Akhilesh Sista began his Veena training at the age of 7 from his cousin, the eminent bay area Vainika Srikanth Chary. Akhilesh has imbibed Srikanth’s Veena style, which drips with purity, beauty, and rhythmic precision. After giving his Veena Arangetram at the age of 17, Akhilesh has performed as a soloist and accompanist, accompanying his mother and vocal music teacher, Smt. Hema Sista, several Bharatanatyam performances, and Sri Papanasam Ashok Ramani. Akhilesh has performed at the prestigious Cleveland Aradhana twice with his Guru and has been featured on KKUP, San Francisco. His Guru and he have just released a music therapy CD entitiled Ethereal Melodies.
Shriram Brahmanandam is a disciple of the illustrious guru Kumbakonam Sri Rajappa Iyer. Shriram hails from a family of great musicians. His mother, Lalgudi Smt. Srimathi Brahmanandam, is a violinist of international acclaim. Shriram has performed in most of the major venues throughout India, Australia and the United States. His supportive style of accompaniment is vibrant and energetic. He has garnered numerous awards during his illustrious career.