Ashwin Baliga

Ashwin Baliga is a Hindustani classical vocalist whose work bridges the traditions of classical music, education, and contemporary performance spaces. Trained under Pt. Milind Chittal and Mahesh Kale, have developed a wide classical repertoire that includes Khayal, Tarana, Raagmala, Thumri, and Bhajan in multiple Indian languages. His concerts are marked not only by musical depth but also by clarity of communication. He often translates lyrics and explains context on stage, helping audiences connect with the meaning and structure of classical music.

Ashwin performs across a broad range of platforms, from classical festivals to wellness spaces and interdisciplinary gatherings. His notable venues include the Washington DC South Asian Classical Music Festival, Skills Development Academy in Doha, Sedona Yoga Festival, Swami Vivekananda Cultural Center in Colombo, Salisbury Center in Edinburgh, Flow Sound Festival in Montreal, Bangalore International Center, and Shri Shaktidarshan Yogashram in Karnataka.

He actively expands the reach of Hindustani music through collaboration. He collaborates with traditional musicians, musicologists, sound healers, yoga practitioners, and DJs, creating formats that introduce classical music to new listeners while preserving its core aesthetics. He is the lead singer of VIBRAHA, an electronic classical band, and a member of the National Sufi Ensemble in Washington, DC.

In collaboration with sound healer Brian Eubanks, Ashwin created the world’s first Raga Bath, integrating Hindustani aalap with frequency-based bowl sounds to form a meditative listening experience. This project has been recorded and released on Spotify.

Ashwin is an honoured recipient of the Pt. R V Sheshadri Gawai Award for his contribution to the performance and propagation of Hindustani music across geographies. He continues to perform in traditional and non-traditional ensembles and is preparing for an Asia Pacific concert tour from December 2025 to February 2026. Alongside performance, he teaches dedicated students from his music studio in McLean, Virginia.