OUR TEAM
NISTHA RAJ
FOUNDER & DIRECTOR
Kirth Bobb Photography
Nistha Raj is a creative force who effortlessly wears many hats. She is a business owner, musician, educator, community builder and “FashioNistha” well known in the DC music scene. As the Founder and Executive Director of District of Raga, Nistha is passionate about promoting the performing arts and culture of South Asia internationally through her music and the development of a diverse community platform.
Born to Punjabi immigrants and raised in Houston, Nistha’s love of music began with the all-night sessions at temples where music was the foundation of worship to hearing her mother’s Bollywood favorites at home. Nistha developed a desire to always be immersed in the power and beauty of music. After learning Western classical violin as a young child, Nistha’s journey into Indian classical music accelerated by studying Hindustani violin at the renowned Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya in New Delhi with support from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations. While in India, Nistha was guided by prominent musicians Sharat Srivastava, Dr N Rajam & Prattyush Banerjee. Since then, her learning has continued to flourish under mentorship from Master Bansuri player Deepak Ram.
While Nistha’s first love is Indian classical music, she is drawn to creating original music that is strongly rooted in Indian classical traditions while incorporating elements of various genres to make the music accessible to a wider audience. Regarded as “Stunningly skilled in western and eastern classical music” by the Washington City Paper, Nistha is emerging as a fresh voice in creative and world music. Nistha has performed at the United Nations, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Gallery of Art, the Smithsonian Freer Sackler Gallery, and American Embassies around the world. Her self-released debut album, “Exit 1”, has been described as “edgy, innovative, and clearly awe-inspiring…Indian fusion at its best” (Inside World Music). Some of her collaborators include Jazz trio The Fourth Stream, National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) musicians, The Last Stand Quartet, and Grammy nominated hip hop artist Christylez Bacon. She is the recipient of multiple grants and was an Artist in Residence at Strathmore in 2013-2014. Nistha holds a BA in music from the University of Houston and an MA in Arts Management from the George Mason University. Nistha is also the founder and owner of Soulfege Music Studio, a multi-teacher studio that offers in-home and online private music lessons throughout the DC Metropolitan Area. Find out more at www.nistharaj.com
Avi shah
CO-Founder
Raised in the US, Advait has been playing tabla since the age of eight. Largely a self taught musician, Advait has developed much of his musical knowledge and skill through listening to recordings and attending concerts. He received a basic training at the Faculty of Performing Arts of the Maharaja Sayajirao University in Baroda during a trip to India in 1986. Upon his return to the USA, he began accompanying musicians in all genres of Indian music including Hindustani classical, ghazals, qawalis, film and devotional music. He later received advanced training from Ustad Tari Khan in Chicago, IL., and has had the opportunity to attend workshops taught by the great Ustad Zakir Hussain.
As an accompanist, he has shared the stage with Nisar Bazmi, Ustad Nafiz Ali Khan, Deepak Ram, Arun Ramamurthy and Pandit Subroto Roy Choudury, among others. Through his training and self study, Advait has developed a unique style which creatively blends a mix of East and West. Avi, as he is known in the music community, joined the NY based fusion band Karavika as the original percussionist, and he also plays with fusion alternative rock/Indian group Banyan Trees. Advait’s musical interests also extend to singing ghazals and Hindi film songs as well as playing the dhol, and other percussion instruments. Upon moving to the mid Atlantic region, Avi has performed in the dance and music ensemble Nootana, and later teamed up with violinist Nistha Raj and founded District of Raga in 2017.