Voices in Confluence: An Evening of Music, Poetry & Conversation

Join Hera Mubashir and Ronnie Malley for a captivating evening of music, poetry, and conversation. Experience soulful performances that blend vocal and instrumental artistry, highlighting the beauty and depth of diverse musical traditions. The evening also features a special Meet & Greet with Bushra Amiwala, offering a chance to connect with the artists and fellow attendees.

Hera will be joined by Dhananjay Kunte on tabla, Hitesh Master on harmonium, and Sonny Patel on flute, adding rich instrumental depth to the evening.

The event takes place at Bramble Arts Loft, a creative space in Andersonville’s culturally diverse neighborhood, providing an inspiring setting for this celebration of art, culture, and community.

Doors open at 6:30 PM with drinks bar open for service.

Hera Mubashir

Hera Mubashir is a South Asian classical vocalist based in Chicago, born and raised in Karachi, Pakistan. She is deeply drawn to the moods and depth of raags, especially in the realm of khayal, where the fluidity of sur allows her to communicate a unique feeling with striking freedom. She also explores thumri, geet, and ghazal, keeping alive traditions where poetry and melody are inseparable. Hera has been training under Ustaad Urooj Saami of the Qawwal Bacha Delhi Gharana, a centuries-old lineage renowned for its depth, devotion, and mastery of raag and khayal. She has performed with various South Asian organizations in the Chicagoland area, marking her presence with solo performances earlier this year. Beyond performance, Hera is passionate about representation and community, seeing music as a powerful way for people to come together.

Ronnie Malley is a Palestinian-American musician, storyteller, and educator specializing in Middle Eastern, North African, South Asian, and medieval Spanish music. He performs with ensembles including Apollo's Fire, Diwan al-Han, Lamajamal, and Surabhi Ensemble, and has contributed to award-winning theater, film, and TV projects such as The Band’s Visit (Broadway, Tony Awards, Grammy Awards), Mo (Netflix), and The Jungle Book (Disney/Goodman Theatre). Ronnie is also a composer and producer with several albums and collaborative works, and his accolades include multiple Jeff Award nominations, the 2020 Kennedy Center Citizen Artist Award, and the 2023 Chamber Music America Michael Jaffee Visionary Award. He holds a BA in Global Music Studies from DePaul University and an MA in Languages from the University of Chicago, where he is currently pursuing a PhD in Ethnomusicology.

Dhananjay Kunte

Dhananjay Kunte is a highly accomplished tabla artist based in Chicagoland, trained under Pt. Pandurang Mukhade of the Farukhabad gharana and holding a Master’s Degree in tabla. He has accompanied artists across classical, light, devotional, and kirtan music, and is a core member of the world-fusion Surabhi Ensemble, with multiple performances at the Chicago World Music Festival. A prolific composer and dedicated educator, he leads the Pratibha School of Music, where he actively teaches and mentors tabla students.

Hitesh Master Nayak

Hitesh “Master” Nayak hails from a distinguished lineage of royal court musicians (Rajgayaks) from Junagadh and Gwalior, whose musical heritage dates back to the 15th century. Trained from the age of three by his father Vrajlal Nayak and later under eminent gurus of the Mewati Gharana, he also learned harmonium from masters of Mumbai’s Deshi Natak Samaj. A Master’s degree holder in Music from Gandharva Mahavidyalay, Ahmedabad, Hitesh performed in Bollywood for over a decade with the legendary Shankar–Jaikishan duo. Now based in Chicago, he continues to teach and perform, carrying forward his family’s rich classical legacy.

Sonny Patel

Dr. Sonny Patel is a student of Lyon Leifer, studying bansuri - the bamboo flute of northern South Asia. He performs with the South Asian Music Ensemble at the University of Chicago and is a member of Do The Needful, Chicago’s surf-punk Bollywood band. Sonny has performed at venues including the Old Town School of Folk Music, the South Asia Institute, and summer festivals across Chicago. A physician by training, he is also the Director of Programs at Chicago Debates.

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