About

Dr. Shishir Rao is a Hindustani classical Khayal vocalist, with over two decades of training under Sri. Nachiketa Yakkundi of the lineage of Padma Bhushan Pandit Basavraj Rajguru of the Kirana gharana. His musical education includes advanced studies at Kolkata's ITC Sangeet Research Academy, and he performs regularly across India, the USA, and the UK. Alongside his musical pursuits, Shishir leads research in AI modelling of chronic diseases at the University of Oxford and hosts OxKala, a podcast exploring South Asian classical music.

At the heart of Shishir’s approach to Khayal is receptive musicianship - staying open to musical possibilities as they unfold in the moment. In performance, this philosophy comes alive through dynamic ensemble interaction, where each artist contributes vital ideas to the raga's development. Every concert becomes a collaborative dialogue, with all musicians collectively shaping the musical journey. This spirit of openness extends to the audience as well - true to Khayal's meaning of imagination, he approaches each performance from a "tabula rasa" perspective, inviting listeners to join him in discovering unexpected moments of beauty.