Prayoga (Practical) Apprenticeship Faculty

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

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

Akhil Jobanputra is a young student, performer, educator, and curator of Indian classical music. He began his journey at the age of three, learning from various teachers across different gharanas over the years. Since 2017, he has been receiving intensive training under the tutelage of highly respected gurus Dr. Pandit Arun Dravid and Pandit Arijit Mahalanabis. Featured as one of CBC’s “30 under 30” Canadian classical musicians (2024), Akhil is a practitioner of various sub-genres of Hindustani vocal music, including Dhrupad and Khayal, and is deeply influenced by his exposure to a diverse array of stylistic disciplines, artists, and musical lineages. His repertoire includes a mix of centuries-old rare and common traditional compositions alongside a range of contemporary creations, including his own. Akhil has performed across Canada, the U.S., India, and the U.K., with recent notable performances at Kitab Khana (India), the Chilliwack Cultural Centre (Canada), and the Chhandayan Center for Indian Music (U.S.). His music flows between tradition and innovation, characterized by rhythmic playfulness, emotive ornamentation, and unhurried, expansive expressions of rāgas and compositions.

​As an educator, Akhil is passionate about investing into the future of this music. Through the Kalāvāṇī Institute, he teaches students from a variety of backgrounds, contributing to Vancouver’s vibrant South Asian arts and cultural scene. At the age of twelve, Akhil founded the Indian Classical Music Society of Vancouver (ICMSV). Since then, he has curated a series of initiatives and events aimed at increasing awareness, accessibility, and education about Indian classical music. Through his work, he has created a space where seasoned listeners and newcomers alike explore the depth and beauty of Indian classical music in community.
Header photography by Dhushy Captures Studio (Dhushyanth Karunakaran)