Malhaar

Kirsten Hedegaard has enjoyed a varied career as singer, conductor, and scholar. Having been described as a “seraphic soprano” (Chicago Tribune), who “glides angelically above the rest” (Austin 360), she has performed with many early music specialists, most notably Nicholas McGegan, Paul Hillier, Ivars Taurins, Mary Springfels, Kenneth Slowik, and John Butt. Hedegaard has also appeared as soloist and ensemble member with groups across the country, including Philharmonia Baroque, Mercury Baroque, Ensemble viii, Baroque Band, Schola Antiqua, Newberry Consort, Ars Antiqua, Rook Ensemble, Bella Voce, Callipygian Players, Elgin Symphony, Elgin Master Chorale, and eighth blackbird.

Currently Director of Choral and Vocal Activities at Loyola University, Hedegaard has taught conducting at Concordia University, River Forest and has conducted choirs and orchestras for various institutions including Eastman House, Chicago Children’s Choir, Chicago Choral Artists, Northbrook Community Chorus, Gallery 37, Loyola Academy, and the University of California. As Director of Music at the Presbyterian Church of Barrington, she leads a robust program, including the Music on the Hill Concert Series. Since 2001 she has also been the conductor for the Bella Voce outreach program.

Hedegaard’s ongoing research in the area of choral music and environmental justice has led to the recent formation of the New Earth Ensemble, a chamber ensemble dedicated to performing and commissioning new works that support environmental awareness. As a co-founder of the EcoVoice Project, Hedegaard is dedicated to bringing together musicians and artists to explore how the arts can support environmental education and action.

Hedegaard holds a B.M. from Northwestern University, a M.A. from the University of California, where she was conducting assistant to Paul Hillier, and a D.M.A. from the University of Illinois, where she studied choral conducting with Andrew Megill and orchestral conducting with Donald Schleicher.

Percussionist John Corkill is a passionate advocate for the development, process, and creation of new artistic works that provide accessibility to the public at large. This has led to his involvement in several creative capacities such as founding the multidisciplinary ensemble Beyond This Point in addition to serving as a member of the University of Chicago’s Grossman Ensemble, an ensemble-in-residence at the University’s Center for Contemporary Composition.  Similarly, John has collaborated with many of today’s leading chamber ensembles such as Third Coast Percussion, Eighth Blackbird, Spektral Quartet, International Contemporary Ensemble, Arx Duo, and Ensemble Dal Niente.  He recently finished his tenure as the curator for Fulcrum Point New Project’s Discoveries and Aux In concert series that promote meaningful conversations and inquiry between composers, performers, and listeners.  John has also appeared on the Chicago Symphony’s MusicNOW series as well as the Chamber Music Northwest, Norfolk, and Yellow Barn Festivals.  He currently serves as a Lecturer of Percussion at the University of Chicago and the Percussion Ensemble Director at Loyola University Chicago.  John received the Bachelor of Music degree from Northwestern University where he graduated cum laude, and the Master of Music Degree from the Yale University School of Music. His teachers include Robert van Sice, Michael Burritt, and James Ross. 

“Fleet Finger Virtuosity” says Chicago Tribune Critic, Howard Reich for Kalyan Pathak

“Signature Brand of Percussion Magic” Downbeat Magazine

Kalyan Pathak is one of the most sought-after tabla, drumset and multi-ethnic percussionists in the USA. With a career spanning diverse genres and international stages, Pathak's musical journey is a testament to his unparalleled talent and versatility.

From performing alongside icons like Aretha Franklin and jazz organist Dr. Lonnie Smith to being a vital part of esteemed ensembles like the Aretha Franklin Orchestra, invited to perform at the Aretha Franklin Memorial as an RnB percussionist in August 2018, Pathak's impact on the global music scene is significant. Memorable performances include showcases at renowned venues such as the High Sierra Music Festival in California, the Noche Primavera Festival in Mexico City, the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, IL, and the Pritzker Pavilion at the Chicago Jazz Festival.

Pathak's musical accomplishments extend beyond performances. He has been a soloist with the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Ballet, toured in Israel with Alberto Mizrahi and Peter Yarrow under the musical direction of Howard Levy, and collaborated with artists like Fareed Haque, Howard Levy, and Greg Spero for over 2 decades.

A recipient of a scholarship to the Chicago Musical College, Pathak earned his bachelor's degree in jazz studies with Summa cum laude honors and was named to the National Dean's List in 1996. Known for his dynamic stage presence and proficiency across drumset, tabla, and world percussion, Pathak captivates audiences with his rhythmic innovation and improvisational skill. Continuing to explore new artistic horizons, Pathak has composed for the Chicago Jazz Philharmonic's "Immigrant Stories" and recorded with his ensemble "Jazz Mata." He has also collaborated with the Chicago Silk Road Project, Fulcrum Point New Music, and Bollywood film composers Shankar Ehsaan Loy, showcasing his adaptability and inventive arranging style.

Currently, Pathak tours with blues harmonica and piano legend Corky Siegel, leading Corky Siegel's Chamber Blues to new heights. As a longstanding member of the Tributosaurus band since 2002, Pathak's meticulous attention to detail and virtuosic command of a variety of percussion instruments have solidified his reputation as a true master of his craft.

Pathak's dedication to his artistry is further exemplified through his role as an Artist Endorsee for Tycoon Percussion, Paiste Cymbals, and MalletKat. Whether gracing the stage or captivating audiences through recordings, Pathak's musical prowess continues to inspire and resonate, leaving an indelible mark on the world of percussion and beyond.

Jai was initiated into music by Smt. Anuradha Garud whose guidance helped her secure a scholarship from the Government of India. The Scholarship facilitated her education in Gurukul pattern under one of India’s best classical musicians of our times, “Ganasaraswati Kishori Amonkar”. She has continued on her path of learning under Smt. Arati Ankalikar- Tikekar, with whom she has accompanied on various performances across USA and India.

She has performed classical, semi-classical and fusion vocal music all over the United States and India. She is a recipient of numerous awards, including from the Fellowship in Hindustani Classical vocal, H.R.D. Ministry of Delhi, and festivals and universities across India.

She is a visiting lecturer at Northern Illinois University, University of Wisconsin-Parkside and North Park University in Chicago, Illinois. She also works with Chicago Immigrant Orchestra where she collaborates with multi-ethnic musicians from all around the world like Jamaican,Nigerian, French, Middle Eastern, Mongolian, Taiwanese, Chinese etc 

She teaches Classical, semi classical, and bhajans in Chicago suburbs as well as online via Skype.

Indian-American composer Reena Esmail works between the worlds of Indian and Western classical music, and brings communities together through the creation of equitable musical spaces. 

Esmail’s life and music was profiled on Season 3 of PBS Great Performances series Now Hear This, as well as Frame of Mind, a podcast from the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Esmail divides her attention evenly between orchestral, chamber and choral work. She has written commissions for ensembles including the Los Angeles Master Chorale,  Seattle Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and Kronos Quartet, and her music has featured on multiple Grammy-nominated albums, including The Singing Guitar by Conspirare, BRUITS by Imani Winds, and Healing Modes by Brooklyn Rider. Many of her choral works are published by Oxford University Press.

Esmail is the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 2020-2025 Swan Family Artist in Residence, and was Seattle Symphony’s 2020-21 Composer-in-Residence. She has been in residence with Tanglewood Music Center (co-Curator – 2023) and Spoleto Festival (Chamber Music Composer-in-Residence – 2024) inShe also holds awards/fellowships from United States Artists, the S&R Foundation, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Kennedy Center.

Esmail holds degrees in composition from The Juilliard School (BM’05) and the Yale School of Music (MM’11, MMA’14, DMA’18). Her primary teachers have included Susan Botti, Aaron Jay Kernis, Christopher Theofanidis, Christopher Rouse and Samuel Adler. She received a Fulbright-Nehru grant to study Hindustani music in India. Her Hindustani music teachers include Srimati Lakshmi Shankar and Gaurav Mazumdar, and she currently studies and collaborates with Saili Oak. Her doctoral thesis, entitled Finding Common Ground: Uniting Practices in Hindustani and Western Art Musicians explores the methods and challenges of the collaborative process between Hindustani musicians and Western composers.

Esmail was Composer-in-Residence for Street Symphony (2016-18) and is currently an Artistic Director of Shastra, a non-profit organization that promotes cross-cultural music connecting music traditions of India and the West.

She currently resides in her hometown of Los Angeles, California.