Artists: Shilpa Shankar (Dancer) and Tabla Maestro Pt. Yogesh Samsi

Tickets available for purchase online via Festival Place

Shilpa Shankar

Shilpa Shankar is a Bharatanatyam dancer based in Vancouver. Originally from India, where she received initial training in the dance form under Nirupama Rajendra of Abhinava Dance Company, she currently trains in Bharatanatyam at Mandala Arts and Culture and has been under the mentorship and guidance of Artistic Director Jai Govinda for the past 4 years. In recent times, she has presented her work for The Dance Centre BC, New Works, Black Out Art Society and Presentation House Theatre among others. Shilpa is also a Certified Public Accountant working as an assurance professional in a Big 4 accounting firm. She serves as treasurer on the board of Company 605, a dance society.

Pandit Yogesh Samsi

Recognised in the world today as a leading tabla artiste, exhibiting consummate artistry both as a soloist and accompanist. The son of the renowned vocalist Late Pandit Dinkar Kaikini, Yogesh was initiated into tabla by his father at the tender age of four, and later received guidance under Pandit H.Taranath Rao. However it was under the gifted tutelage of the legendary Ustad Allah Rakha that Yogesh received intense training for twenty three years, maturing into one of the most sought after tabla artistes in India today. His style is marked by an unmatched combination of power, sensitivity, knowledge of tradition, tonal clarity, and aesthetics. Yogesh has played with many of the top ranking classical instrumentalists, vocalists and dancers of India, including Pt Shivkumar Sharma, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt Bhimsen Joshi, Ustad Vilayat Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pt Dinkar Kaikini, and Pt Birju Maharaj. He has also had the privilege of accompanying Ustad Allah Rakha and his son the great maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain in their solo performances. Apart from accompaniment, Yogesh has performed numerous memorable solo performances in India and abroad. He has been featured in many of the world’s most prestigious venues, including: Carnegie Hall, New York; Kennedy Center, Washington DC; Theatre de la Ville, Paris; Opera House, Sydney; Barbican Centre, London; Bolshoi Theatre, Moskow; Esplanade Theatre, Singapore, to name a few.

Harmonium: Shri Hardeep Channa

Shri Hardeep began his musical journey early, immersed in a musical atmosphere by his family and learning the Gurmat Sangeet Traditions. He has been under the guidance of Shri Tanmay Deochake since 2014 and accompanied many well known artists such as Vid Ashwini Bhide, Pandit Anindo Chatterjee, Pandit Yogesh Samsi and others.