Notes of the Season: Highlights from Ashoka’s Music Calendar

From soulful lullabies to a power-packed Battle of the Bands, Vistaar offered something for every music lover on campus this Spring.

The Music Society at Ashoka University, Vistaar, curated a spirited and inclusive calendar of events through Spring 2025, creating spaces for collaboration, expression, and musical exploration. From intimate open mics to grand cross-society productions, the semester was a harmonious blend of creativity and community.

The term opened with Alankar Lullaby Open Mic (11 Feb), a heartwarming evening of lullabies performed in diverse languages, followed by Apple Cello’s soulful a cappella at Valentine Wonderland (13 Feb), which serenaded a crowd of 500. A deeply artistic collaboration, Kalakriti (20 Mar), brought together Abhinaya and the Music Society in a performance exploring how music and dance shape identity and process.

Vistaar’s hallmark event, Battle of the Bands (28 Mar), took centre stage with over 18 bands performing for an audience of 500 in a non-competitive, community-driven format. Legacy acts made powerful comebacks, while debut bands won new fans. The evening reached an emotional high when alumni reunited on stage, reviving one of Ashoka’s iconic bands for a show-stopping finale.

Cross-society efforts continued with Devdas (17-18 Apr), an ambitious stage adaptation featuring live scoring by Vistaar in collaboration with The Gentlemen’s Rhetoric and Abhinaya. Another standout was Literature Open Mic (23 Mar), a genre-defying evening blending poetry, music, and storytelling.

The Music Society also focused on community development. A beginner-friendly vocal workshop, Anyone Can Sing (21 Apr), led by Thasya Shetty, welcomed new voices into the fold. Technical sessions on mixing and micing (22 Apr) empowered members to support numerous campus productions throughout the semester, including School of Rock and Six.

April was particularly electric with performances like Alankar Showcase (24 Apr), a moving choir performance featuring a surprise ASP-only set; Apple Cello: Wrapped (25 Apr), a thematic journey through emotions and time; and JimJams: The Remix (27 Apr), which reimagined crowd favourites with infectious energy.

In addition to major productions, Vistaar members were instrumental behind the scenes at countless events – mess gatherings, smaller shows, and weekend jams. The Banjaara Jampad (5 Apr) exemplified this vibe, offering an easygoing space for spontaneous music-making.