Chowdiah Utsava 2026: Bengaluru classical music festival from November 11

Chowdiah Utsava 2026, a five-day classical music festival organised by the Academy of Music, will be held at Chowdiah Memorial Hall in Vyalikaval, Bengaluru, from Wednesday, 11 November to Sunday, 15 November 2026. The festival mixes evening concerts with crafts, food and community activities, and this year adds a Sangeetha Mela on 14 and 15 November with student competitions, workshops, storytelling and a showcase of new ideas in Karnatik music. Performers listed include singer Vijay Prakash, santoor player Rahul Sharma, flautist Shashank Subramanyam and vocalist Jayateerth Mevundi. Veena artiste Suma Sudhindra, who is curating the festival, will perform with vocalist Manasi Prasad in a larger Carnatic Fantasy ensemble. The Academy of Music marks 65 years of service this year.

Chowdiah Utsava is built around concerts, but its organisers present it as more than a music festival, with crafts, food and community activities alongside the stage programme. This year it also coincides with the Academy of Music's 65th year of service, which gives the 2026 edition the feel of an anniversary celebration for one of the city's long-running music bodies.

The line-up brings together vocal and instrumental performers: a popular singer, a santoor player, a flautist, a classical vocalist and a veena-led ensemble. The Carnatic Fantasy ensemble, with curator Suma Sudhindra on veena and Manasi Prasad singing, points to a programme that also experiments with how classical music is presented to today's listeners, rather than only repeating the standard concert format.

The free lobby concerts and the new Sangeetha Mela are aimed at drawing people who might not buy a concert ticket, including students and families. Competitions and workshops for students give young musicians a stage, and storytelling sessions can introduce children to music through narrative. For a classical arts organisation, building that younger audience is as important as the headline concerts.

Visitors should check the final schedule before going. Detailed day-by-day line-ups were not available in all listings, and individual concert timings can change.

Peepals timeline: The Academy of Music, which marks 65 years of service in 2026, announced Chowdiah Utsava 2026 in early November. Concerts and activities run at Chowdiah Memorial Hall from Wednesday, 11 November. The new Sangeetha Mela adds student competitions, workshops and storytelling on Saturday, 14 November and Sunday, 15 November, and an Academy of Music award ceremony is listed for the evening of 15 November, the closing day.

Short-term: Music lovers in Bengaluru can attend five days of concerts and free events, and students can take part in competitions and workshops at the Sangeetha Mela.

Long-term: Free events and student programmes help build the next generation of listeners and performers for classical music, and the Academy's 65-year milestone underlines its role in the city's cultural life.

Who is affected: Classical music audiences in Bengaluru; students and young musicians; performing artists; and craft and food stall holders at the festival.

What to watch next: The festival's opening on 11 November and the Sangeetha Mela on 14 and 15 November 2026.

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