Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashwini Gore Deshpande.
Hi Ashwini, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am an Indian vocalist, performer, and founder of the Austin Raga School of Music. I was a finalist in the famous Indian TV show ‘SaReGaMaPa.’ I have performed in India, Europe, and USA. Some of my memorable performances were at the BMM convention in Dallas, the Stockholm Sangeet Conference in Sweden, the Embassy of India in Finland, and Pulotsav in India.
Austin
I moved to Austin in 2018, and the city has offered me many opportunities. In this short period, I was fortunate to collaborate with established artists of Austin and perform at CBS Austin, KUTX Radio, and several shows in Austin, Dallas, and San Antonio. I was also selected as a panel speaker for the SXSW festival. Singing at the Texas Capitol was another great experience for me. I was the winner of the singing contest in Austin to meet Arijit Singh, one of India’s topmost singers. There are many Indian communities in Austin supporting Indian art forms that I have performed for – Desh Festival, Kaladarpan, Sewa Foundation, Austin Marathi Mandal, Maharashtra Majha, and Sur Darbar. Following my passion for teaching music, I founded ‘The Austin Raga School of Music,’ which caters to students in Austin and all over the USA.
Background
My journey with music started at a very young age. My father, Mukund Gore, trained me in Indian classical vocals for 12 years. I began performing with my parents. I did several performances on Indian TV and Radio. I received prestigious scholarships from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and Karnataka Sangeet Natak Academy. Smt. Jayshree Patnekar also trained me. Jayashree Patnekar and am currently under the guidance of Pt. Anand Bhate. I completed my Master’s in Indian Music (Gold medalist) and Mathematics. I chose music as a full-time career. I have performed at various music festivals in India – Pulotsav, Kumar Gandharva Sangeet Samorah, Yuva Gharana Sammelan, Tyagraja Ganasabha, and Ram Navmi Utsav.
Finland
I lived in Finland for two years before moving to Austin, and I got to collaborate with some amazing Finnish and Swedish musicians for projects like Indian Raga-Finland’s 100th-year program and Sweden Finland Sangeet. I have conducted several workshops in Finland at Sibelius Academy, the International School of Music, and the Embassy of India. It was an enriching experience performing for local audiences. When I lived in Finland, some of the listeners expressed that they were listening to Indian music for the first time. I was privileged and honored to represent Indian music, and this experience gave me a bigger purpose to share Indian music with the world.
Would it have been a smooth road, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
During the last decade, my family has moved across three continents. Each move came with the challenge of reestablishing my career in a new city. I learned to be proactive, connect with artists, and find common interests and opportunities to collaborate with them. Now, I’ve found a home in Austin.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I enjoy performing various genres of Indian music ranging from classical to Bollywood. I perform in multiple languages – Hindi, Marathi, and Kannada. My training specialized in Hindustani classical music. I perform Khayal(classical) and semi-classical music, which includes Marathi Natya Sangeet (Marathi drama music) and Abhang (devotional), along with Marathi Bhavgeet (light music). My Bollywood inspirations have been the legendary Lata Mangeshkar and Asha Bhosale. I have done several shows performing their songs and the newer songs by Shreya Ghoshal. As a composer, I have recently released a single, “Anand Roop Gajavadana’ which was widely appreciated. I plan to release more albums. I have also composed music for several dance and drama productions. I feel proud and fortunate to have received traditional training in Indian classical music for around 20 years, which has empowered me to become versatile. The skills and knowledge gained from my Gurus and years of experience set me apart from others.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
For collaborations, please send an email to music@austinraga.org
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ashwinigoredeshpande.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashwini.music/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashwini.goredeshpande
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/ashwinigoredeshpande
- Other: linktr.ee/ashwini.music
