Ganesh Rajagopalan

Indian classical violin maestro Ganesh Rajagopalan (of the Ganesh Kumaresh brothers duo fame) is an internationally renowned performer and composer. As a child prodigy, Ganesh has been performing since the young age of seven, and rose to stardom performing with legends like tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, Oscar winner and Bollywood’s famed music director A. R. Rahman, and John McLaughlin of Shakti fame.

Ganesh has pioneered the concept of instrumental music by introducing a new variety in the traditional music format called, “Ragapravaham”. He has also released an album of the same name. He founded a special concept called, “Swara Yoga”, a mantra for Yogic Meditation designed to understand the value of Indian music and the basic concepts of the position of notes through chanting swaras.

Ganesh is a recipient of several awards and honors from the Government of India and other organizations. He has toured worldwide and performed at prestigious venues, such as the Queen Elizabeth Hall; Royal Festival Hall in London; Chicago Symphony Center; Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley; Walt Disney Center, LA,; Festival of Violin – Barcelona; and Symphony Space- NY.

Ustad Irshad Khan

Based in Mississauga., Ontario, Canada, Ustad Irshad Khan is one of the foremost representatives of a musical heritage unprecedented in India. He is the torchbearer of the younger generation for the leading school of Sitar, known as the “Imdadkhani Etawa Gharana”. He is internationally recognized as one of the greatest living sitar players and as the leading surbahar (bass sitar) exponent of his generation. Having emerged as a child prodigy, Irshad gave his first public performance at the age of seven. His international debut was at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, England at the age of 13. At 18, he made history by becoming the youngest soloist to perform at one of the most prestigious international music festivals held in London, known as the Indian All Night Concert at the Proms. Since then, he has played in over 40 nations at music festivals and conferences throughout North America, Europe, Russia, the Middle East, the Far East, and India. Irshad is the founder/president of Universal Academy for Musicians, based in Mississauga and Mumbai, India.

Nitin Mitta

Nitin Mitta is one of the most accomplished and distinctive tabla players of his generation, with a reputation for technical virtuosity, spontaneity, clarity of tone, and sensitivity to melodic nuances. Apart from being a dynamic soloist, he is a highly sought after accompanist who has performed with some of India’s most celebrated Hindustani classical musicians, including Pandit Jasraj, Dr. Prabha Atre, Pandits Rajan and Sajan Mishra, Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, and Ustad Shahid Parvez, as well as many Carnatic musicians, including Lalgudi G.J.R Krishnan and Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi.

Born in 1975, Nitin received his early training in Hyderabad from Pandit G. Satyanarayana. He gave his first solo tabla performance at the age of ten. After moving to the United States in 2002, Nitin received a grant from the Rhode Island State Council on Arts. He has performed throughout the United States, Europe, Canada and India, playing at prominent venues such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Weill Recital Hall and Carnegie Hall, the UCLA Royce Hall, the Indian Consulate of New York, the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C, the Music Academy in Chennai, and the Habitat Center in New Delhi.

Patri Satish Kumar

Patri Satish Kumar is a Mridangam artist from India. Born into a family steeped in Carnatic music, he was initiated into learning Mridangam at a young age by his mother Smt. Padmavathy, who was a violinist. Satish Kumar performed his first concert at the age of seven. Trained by Guru Sree Ramachandramurthy, V.A. Swami, and Vankayala Narasimham, he continued to evolve a distinct style of his own. Satish Kumar has performed alongside many artists, including Dr. Balamuralikrishna, [Ganesh and Kumaresh], Chitraveena Ravi Kiran, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Pandit Jasraj, and many more. Satish Kumar has toured extensively, performing in the United States, Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Middle East, Malaysia, Singapore, Japan, and Mauritius. He is a regular feature at prestigious venues and festivals, including BBC Proms at The Royal Albert Hall, London’ The Music Academy, Chennai; Saptak Festival, Ahmedabad; Theater De La Ville, Paris; Villa Cardova, Cordoba, Spain; Rashtrapati Bhavan, India; Pablo Festival, France; Harbourfront Festival, Toronto; and the Madrid Jazz Festival.

Meet the co-author

Joshua Pollock

JOSHUA POLLOCK is a Heartfulness trainer and practitioner from the United States. An accomplished Western classical violinist, he has performed and taught throughout the world, including multiple collaborations with composer A.R. Rahman. Pollock is a dedicated spiritual aspirant, and is enthusiastic about sharing his passion for meditation, frequently lecturing at private seminars, holding practical demonstrations in corporate, educational and governmental settings, and providing ongoing individual support to local seekers. Pollock holds a Bachelor of Musical Arts degree from Indiana University and two master’s degrees from Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London. He currently resides in India with his wife and their two children.