Kartik Seshadri

Kartik Seshadri is a well-known Indian sitar player, composer, and teacher of Hindustani classical music. He was born in 1957 in Chennai (formerly Madras). He began learning the sitar at a very young age and soon showed exceptional musical talent. Later he became a disciple of the legendary sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, who greatly influenced his musical development. 

Kartik Seshadri trained under Ravi Shankar and even toured and performed with his guru at many international concerts. Through this training he developed a deep understanding of Hindustani classical music and the Maihar gharana style of sitar playing. His music is known for its expressive beauty, rich tonal quality, and complex rhythmic patterns. 

Over the years, Kartik Seshadri has performed at many prestigious venues and festivals around the world, including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and major music festivals in India. His concerts have taken place across the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia, and other countries, helping introduce Indian classical music to international audiences. 

In addition to performing, he is also a composer and educator. He has composed works for sitar and chamber orchestra and has collaborated with well-known musicians such as composer Philip Glass. Kartik Seshadri is also associated with the University of California, San Diego, where he directs the Indian Classical Music Ensemble and teaches students about Indian classical music. 

Through his performances, compositions, and teaching, Kartik Seshadri has made significant contributions to spreading Hindustani classical music and sitar tradition around the world, and he is widely respected as an accomplished contemporary sitar maestro.