Prayoga (Practical) Apprenticeship Faculty

Faculty:  Akhil Jobanputra 
Instruction: Hindustani Vocals (primarily khayal and dhrupad), Breathwork and Vocal Production, Raga Theory
Email: [email protected]
Currently accepting students: Yes (limited spots available)

About Akhil's Classes
  • Weekly lessons running in-person and over Zoom
  • Group and private instruction (private classes for select advanced students only)
  • Cultivate healthy and resonant voice production through traditional (e.g. alankaras) and non-traditional (e.g. speech therapy exercises) approaches
  • Immersive teaching of ragas through two major forms of Hindustani vocal music - dhrupad and khayal 
  • Understand concepts of raga, tala, svara, and laya through experiential learning
  • Work towards building performance repertoire, ability to improvise, and creative self-expression

About the Instructor

Born and raised in Canada, Akhil Jobanputra started his journey in the Indian classical vocal form of khayal at the age of three with Asha Lohia receiving direction from his BadeGuruji Pandit Jasraj, and additionally continued his preliminary studies with Neeraja Aptikar. He is currently under the tutelage of Gurus Dr. Pandit Arun Dravid and Pandit Arijit Mahalanabis, and receives additional guidance from Pandit Sanjeev Abhyankar. Akhil's music encapsulates elements of self-introspection, personal narratives, metaphysical beliefs, and artistic expression, rooted primarily in the Jaipur and Mewati gharanas. He has performed across Canada, the US, India, and the U.K. with recent performances for 'Chaar Prahar Festival 2020' (Viewcy.com), and for 'Parāśakti: The Flame Within' (Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, Canada) - a unique production conceptualized and co-directed by Akhil. As an educator, he teaches students of diverse backgrounds, enriching Vancouver’s South Asian traditional arts and culture ecosystem. His paper “My Identity, My Music” was published by the Simon Fraser University Library as part of the proceedings of the Canadian South Asian Youth Conference. At the age of twelve, Akhil founded the Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver (ICMSV) with the goal of bringing communities together and promoting various local events. Since then, he has curated a series of initiatives and events geared at increasing awareness, accessibility, and education around Indian classical music
Faculty: Utkarsha Kale
Instruction: Hindustani Vocals, Pranayama & Yoga, Marathi Natya Sangit & Sugam Sangit
Email: [email protected]
Currently accepting students: Yes (limited spots available)

About Utkarsha's Classes
  • ​Develop a solid foundation in Indian classical music through the systematic study of svara, tala, alankara, and paltas
  • Learn specialized voice culture techniques to enhance vocal strength, expand range, and improve flexibility
  • Dive deep into the art of raga elaboration with a well-structured format that covers the nuances of different ragas
  • Learn a variety of repertoire with the ability to perform with both technical precision and emotional depth
  • Strengthen your breath control and overall posture through classical yogic practices such as pranayama, asanas, and meditations
  • Guidance and training to prepare students for classical music certifications affiliated to Gandharva Mahavidyalaya and preparation for vocal music competitions and presentations available upon request
  • Sessions are available weekly in-person and over Zoom

About the Instructor

Utkarsha is a devoted practitioner of north Indian classical vocal music, having over two decades of immersive training. Originally from Pune, India, she began her musical journey in 2002 under the guidance of Smt. Asawari Aserkar, based on the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Mahavidyalaya system, culminating in her achieving the Sangeet Visharad with First Class honors. To further enhance her skills, Utkarsha trained under the esteemed Pt. Vijay Koparkar. Since relocating to Canada in 2019, she has continued her advanced training in the Gwalior Gayaki from Smt. Aparna Gurav and has also been learning a well-groomed approach to singing Khayals and Dhrupad with Pt. Arijit Mahalanabis since 2022. Utkarsha's versatility extends beyond classical music; she holds a Diploma in Natyasangeet (Maharashtrian Theatre Music) from the Vidyadhar Gokhale Sangeet Natya Pratishthan (2017-2019). Her performance repertoire includes classical and semi-classical presentations at the 'Sahabhāva' series by the Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver (ICMSV), the ‘Sadhana/Tarana’ series by Pratibha Arts in Toronto, the ‘Ashta Prahar’ by the Society for Indian Music and Arts (SIMA) in Pennsylvania, USA, and the ‘Vasantotsav’ festival by NAAD Foundation in Surrey. She has also performed at 'Culture Days' by the Richmond Cultural Centre, and in programs such as ‘Marmabandhatil Thew’ for the Marathi Society of British Columbia and Akashvani broadcasts for Natyasangeet by AIR, Mumbai. Alongside her music, Utkarsha is deeply committed to the practice and teaching of traditional Indian Hatha Yog to students across India and Canada. Balancing her artistic passions, she also holds a Master's in Computer Applications and continues to work full-time in the IT sector. Her aim is to nurture and propagate traditional Indian classical music and yogic practices in Canada where you can explore the rich heritage of north Indian classical music while benefiting from the holistic teachings of Hatha Yog.
More coming soon!
Header photography by Dhushy Captures Studio (Dhushyanth Karunakaran)