Festival of Tabla

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Aliso Viejo, CA
Festival of Tabla

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The annual Festival of Tabla (TM) is a unique musical event featuring tabla and other Indian percussion instruments as the main focus.

09/03/2026

It takes a community to bring a festival to life. 🩵

Festival of Tabla 2026 would not have been possible without the generosity, dedication, time, and care of so many people working both behind the scenes and alongside us throughout the weekend.

To our sponsors, partners, supporters, Soka Performing Arts Center team, Soka Bistro team, production and media crews, volunteers, and donors — our deepest gratitude. Your support helped us create two days dedicated to music, artistry, education, cultural exchange, and community.

We are especially grateful for the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, and to everyone who has supported the Ravi & Shashi Bellare Arts Foundation and its mission. Your contributions allow us to continue creating spaces where artists can share their work, traditions can be celebrated and passed forward, and audiences can come together through the performing arts.

There are countless details that go into creating a weekend like Festival of Tabla, and behind each one is a person who gave their time, talent, resources, or support to make it happen.

To each and every one of you: thank you for helping make Festival of Tabla 2026 possible. We could not do this without you. 🩵

08/27/2026

One final day, and so much to remember!

Day Two gave us one more full day of music, rhythm, movement, learning, and community — with artists and traditions from across the musical spectrum filling Soka Performing Arts Center. Soka Performing Arts Center

From the many captivating performances that carried us through Sunday to Rimpa Siva’s powerful tabla solo and Pandit Anindo Chatterjee’s unforgettable Grand Finale, our final day was a celebration of both the depth of tradition and the incredible artists carrying it forward.

Beyond the Concert Hall, Sunday was also about learning, exploration, and expanding the ways we experience the arts. Hearing Listening – Sravanum Srithiyum explored how technology, cymatics, sign language, movement, and other multisensory tools can help make Indian performing arts more immersive and accessible for people with hearing impairments, language barriers, and artists of varying abilities.

This mini recap is only a glimpse of the performances, workshops, conversations, and moments of connection that filled our final day.

▶️ Additional performances recorded throughout the weekend will begin releasing on our official YouTube channel on a rolling basis early next year.

To every artist, educator, volunteer, attendee, student, family, and supporter who made Festival of Tabla 2026 possible — thank you for being part of it. We are immensely grateful. 🩵

Until next time!

08/23/2026

DAY TWO - Festival of Tabla 2026

After an incredible Saturday, we’re ready to welcome you back for the second and final day of this year’s Festival of Tabla!

Sunday brings another full day of extraordinary Indian classical music, tabla, vocal, instrumental performances, world percussion, workshops, and cultural experiences across the Concert Hall and Black Box Theater.

Take a look at Sunday’s full schedule and plan your day ahead — from a peaceful morning of music and movement to an afternoon filled with remarkable artistry, all leading up to our highly anticipated Sunday Grand Finale with Pandit Anindo Chatterjee.

✨ All workshops are included with your festival ticket.

Save the schedule, share it with your friends and family, and join us as we bring Festival of Tabla 2026 to an unforgettable close.

🗓️ Sunday, August 23, 2026
📍 Soka Performing Arts Center • Aliso Viejo, CA Soka Performing Arts Center

🎫 Sunday passes are still available. Link in bio. 🔗

One final day. One more chance to experience the music, rhythm, culture, and community that bring us all together. 🩵

08/23/2026

A glimpse of Day One at Festival of Tabla 2026.

What an incredible first day!

From powerful performances in the Concert Hall to inspiring workshops and an incredible Grand Finale performance by Ustad Tari Khan, Saturday brought together artists, students, families, and music lovers for a celebration of rhythm, tradition, artistry, and community.

Here’s just a small glimpse of some of the many incredibly talented artists that filled Day One. 🩵

And there’s much more to come — additional performances captured throughout Festival of Tabla 2026 will be released on our official YouTube channel on a rolling basis beginning early next year!

Thank you to every artist, teacher, volunteer, attendee, and supporter who made our first day so special. We appreciate you beyond words!

And we’re not finished yet…

Day Two — the final day of Festival of Tabla 2026 — begins today!

Join us for one more full day of extraordinary performances, workshops, music, culture, and community — culminating tonight with our Grand Finale featuring Pandit Anindo Chatterjee.

🗓️ Today • Sunday, August 23, 2026
📍 Soka Performing Arts Center • Aliso Viejo, CA Soka Performing Arts Center

One final day. Let’s make it unforgettable. 🩵

08/22/2026

Saturday Schedule - Festival of Tabla 2026

The stage is set, and we’re ready to welcome you for an incredible first day of the Festival of Tabla!

Take a look at Saturday’s full schedule and plan your day ahead as we bring together an extraordinary lineup of performances, workshops, and cultural experiences across the Concert Hall and Black Box Theater.

From tabla, sitar, bansuri, vocal music, Kathak, harmonium, jori, and mridangam to world music, interactive workshops, and theater, Saturday offers a full day celebrating the depth and diversity of Indian classical and global musical traditions.

And as evening arrives, join us in the Concert Hall for Saturday’s highly anticipated Grand Finale featuring Ustad Tari Khan.

✨ All workshops are included with your festival ticket!

Save this schedule, share it with your friends and family, and get ready for an unforgettable weekend of music, rhythm, culture, and community.

🗓️ Saturday, August 22, 2026
📍 Soka Performing Arts Center • Aliso Viejo, CA

🎫 Single-day and full weekend passes are still available. Link in bio. 🔗

We can’t wait to see you all! 🩵

08/22/2026

Know Before You Go!

Festival of Tabla 2026 is here! Before heading to Soka Performing Arts Center this weekend, swipe through for everything you need to know to make your festival experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

From getting here and parking to what your pass includes, accessibility, and more, we’ve got you covered.

⬇️ Save this post for the weekend and share it with your friends and family attending the festival!

🗓️ August 22–23, 2026
📍 Soka Performing Arts Center • Aliso Viejo, CA

Two full days of incredible music, dance, workshops, culture, and community await. We can’t wait to welcome you! 🩵

08/22/2026

The stage is almost set. The community is coming together. And the rhythm is about to begin.

A little behind-the-scenes look as our incredible volunteers come together to prepare the Festival of Tabla for an unforgettable weekend!

There’s something powerful about music and rhythm — the way they transcend language, connect generations, and bring people from different backgrounds together in one shared experience. That spirit of music, culture, and community is at the heart of everything we’re building this weekend.

The lobby is taking shape, our volunteers are ready, and soon these spaces will be filled with artists, families, students, music lovers, and the sounds of two full days of Indian classical music, dance, world percussion, and immersive workshops!

We can’t wait to welcome you. 🩵

🗓️ August 22 & 23, 2026 (today and tomorrow - all day!)
📍 Soka Performing Arts Center • Aliso Viejo, CA
🎫 Single-day + full weekend passes STILL available (it’s not too late!)
✨ All workshops included with your festival ticket

The Festival of Tabla begins this weekend. Come experience the rhythm with us.

OrangeCountyEvents LiveMusic MusicCommunity

08/20/2026

Southern California — looking for something unforgettable to do this weekend?

The Festival of Tabla takes over Soka Performing Arts Center THIS WEEKEND for two incredible days of live music, rhythm, dance, culture, and community.

Experience world-renowned tabla masters, Indian classical music, Carnatic music, Kathak dance, global percussion, interactive workshops, and artists from across musical traditions — all under one roof.

Whether you grew up with this music, are discovering Indian classical arts for the first time, or simply love experiencing extraordinary live performances, come spend the weekend with us.

📅 August 22–23, 2026
📍 Soka Performing Arts Center • Aliso Viejo, CA
🎟️ Single-day + full weekend passes available now
✨ Workshops and food included with your festival ticket

Only 2 days to go. This is your sign to make plans!

08/17/2026

The universal language of rhythm.

As part of our FOT Shorts series, join Abhi Patel for an energizing Djembe Solo that brings the powerful voice of West African percussion to the Festival of Tabla stage.

Joined by Chirag Dixit on sarangi, this special performance brings together two distinct musical traditions—pairing the vibrant, resonant rhythms of the djembe with the expressive melodic voice of the sarangi. The result is a unique cross-cultural conversation that celebrates rhythm as a language without borders.

Experience the diversity of global percussion and discover how musical traditions from around the world can meet, respond, and create something new.

🎫 Single-day and full weekend passes are on sale now.

🗓️ Sunday, August 23, 2026
📍 Concert Hall • Soka Performing Arts Center, Aliso Viejo, CA

Reserve your seats today. Link in bio. 🔗

08/15/2026

Feel the thunderous rhythms of Kerala.

Step outside the Soka Bistro after lunch on Sunday and experience Empire Beats as they bring the powerful tradition of Chenda drumming to the Festival of Tabla as part of our FOT Shorts series.

Formed in 2021 by Malayalee families in Eastvale, California, Empire Beats has grown into a multigenerational ensemble dedicated to carrying Kerala’s vibrant percussion traditions forward. For this special performance, a six-member ensemble will present Shinkari Melam—a celebratory style of Chenda performance filled with energy, precision, and exhilarating synchronization.

The Chenda’s unmistakable sound has resonated through Kerala’s temple and festival traditions for centuries. At Festival of Tabla, its raw power joins the intricate rhythmic world of tabla in a celebration of the extraordinary diversity of Indian percussion—and the artistic bridges that connect these traditions.

Featuring Sreejith Kanhirangadan, Rajiv Kuzhupillil, Rachana Mathradan, Dhanya Rajiv, Deepti Nair, and Anand Kumar Nair.

Grab your lunch, head outside Soka Bistro, and gather around for a Festival Short you’ll be able to feel as much as hear.

🗓️ Sunday, August 23, 2026
📍 Outside Soka Bistro • Soka Performing Arts Center, Aliso Viejo, CA

🎫 Single-day and full weekend passes are on sale now. Reserve your seats today. Link in bio. 🔗

Address

1 University Dr
Aliso Viejo, CA
92656

Website

http://www.festivaloftabla.com/

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