Date: July 18, 2026

Time: 5 - 8 PM

Where: TBA

1Z2A3400_Edit (2).jpg Sushma Kashyap Pawan is an Irvine-based Hindustani classical vocalist, performer, composer, and teacher. A dedicated Khayal singer, she has performed for leading music organizations across India, including Bangalore, Delhi, Kolhapur, and Hubli, as well as in the United States, including Los Angeles, Houston, and Hawaii. Her musical repertoire spans classical and semi-classical forms, including Khayal, Thumri, devotional music, and ghazals.

In addition to her concert work, Sushma has composed music for short films and plays and has collaborated with international DJ artists to create classical music-based soundscapes. She has also composed fusion ensembles for high school students, reflecting her interest in making classical music accessible to younger and broader audiences.

Sushma is also the founder and teacher of Sunaad Sangeetha Shaale in Irvine, where she works with a small group of serious students. The school emphasizes personal attention and customized instruction based on each student’s musical ability and growth.

Rohan Upamaka is a Bay Area–based Hindustani classical vocalist and young artist. A disciple of Pandit Vijay Koparkar, he has also trained under Shri Manoj Tamhankar and Smt. Archana Tamhankar. Rohan’s musical journey is enriched by his strong grounding in tabla, which he has studied under Shri Satish Tare, along with advanced exposure to the tradition of Pandit Swapan Chaudhuri. He is also a self-taught harmonium player, bringing a well-rounded understanding of melody, rhythm, and accompaniment to his music. Rohan has performed in Indian classical music concerts across California and is regarded as one of the promising young voices of the Bay Area Hindustani music community.

Shivam Sudame is a tabla artist from Irvine, California. He began learning tabla at age seven under Shri Hemant Ekbote in Irvine and later studied with Shri Muthu Kumar and Pt. Aditya Kalyanpur. He currently receives taleem from Pt. Anindo Chatterjee, one of the leading masters of the Farrukhabad and Lucknow gharanas. Shivam has performed alongside respected musicians including Pt. Tarun Bhattacharya and Pt. Pankaj Mishra, and has presented solo performances before several noted tabla maestros.

About Sangeethaamsha

During the pandemic, Classical musicians in India were hit hard because the two primary opportunities to make money (live events and teaching) were banned. For an art form that thrives in small groups, COVID was particularly devastating. Sign up to our newsletter at sangeethaamsha.com to learn more.

Originally started by a small group of volunteers, who raised money (in Dollars) and paid artists in India to hold virtual Zoom concerts for a small audience in the US.

Encouraged by feedback from the local community, a small group of volunteers formally incorporated Sangeethaamsha as a 501(c)(3) non-profit in 2022.

Our goal now is to nurture, teach, produce, or provide access to a variety of arts experiences encompassing the visual, media, or performing arts, with particular intent to promote the rich heritage of the Classical Hindustani music to the young members of the community as well as the mainstream population in the U.S. Founded and operated by a group of volunteers from Silicon Valley, CA and the greater San Francisco area,

Our performances are typically organized in the “Baithak” style, which provides an intimate exchange of experience between the artist and the performer.

This style elevates appreciation of the music, accelerates learning, and importantly, helps interpret artist’s musical expression.

We also hold free-workshops and invite visiting guests, teachers, and artists to perform in intimate venues.

Ragas of Summer: A Sangeethaamsha Baithak

Featuring Sushma Pawan, Rohan Upmaka, and Shivam Sudame

Team Members