Sunday, March 22, 2026, at 3:00
Shubhendra Rao Sitar
Ravichandra Kulur Flute
B C Manjunath Mridangam
Anubrata Chatterjee Tabla
Padma Shankar Violin and Vocals
Aayush Mohan Sarod and Vocals
Gurur Bramha
Guru Vandana
Sandhya Raga
Tarana
Jaane Kaise
Spring
Jogeshwari
Manj Khamaj
Fire Night
Raga Rasiya
There will be no intermission.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association acknowledges support from the Illinois Arts Council.
The Ravi Shankar Ensemble is a multi-generational collective of worldclass musicians dedicated to the masterful compositions and enduring legacy of the uniquely legendary musician Ravi Shankar. In its debut tour, the ensemble presents a special program curated by Sukanya and Anoushka Shankar, featuring visual elements from the Ravi Shankar archives alongside a dynamic selection of his soul-stirring music.
Maestro Ravi Shankar has had an indelible imprint on global music history and culture. With a career that spanned decades and continents, he was a virtuosic Indian musician and composer known for his mastery of the sitar. Ravi Shankar was a leading cultural figure of the twentieth century and a major figure in the Hindustani music tradition, reshaping the centuries-old form into what is recognized today and introducing Western audiences to the classical tradition of Indian ragas. He popularized Indian classical music globally through his teaching, performances, and collaborations with Western musicians such as Yehudi Menuhin, Philip Glass, and George Harrison. His compositions for sitar and orchestra bridged the gap between Eastern and Western music.
The Ravi Shankar Ensemble is curated by Sukanya and Anoushka Shankar and produced by Schirmer Theatrical, part of Wise Music Group.
Pandit Shubhendra Rao is an internationally acclaimed performer, composer, cultural entrepreneur, and music educator.
A protégé of Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar, Shubhendra Rao has provided relentless service in promoting Indian music, making him a highly respected figure in the field of music and education across the world. As a composer, he pushes the boundaries of classical music across cultures, collaborating with Chinese pipa maestro Gao Hong, American jazz guitarist Freddie Bryant, Japanese legendary singer Ryoko Moriyama, the Bilbao Symphony Orchestra, Brazilian Symphony Orchestra, and the Chinese National Orchestra, among others. He is the founding director of Musikul Education Pvt. Ltd. and cofounder of the Shubhendra and Saskia Rao Foundation, together with his wife, Dutch cellist Saskia Rao-de Haas, transforming the way music is taught in schools in India. Rao and his wife created Sangeet4All, India’s first early childhood music education curriculum, which has reached over 80,000 children to date.
As the Indian delegate to the Creative Youth Development Conference hosted by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, he collaborates with an international team of experts to develop effective international policies for child and youth arts education. Shubhendra Rao is
the first recipient of the Atal Behari Vajpayee National Award for his contribution to art and culture and the 2019 recipient of the prestigious Art Karat Award for Excellence for his contribution in the field of arts.
Ravichandra Kulur is an internationally acclaimed flute virtuoso. He began his training under his father, Sri K. Raghavendra Rao, and was later hailed as flute maestro by legendary Pandit Ravi Shankar, who invited him to join him for the 2005–06 concerts titled Festival of India III. Kulur has performed over 1,200 concerts in 34 countries, gracing stages such as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the Royal Festival Hall, and the Sydney Opera House, as well as festivals including WOMAD, Roskilde, SF, Helsinki Festival, Bangalore Habba, and many more. Kulur’s music blends Carnatic classical, world music, and fusion jazz. In addition to Ravi Shankar, he has collaborated with Anoushka Shankar and AR Rahman.
B C Manjunath is a dynamic artist who revealed an innate musical talent and interest in percussion from a young age, encouraged by his father, legendary mridangam player Vidwan B K Chandramouli. Later, he expanded this musical perspective by training in mridanga under Karnataka Kalashree K N Krishna Murthy and Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri T.K. Murthy. Manjunath’s creative impulses have flowered in various forms, from classical to fusion and in solo and ensemble performances, accompanying many great artists from India and abroad, including Sangeetha Kalaratna, Sri R R Keshavamurthy, Sangeetha Kalaratna Sri H P Ramachar, Mysore M Nagaraj, Mysore M Manjunath (aka the Mysore Brothers), Suma Sudhindra, and Chitraveena N Ravikiran. He has also shared the stage with international legends such as Turkish Sufi singer Kani Karaca and trombonist Robin Eubanks. Manjunath has worked with composers Rafael Reina, Riccardo Nova, and members of Bhedam, as well as with Conservatorium of Amsterdam, the Karnatic Lab Festival, Zagreb Music Biennale, Fabrica Italy, Santander Percussion Festival (Spain), Perth International Festival, Roma Europe Festival, Milano Musica/John Cage Festival, Ictus Ensemble (Belgium), Quintetto Bibiena (Italy), and Het Nederlands Fluit Orkest.
He has designed extensive online courses on konnakol and mridangam for rhythm enthusiasts on platforms like Livdemy and Shaale.
Chatterjee Tabla
Anubrata Chatterjee is one of the leading tabla artists of his generation. He is the son and disciple of the world-renowned tabla maestro Pandit
Anindo Chatterjee. Anubrata Chatterjee’s creative approach to his music includes the traditional Farrukhabad Gharana and Lucknow Gharana tabla styles as well as a modern touch in the presentation of his art through concepts such as Beats & Pieces: The T20 of Classical Music. From Carnegie Hall in New York and Wigmore Hall and the Barbican in London to the Esplanade Theatre in Singapore, Chatterjee has performed at many prestigious venues and music festivals, sharing the stage with wellknown artists globally, including Japanese koto star Yumi Kurosawa, Wynton Marsalis, Amjad Ali Khan, Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Birju Maharaj, Ranjit Barot, and Shankar Mahadevan. Chatterjee has won several awards and accolades, most notably the President’s Gold Medal (2001), awarded by All India Radio, Pandit Nikhil Ghosh Memorial Award (2002), Pandit Basavaraj Rajguru Memorial National Award by Karnataka Government (2014), and Sangeet Natak
Akademi Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar (2016).
Padma Shankar is an acclaimed performer, composer, and educator, known for her evocative artistry and training deeply rooted in the South Indian classical tradition. A senior disciple of the legendary violin maestro Shri Lalgudi Jayaraman, Padma Shankar carries forward his legacy with a nuanced blend of melody, rhythm, and emotional depth. With over three decades of professional experience, she has performed extensively across India and internationally, both as a soloist and in major collaborative projects. Her work bridges classical, contemporary, and global genres, making her a sought-after voice in both experimental and cross-cultural music settings. Padma Shankar has been honored with the prestigious Kalaimamani Award, the highest state recognition for excellence in the arts in Tamil Nadu, along with numerous other accolades for her contributions to Indian classical music. A dedicated educator, she has guided a significant number of students worldwide and recently launched Swaraved, a platform offering self-paced violin and vocal courses designed to empower independent learning.
Aayush Mohan is one of the most acclaimed sarod players on the global stage. Known for his distinguished musicality and mastery of the Indian tradition, Mohan is a proud granddisciple of Bharat Ratna Pandit Ravi Shankar. His training derives from the revered Senia-Maihar Gharana, where he studied under Balwant Rai Verma, Sharan Rani, and Tejendra Majumdar. Apart from his sarod recitals, he often performs alongside his brother, sitarist Lakshay Mohan, with whom he forms the duo the Mohan Brothers. Together,
Sukanya Shankar Artistic Director and Curator
Anoushka Shankar Curator
they performed at the prestigious Grammy Museum in Los Angeles at the opening of the exhibition Ravi Shankar: A Life in Music. The duo received a historic endorsement when Pandit Ravi Shankar, after hearing them in 2012, launched them on their debut U.S. tour under his foundation. Mohan has performed at some of the most respected venues across the world, including Symphony Space in New York City, Berklee College of Music in Boston, Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, the India Fine Arts Academy in San Diego, and Gasteig in Munich. A five-time TEDx speaker, Mohan has also presented lecturedemonstrations at esteemed institutions such as Wayne State University in Detroit and University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
Betsey Perlmutter Lead Producer, VP, and Creative Director, Schirmer Theatrical
Robert Thompson President, Schirmer Theatrical
Alex Kosick Producer, Schirmer Theatrical
Evie Miller Artistic Operations Assistant, Schirmer Theatrical
Adam Grannick Visual Designer and Editor
Kalyan Sura Visual Designer and Motion Artist
More information on The Ravi Shankar Ensemble is available at schirmertheatrical.com/concert-program/the-ravi-shankar-ensemble
In June 2026, Symphony Center marks America’s 250th anniversary with a month of performances that honor the nation’s rich and evolving cultural landscape, reflecting the country’s resilience, creativity and musical traditions.
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Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
JUNE 2
Alsop Conducts Adams, Copland & Marsalis
JUNE 4-6
Conrad Tao piano
JUNE 7
Chris Thile & the CSO
JUNE 8
Gaffigan, Thibaudet & Bernstein
JUNE 11 -1 3
Lincoln Portrait & Ellington Harlem
JUNE 1 8-21 A Musical Tribute to John Williams & Steven Spielberg
JUNE 23
Star Wars: A New Hope in Concert
JUNE 25-27
WEDNESDAY
MARCH 25
FREE / 7:30 PM CDT / Maurer Hall
OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC
WEDNESDAY APRIL 15
$25 / 8:00 PM CDT / 21+
WEDNESDAY MAY 13
FREE / 7:30 PM CDT / Maurer Hall
OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC
V.V.S. MURARI : VIOLIN ASHWANI SHANKAR : SHEHNAI SAI GIRIDAR : MRIDANGAM TBA : TABLA
*A MANDALA MAKERS SERIES EVENT
JUNE 3
CONSTELLATION CHICAGO CHICAGO CULTURAL CENTER
WEDNESDAY
FREE / 7:30 PM CDT / Maurer Hall
OLD TOWN SCHOOL OF FOLK MUSIC
*A MANDALA MAKERS SERIES EVENT
FRIDAY
SEPTEMBER 25
FREE / 6:00 PM CDT
RAGAS & TALAS RADIO
Indian classical music concert by Kunal Gunjal on santoor (hammer dulcimer) Kunal is a senior student of Shivkumar Sharma Joined by tabla wizard Amit Kavthekar, senior student of Zakir Hussain
A unique Jungalbandhi (duet) of Hindustani music of the North and Carnatic Music of the South An Indian classical meeting at its finest by masters
Award winning, NYC based, Persian Khamancheh player extraordinaire Mehrnam Rastegari makes her Chicago debut with her band
Master of the ancient bowed instrument, the sarangi, Sabir Khan is the student and son of Sultan Khan and has toured with Zakir Hussain He will be joined by another tabla master Hindole Majumdar
The 14 Annual all-night, free celebration of South Asian classical music as part of World Music Festival Chicago Eight ensembles of music from 6pm-8am TH Presented by DCASE Chicago
Chicago’s only all South Asian classical music radio show! Tune in every other Sunday 5-7 PM on Lumpen Radio, Chicago community radio www lumpenradio com or WLPN-LP 105 5 FM
