host them in sharing a brand new concert, composed just for Integral Yoga Institute, titled Union and Renunciation – Jog aur Tyaag, Songs exploring the Connection between Romantic Love and Transcendence. Many of you know that Jog or Yoga is a joining, a Union, whereas Tyaag is a letting go, a Renunciation. The songs will explore both themes in dialogue with each other, through romantic and reflective ragas and lyrics.

Come and experience musical forms such as khayal, tarana, bhajan and sufiyana bandish. Khayal gayaki or the art of singing khayal music consists of elaboration of the raga and lyrics through exploration and improvisation. Vivek is part of a Bay Area musical community in which this music is explored through fresh and alive interactions between exponents of musical traditions, which in turn are hundreds of years old. Please reserve your tickets now for this exciting concert, in an intimate setting within the Integral Yoga Institute.

Vivek Anand is a vocalist with a focus on emotional and spiritual meaning. He is also a poet, lyricist and life-long student, practitioner and champion of South Asian Classical/Hindustani Classical vocal traditions. Vivek has studied and sung with his guru, Rita Sahai (vocalist of the Seni Alāuddin Gharānā and Benāres Gharānā, and accomplished student of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan) for the last twenty-five years, and with his ustad, Sukhawat Ali Khan (vocalist of the Shām Chorasi Gharānā, and son of Ustad Salamat Ali Khan) for the last sixteen years. Through this training he has acquired his emotional and spiritual focus, a knowledge of rāgas, composition, lyric writing, elaboration, rhythm, and language. His extensive repertoire includes Hindustani classical, semi-classical, bhajans, Sufi songs, ghazals, and raga-based collaborations with jazz and world musicians.

Nikhil Pandya, tabla
Nikhil Pandya is a well-known virtuoso tabla player and figure within the Hindustani music community of the Bay Area, and has been inspiring audiences for over 25 years. Nikhil has a unique ability to relate and communicate with vocalists and other musicians on stage. Nikhil’s training under Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri has given him a strong foundation in the subject of tabla. He has had the privilege of performing with many senior musicians and vocalists, and has also collaborated with western musicians and other performers of non-classical Indian music, making him an extraordinarily versatile performer.

Ben Kunin, sarod
Ben is one of today’s most accomplished sarod players in the Bay Area. He learned his instrument and the tradition of North Indian classical music over more than 25 years of study under the legendary Maestro Ali Akbar Khan at the Ali Akbar College of Music in San Rafael, CA. He also learned tabla from Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. In 2006, he began training with Pandit Chitresh Das and the Chandam School of Kathak Dance as an accompanist on the sarod. Ben performs frequently as a soloist and as well as accompanist.