Past Events & Photo Albums
Thursday March 2, 2023
Saturday January 28, 2023
Saturday June 11, 2022
Baanware Sameera – The Passionate Wind
A concert dedicated to healing from the global pandemic.
Rita Sahai, with her Vasundhara Choir and Distinguished Musicians at All Souls Episcopal Parish, Berkeley
Rita Sahai lead vocalist and harmonium.
Vocal support by Vivek Anand, Rajnish Kamat and Smita Risbud.
Rachel Unterseher and Arya Malladi on viola, Keshav Batish on tabla, Aharon Wheels Bosta on bansuri flute, Henry Cooper on bagpipe.
Master of Ceremonies Subita Sudershana
Baanware Sameera – The Passionate Wind is the fifth choir concert composed by Rita Sahai and performed by the Vasundhara Choir, and is dedicated to healing from the pandemic. In contrast to the legitimate concerns shared by the whole world about masking to prevent breathing in an infectious virus, the lyrics of this concert are about the human breath and wind in its various healing forms.
Saturday, February 26, 2022
Modirzadeh / Sahai / Batish ~
Together for the First Time!
February 26, 2022 @ 8:00 PM
Rendon Hall/Fiddler Annex @ California Jazz Conservatory
2040 Addison Street, Berkeley, CA 94704
Hafez Modirzadeh (saxophone) and Rita Sahai (N. Indian Vocals) are long-time collaborators joining forces here for the first time with world-renowned artists, Ashwin Batish (sitar, tabla) and Keshav Batish (sitar, tabla, drums). Together, this unique quartet will develop improvisations from their own original compositions, drawing from Hindustani, African American, and Persian musical traditions.
Sunday February 21, 2021
Saturday January 12, 2019
Sunday, December 9, 2018
Sunday, September 30, 2018
Young Members of Rita Sahai’s Vasundhara Choir
to sing for
Gandhi Peace Prayer Day
in celebration of
Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday.
The program runs from 11am to 5pm
Ritaji and the children will sing at 11:30.
The event is free.
Badarikashrama – 15602 Maubert Ave, San Leandro, California 94578
Please visit Badarikashrama website for more details
FALL CLASSES
Classes at both colleges have already started, but you can still register. Check with the music departments of your college.
DECEMBER EVENTS, 2018
Saturday May 19, 2018
Saturday March 3, 2018
HAPPY NEW YEAR, 2018
Begin the year with Hindustani music and
blessings from Lord Ganesh!
Vivek Anand will be singing with Rita Sahai at Badarikashrama Temple from 12pm to 1pm on January 1st 2018. Solo and duet compositions. Please do attend!
Ganesh Homa Puja from 10:30 am to 12 pm, Concert from 12 to 1 pm.
Vegetarian lunch to follow.
Badarikashrama Temple, 15602 Maubert, San Leandro.
DECEMBER, 2017
OCTOBER 28, 2017
MAY–JUNE, 2017
Saturday & Sunday, February 25 & 26, 2017
A SONG FOR ALL BEINGS
I have the opportunity – once again –
to participate in this wonderful production
produced and directed by Jennifer Berezan.
Marin Veterans’ Memorial Auditorium
10 Ave of the Flags, San Rafael, CA 94903-5204
Saturday, at 7:30 pm & Sunday at 1:30 pm
(This Show will be filmed)
A Dazzling, Huge-Hearted Cirque d’Spirit! Join 100 performers and 2,000 friends in a ceremonial concert.
DETAILS & VIDEO HERE
(The Saturday concert is sold out, but there are still tickets available for Sunday)
CLICK HERE for TICKET INFORMATION
Friday, January 27, 2017
SFSU HINDUSTANI ENSEMBLE CLASS BEGINS
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Mira Bai Music Festival
Meera was a sixteenth-century Rajput princess who renounced her privileged life and royal family to live
as a mendicant — wandering , dancing, and singing the
praises of God.
A devotee of Krishna, she was part of an influential religious movement (bhakti) that rejected distinctions of caste and creed, shunned the stultifying rituals and inaccessible scripture
of conservative religion, and believed that direct union with God was possible for all — men and women, highborn and lowborn. Meera’s mystic songs act as a soothing comfort to the heart and mind of listeners invoking devotion and love for Lord Krishna.
Rita Sahai and her Vasundara Choir will be performing original compositions of Mira Bai’s poetry which will be interspersed by a narration of Meera Bai’s life by Suman & Sargam Shah.
Time: 10:30 AM to 2:00 PM (PDT)
15602 Maubert Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94578
Visit the STORE tab on this website: Rita Sahai’s popular Meera CD is on sale.
Sunday, June 19, 2016
Celebrating the 32nd Anniversary of Badarikashrama
There will be a Satyanarayan Puja and
Rita Sahai and Students will perform Bhajans
Badarikashrama
15602 Maubert Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94578
Thursday, June 2, 2016
HINDUSTANI VOCAL ENSEMBLE
Join us on June 2, 2016 – 12:05pm – 1:00pm for our next recital.
UC Davis – Mondavi Center – Jackson Hall
Free Admission
Saturday, May 14, 2016
Special Concert and CD/DVD Release
in celebration of our Jalaranjani Concert last November
Join us for a very special evening filled with celestial song, soul-stirring vibration, blessed devotion and hearts that have come together over many years of immersion, growth and practice in this time honored tradition. Rita will be performing a solo and her Vasundhara choir will join her in a few songs from her most recent musical production, Jalaranjani: The Moods of Water. Swami Prapannananda of the Vedanta Society of Sacramento will conduct a ceremony for the CD & DVD release of this sublime musical masterpiece.
Admission is free; donations are welcome.
1337 Mission Ave., Carmichael, CA 95608
For more info, please call Smita Risbud at 530-758-8917
or email smitarisbud@hotmail.com
Friday, May 13, 2016
HINDUSTANI VOCAL ENSEMBLE at SF State University
Knuth Hall | Creative Arts Building
School of Music San Francisco State University ,
1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco CA 94132
ph. 415-338-1344 or CLICK HERE for directions.
Free Admission
Monday, March 14, 2016
HINDUSTANI VOCAL ENSEMBLE
Performs with Student Chamber Ensembles of UC Davis
UC Davis – Room 115, Music Building
Free Admission
JANUARY – APRIL, 2016
Friday, December 25, 2015
CHRISTMAS DINNER & CONCERT at BADARIKASHRAMA
CLICK HERE for a printable pdf of the flyer
Rita Sahai and members of her Vasundhara Choir will perform selections from
“Jalaranjani ~ The Moods of Water”
Badarikashrama
15602 Maubert Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94578
Monday, November 23, 2015
HINDUSTANI VOCAL ENSEMBLE
Join us on Monday, November 23, 2015 for our next recital.
Daniel Kennedy will accompany us on Tabla
UC Davis – Mondavi Center – Room 115, Music Building
4:00pm to 5:30pm
Free Admission
Saturday, November 21, 2015
JALARANJANI: The Moods of Water
Rita Sahai and her Vasundhara Choir presents their New Indian Music concert
Jalaranjani ~ The Moods of Water
November 21, 2015 at 7pm
Ohlone College, Smith Center Theatre
43600 Mission Boulevard, Fremont CA
Ticket price is $ 30.00 in advance, $35.00 at the door; group of ten tickets: $250.00
Children under age 7 are free with paying adult.
For information please call Sadhana Gupta at 510-943-4328 or email sadkulk@gmail.com
or you may purchase tickets on line at Sulekha.com
Saturday, September 5, 2015
SHRI KRISHNA JANMASHTAMI CELEBRATION
Sunday, June 21, 2015
MEERA (Mirabai) FESTIVAL
Rita Sahai and Students
will perform along with many other talented Bay Area
Musicians and Vocalists
Badarikashrama
15602 Maubert Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94578
Thursday, June 4, 2015
HINDUSTANI VOCAL ENSEMBLE
Students in my Hindustani Ensemble at UC Davis who participated in the
UC Davis “Musics of the World” concert on April 24th.
We were accompanied by Samrat Kakeri on Tabla, and Rachel Unterseher on viola.
Join us on June 4, 2015 – 12:05pm – 1:00pm for our next recital in Jackson Hall, Mondavi Center.
Once again, Samrat Kakeri will accompany us on Tabla
UC Davis – Mondavi Center – Jackson Hall
Free Admission
Monday, February 16, 2015
MAHA SHIVARATRI PROGRAM – 6pm to Midnight
BADARIKASHRAM, 15602 Maubert Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94578
Concerts by Rita Sahai & other artists at 8:00 PM
12 Midnight: Puja and Aarti
For more information, please go to:
http://www.badarikashrama.org/events/events.pdf
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
HINDUSTANI/CARNATIC JUGALBANDHI CONCERT
7:00 – 9:00 PM
Vanderhoef Studio Theatre, Mondavi Center at UC Davis
TICKETS: $8 Students & Children, $20 Adults | Standard Seating
Thursday, February 27, 2014
MAHA SHIVARATRI CELEBRATION
7 pm to Midnight
Rita Sahai will offer bhajans
Badarikashrama
15602 Maubert Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94578
Saturday, March 8, 2014
INNOVATION MEETS TRADITION:
A HINDUSTANI CONCERT at the MONDAVI CENTER
VANDERHOEF STUDIO THEATRE, MONDAVI CENTER
Mrak Hall Dr, Davis, CA | (530) 754-2787
CLICK HERE FOR MAP
$8 STUDENTS & CHILDREN, $20 ADULTS | STANDARD SEATING
Saturday, November 2, 2013
“A Song for All Beings”
Produced by Jennifer Berezan
with Guests:
Jack Kornfield, Joanna Macy, Chris Webster, David Worm, Rita Sahai, Katia Cardenal, Dechen Shak-Dagsay, Raz Kennedy, Melanie Demore, Sara Dugas, Christian Dugas, Julie Wolf, Jami Sieber, Don Benedictson, Kiva Simova, and more!
More info at:
http://www.edgeofwonder.com/song-for-all-beings/
3501 Civic Center Road
San Rafael, California 94903
7:30pm
Sunday, September 29, 2013
MAHATMA GANDHI PEACE PRAYER DAY
Rita Sahai will join other presenters by singing many of Gandhi-ji’s favorite bhajans
Program begins at 2:00pm
Badarikashrama
15602 Maubert Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94578
Saturday, August 24, 2013
MEERA (Mirabai) FESTIVAL
Rita Sahai and Students
performed along with many other talented Bay Area
Musicians and Vocalists
The program also included a blessing and inauguration
of the new “Celestial Celebrations” DVD,
led by Swami Omkaranandaji
Badarikashrama
15602 Maubert Avenue, San Leandro, CA 94578
Summer 2013 Classes at AACM
Vocal II (intermediate)
Rita Sahai, Instructor
San Rafael, CA / Wednesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm
(class will also be offered online)
CLICK HERE
for registration information
Coming this Fall, 2013
North Indian Vocal Course at the Jazz School
Mus250 North Indian Music Fundamentals Through Voice Elective
2 credits, 2 hours lecture/lab – Rita Sahai, instructor
Berkeley, CA / Thursdays, 9-11 am
A general overview of the styles, forms and practices of traditional North Indian music. The class includes participatory singing, familiarization with the Indian solfège system, exploration of the melodic concepts of raga, and the rhythmic concepts of tala. All students are expected to participate in the pedagogical and performance requirements of the North Indian vocal tradition.
CLICK HERE
for registration information
Saturday, April 13, 2013
4th Annual Birthday Tribute for
Maestro Ali Akbar Khan
Saturday, April 13th at St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Berkeley
I was honored to be singing in the program that evening.
for the recent announcement of upcoming AACM concerts,
including Khan Sahib’s Birthday Tribute
Saturday, March 23, 2013
The 2013 Women’s Hall of Fame Awards Ceremony & Luncheon
Rita Sahai was recognized for her contributions to Culture and Art
The event was held at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral
4700 Lincoln Avenue in Oakland, CA
For more info, see:
http://www.acgov.org/cao/halloffame/
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Vocal Concert at the Vedanta Society of Sacramento
Celebrating 150th Birthday of Swami Vivekananda
For more information, see
VEDANTA SOCIETY OF SACRAMENTO
1337 Mission Avenue , Carmichael , CA 95608
Telephone (916) 489-5137
E-mail: society@vedantasacto.org
Website: vedantasacto.org
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Navagraha Utsav: Celestial Celebration
Rita Sahai & her Vasundhara Choir w/ Jennifer Berezan
at 8:00 pm
Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse
2020 Addison Street / Berkeley, CA 94704
Sunday June 21st, 2009
Rita Sahai and Students performed selections from
Vasundhara ~ Ode to Mother Earth
as part of BADARIKASHRAMA’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS
3:00 P.M.
CET Performing Arts center, 701 Vine Street, San Jose, CA
(See link for flyer): http://www.badarikashrama.com/event-flyers/25thAnniversaryJuneFlyer.pdf
Saturday, February 28th, 2008
Concert at the Mondavi Center
7:00 pm, UC Davis, Mondavi Center
Acclaimed composer and performer Rita Sahai, titled Gayan Alankar (Jewel of Music) by the world-famous sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Kahn,
presents classical and original Hindustani vocal music with guest tabla and harmonium players. More info
Saturday, October 4th, 2008
VASUNDHARA ~ Ode to Mother Earth
7:00 pm
St. John’s Presbyterian Church
2727 College Ace, Berkeley, CA 94705
Full info on the Vasundhara page.
Read the India West article about the concert. l Read a review of the Vasundhara concert.
November 3 – 5 & 8 – 11, 2008
Alonzo Kings’s LINES BALLET
with music by Rita Sahai
8pm at the YERBA BUENA CENTER FOR THE ARTS
700 Howard Street at 3rd St San Francisco
View the PRESS RELEASE (pdf)by clicking here.
May 17, 2008
Concert at the Vedanda Center of Sacramento, 7pm
1337 Mission Ave, Carmichael, CA
For info, call 916-489-5137
http://www.vedantasacto.org/skdulfr.htm
April 5, 2008
Rita Sahai at Sangati Center, 8pm
3049 22nd St., San Francisco CA
http://www.sangaticenter.org/events/sahai40508.html
March, 2008
• Mahashivaratri Performance at Badarikashram
San Leandro, CA
• Concert in Salt Lake City at India Forum of Utah
February, 2008
• Concert with Jennifer Berezan at Rudramandir in Berkeley, CA
• Concert in Oregon House, CA
• Concert in Nevada City, CA
• Noon Concert at UC Davis
(Rita’s Hindustani Ensemble)
• Guest Lecture/Demo at CIIS, San Francisco, CA
(Jennifer Berezan’s class)