A Hindustani Classical Vocal Concert featuring Ud. Waseem Ahmad Khan 

Date: Saturday, June 8, 2024, 5:00 PM EDT at

Venue: India International Spiritual & Meditation Center

$30.00 per ticket

Vocal: Ustad Waseem Ahmad Khan

Tabla: Shri Sanjay Deshpande

Ustad Waseem Ahmad Khan

Waseem Ahmed Khan’s lineage is enviable. An exponent of the Agra gharana, Khan is a direct descendent of the stalwarts who created this stylistically unique and rich repertoire. The Agra style is heavily influenced by the dhrupad gayaki (vocalisation); During the 19th century, it embraced influences of the ‘khayal,’ a lighter form of Persian music and underwent some changes. This amalgamation of dhrupad and khayal coupled with distinctive vocal styles lent by Khan’s forefathers have given an uncommon set of features to the Agra gharana. Khan is the sole living direct descendent of this major style that has existed in India since the 13th century.

Waseem Ahmed Khan was born in 1974 to Ustad Naseem Ahmed Khan. Naseem was the son of Basheer Khan, another exponent of the Agra gharana who has made significant contributions to this style. From the age of six, his immersive training or taalim began with his maternal grandfather, Late Ata Hussain Khan (1899-1980), who used the pen name, “Ratan Piya” and is well-known for some of the most beautiful compositions of the Agra repertoire. Thus, Waseem was blessed from both his maternal and paternal sides with one of the richest repertoires of north Indian classical music.

Khan has carved a niche for himself as an exponent of the Agra gharana. His open-throated delivery of nom-tom alap is detailed. Khan is known for picking up special words or sentences in a bandish (fixed composition) and improvising in the true Agra style with bol-bant, a method of expanding lyrics based on rhythm. Apart from khayal renditions, Khan’s thumri performances have also received accolades from connoisseurs and lay audiences

He is currently based in Kolkata, where he teaches his own students in the guru shishyaparampara. Simultaneously, he trains students at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy in the capacity of a ‘Musician Scholar’ and lends his expertise to various other scholarly projects of this institution.

Shri Sanjay Deshpande

Sanjay Deshpande is a talented Tabla Player based in Pune, INDIA. He was born in a music loving family and was introduced to the art of playing Tabla under Late Pt. Sabade at Pune Bharat Gayan Samaj. Later he took Taleem (lessons) from the renowned Tabla player Pt. Suresh Talwalkar of  Delhi-Farookabad  Gharana, in a Guru Shishya Parampara .He also had the privilege of understanding the beauty of Punjab Gharana  under the guidance of  world renowned Tabla maestro Ustad. AllaRakha Khan Saheb and Pt.Yogesh Samsi. At present he is taking Taleem from Pt. Vivek Joshi.

​Sanjay is recipient of the coveted “Ahmedjaan Thirakwaa Scholarship” for Solo Performance. He has accompanied renowned artists like Smt. Vasundhara Komkali, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Pt. Smt. Malini Rajurkar, Pt. Jasraj, Dr. Prabha Atre, Pt. DinkarKaikini, Dr. Ashwini Bhide-Deshpande , Smt. Veena Sahastrabudhe and many such great artists.

He has performed in major conferences such as Sawai Gandharwa Music FestivalPune, Paluskar Smarak Conference, Shankarlal Samaroha in New Delhi, I.T.C. Sangeet Sammelan . Dowerlane Conference, Kolkata.

Sanjay has performed abroad in Countries like U.S.A, U.K, U.A.E,Canada, Australia, Switzerland, Russia, Belgim, Holland, Qatar, Israel, South Korea etc. He has also participated in the “World Vocal Festival” in  Sweden.

He is empanelled as GURU at the Lalit Kala Kendra, University of Pune and Bharati Vidyapeeth Pune. He has number of  recordings released. His fusion album “Wind From Ayuta” with Korean musicians won the Best album award of the year - 2002 in South Korea.

Shri Siddhesh Bicholkar

Siddhesh was privileged to receive guidance from his First Guru, Shri Sharad Mathkar in Goa and later placed under the tutelage of Pt. Tulsidas Borkar, a renowned Harmonium exponent and Guru.

The difficult and lesser known art of Jaltarang was taken up by Siddhesh with inspiration from Shri Sharad Mathkar, who personally crafted his first set of Jaltarang apparatus. Siddhesh gained valuable knowlegde about Instrumental recitals and depths of Classical Music from Pt. Tulsidas Borkar, enabling Siddhesh to present Jaltarang Recitals, a very rare occurence in Indian Classical Music.

He has been the recipient of many eminent music scholarships including accolades by the Govt.of India and its H.R.D. Ministry. He is presently employed as a classical music teacher at Sharda Sangeet Vidyalaya, Mumbai.