SIMA Media

01 · Recitals

Concerts
in full.

Complete and multi-part recitals hosted by SIMA, spanning Hindustānī and Carnatic traditions. Open a program to browse its recordings.

01April 25, 2015Dhrupad RecitalPt. Uday Bhawalkar · Pratap Awad · Harkeerat Mangat2 parts

Artists: Pt. Uday Bhawalkar, vocal · Pratap Awad, pakhawaj · Harkeerat Mangat, tanpura
Venue: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Centre County

02July 18, 2015A Garland of Unusual RāgasPt. Arijit Mahalanabis · Pt. Ramesh Misra · Amod Dandawate2 parts

Artists: Pt. Arijit Mahalanabis, vocal · Pt. Ramesh Misra, sarangi · Amod Dandawate, tabla · Kishan Patel and Suparno Bhattacharyya, vocal support
Venue: Freeman Auditorium, HUB-Robeson Center, Penn State University

03March 26, 2016Happy Valley Indian Performing Arts FestivalPta. Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik · Pt. Samir Chatterjee · Kishan Patel3 parts

Artists: Pta. Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik, vocal · Pt. Samir Chatterjee, tabla · Kishan Patel, harmonium
Venue: Flex Theater, HUB-Robeson Center, Penn State University

04May 21, 2016Dhrupad RecitalPt. Nirmalya Dey · Pt. Mohan Shyam Sharma4 parts

Artists: Pt. Nirmalya Dey, vocal · Pt. Mohan Shyam Sharma, pakhawaj
Venue: Flex Theater, HUB-Robeson Center, Penn State University

05May 20, 2017Hindustānī Vocal RecitalPta. Ruchira Panda · Meghashyam Keshav · Kishan Patel4 parts

Artists: Pta. Ruchira Panda, vocal · Meghashyam Keshav, tabla · Kishan Patel, harmonium
Venue: HUB-Robeson Center, Penn State University

06June 16, 2019Carnatic Vocal RecitalVidushi Usha Padmanabhan · Hari Padmanabhan · Kishan Patel7 parts

Artists: Vidushi Usha Padmanabhan, vocal · Hari Padmanabhan, violin · Kishan Patel, mridangam
Venue: Svarashray, State College, Pennsylvania

07September 2022Rāgas of the Jaipur GharānaPt. Arun Dravid · Tejas Tope · Kishan Patel · Akhil Jobanputra3 parts

Artists: Pt. Arun Dravid, vocal · Tejas Tope, tabla · Kishan Patel, esraj · Akhil Jobanputra, vocal support
Venue: SIMA Harrisburg

08September 27, 2014Happy Valley Indian Performing Arts FestivalPt. Anirban Dasgupta · Pt. Supreet Deshpande3 parts

Artists: Pt. Anirban Dasgupta, sarod · Pt. Supreet Deshpande, tabla
Venue: Eisenhower Chapel, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, Penn State University

09September 23, 2022Happy Valley Indian Performing Arts FestivalPt. Arun Dravid · Tejas Tope · Kishan Patel · Akhil Jobanputra3 parts

Artists: Pt. Arun Dravid, vocal · Tejas Tope, tabla · Kishan Patel, esraj · Akhil Jobanputra, vocal support
Venue: Flex Theater, HUB-Robeson Center, Penn State University

10July 30–31, 2022Aṣṭa PraharKishan Patel · Tejas Tope1 recording

Artists: Kishan Patel, esraj · Tejas Tope, pakhawaj
Venue: SIMA Harrisburg

RecordingRāga Asāvarī — Alāp, Joḍ, Jhālā, and DhrupadWatch ↗

11September 28, 2014Happy Valley Indian Performing Arts FestivalDibyarka Chatterjee · Kishan Patel1 recording

Artists: Dibyarka Chatterjee, tabla · Kishan Patel, dilruba

RecordingSolo in TīntālWatch ↗

12April 7, 2017Happy Valley Indian Performing Arts FestivalShambhavi Dandekar4 parts

Artist: Shambhavi Dandekar
Venue: Flex Theater, HUB-Robeson Center, Penn State University

02 · Ensemble Productions

Made
together.

Large-scale works developed through sustained rehearsal, collaboration, and community participation, then brought to the stage.

01October 13, 2019Rituchakra: A Musical Journey through the SeasonsAn Arijit Mahalanabis Production1 video

Rituchakra tells the story of a little girl named Lālī, who discovers that the happiness of her village has been stolen by the six seasons. The production follows the musical journey she undertakes to recover the happiness of her village.

Creative team: Production direction: Aditi Upadhya · Instrumental music direction: Anupama Bhagwat · Vocal music direction: Kishan Patel · Choreography direction: Sayali Phadke · Story: Gayatri Devi and Esha Zaveri · Artwork: Pratibha Sane
Participants: Students of SIMA and members of the State College community
Presented by: SIMA at the State Theatre, State College

ProductionRituchakra: A Musical Journey through the SeasonsWatch ↗

02May 2017The Poetry of RhythmDirected and arranged by Kishan Patel · Concept by Arijit Mahalanabis3 parts

This project was designed to teach vocal students the intricacy of rhythmic structure by introducing them to the art of bol paḍhant. The objective was to produce a recital that paralleled a percussion concert—tabla and pakhawaj—but was entirely spoken rather than played.

Creative team: Directed and arranged by Kishan Patel · Concept by Arijit Mahalanabis
Participants: SIMA Seattle students, supported by Kishan Patel, M. T. Aditya Srinivasan, and Sayali Phadke
Presented by: SIMA

03September 2011Mahishasura MardiniArranged and directed by Arijit Mahalanabis2 parts

First broadcast during Mahālayā in 1931, Mahishasura Mardini is one of Bengal’s most beloved radio programs. SIMA’s reproduction featured primarily students of the school, the vast majority of whom were non-Bengali. The performance is recognized for its high fidelity to the original, achieved by amateur musicians.

Creative team: Arranged and directed by Arijit Mahalanabis
Participants: SIMA students and other members of the Seattle community
Presented by: SIMA at the Eastside Bahá’í Center, Bellevue, Washington

03 · Documentaries

Traditions
decoded.

Film projects that bring viewers close to artists, practices, and the knowledge carried within India’s performing traditions.

01August 2021Decoding KathakaliA nine-film series featuring scholars, musicians, and dancers from Kerala Kalamandalam9 films

Created to engage SIMA’s audiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, Decoding Kathakali is a comprehensive series that introduces viewers to the intricacies of Kathakali through documentary films, short performances, and a feature-length performance.

Production: Devina Dutt, executive producer · Ramachandran Keli, line producer · Pepe Gomes, editor · Arijit Mahalanabis, concept development · Akhil Jobanputra, Pankajam Thyagarajan, Kishan Patel, and Sayali Phadke, logistical and organizational support · Gayatri Devi, subtitles
Scholar: V. Kaladharan
Actors: Kalamandalam Shanmughan · Kalamandalam Arunraju · Kalamandalam Adithyan · Kottakal Devadas · Kalamandalam Pradeep · Kalamandalam Neeraj · Hari R. Nair · Kalamandalam Praveen · Kalamandalam Vijayakumar · Yadukrishnan · Pranav · Prayag
Vocalists: Kalamandalam Babu Namboothiri · Kalamandalam Ajesh · Nedumpilly Rammohan · Kalamandalam Krishnakumar · Kalamandalam Vinod · Viswas · Kalamandalam Hareesh
Chenda: Kalamandalam Balasundaran · Kalamandalam Venumohan · Krishnakumar · Ravisankar
Maddalam and idakka: Kalamandalam Venugopal · Kalamandalam Haridas · Aneesh · Kalanilayam Manoj · Kalamandalam Hariharan · Vaisakh · Kalamandalam Nidhin Krishna, idakka
Makeup: Kalamandalam Sudheesh · Kalanilayam Vishnu · Kalamandalam Sivadas · Sukumaran
Presented by: SIMA · First Edition Arts · Penn State Nritya
Supported by: IFAASD, San Diego · ICMSV, Vancouver · Penn State UPAC
Filmed at: Neelambari Ecotourism, Arattapuzha, Kerala

02June 2019AṣṭanāyikāAn exploration of the Aṣṭanāyikā in Kathak8 films

Bharata’s Nāṭyaśāstra describes eight distinct heroines, or Nāyikās. In this set of films, Guru Ranjana Phadke, a renowned danseuse and teacher, explores these eight forms within the context of Kathak.

Production: Audio/visual, sound engineering, and mastering: Sayali Phadke and Kishan Patel · Content curation: Ranjana Phadke, Sayali Phadke, and Kishan Patel
Artists: Guru Ranjana Phadke, Kathak · Kishan Patel, music
Presented by: SIMA
Filmed at: HUB-Robeson Dance Studios

Conversations in Art

Artists speaking across disciplines and practices.

Selections forthcoming