Dr. Pooja Goswami Pavan is a Minneapolis, MN based performer, composer, teacher and scholar of Hindustani (North Indian classical) music. She was born in a musical family and received her early training in Hindustani classical vocal music from her father Sri. Surendra Goswami. Currently she receives training in Khayal from her elder brother Dr. Shailendra Goswami. Pooja received a Ph.D. in Music from the University of Delhi in 2005 for her thesis on the life and music of Pandit Amarnath, who was one of the prime disciples of the iconic Ustad Amir Khan.
Pooja is also trained in semi-classical music by the eminent vocalist Vidushi Shanti Hiranand, the reigning queen of Thumri and Ghazal and the universally acclaimed successor of the legendary vocalist, the Late Begum Akhtar. The versatility in Pooja’s repertoire is evident in her ability to sing Thumri, Dadra, Ghazal, Bhajan and various folk inspired genres such as the Hori, Chaiti, Kajri and Sawani, besides the Khayal.
Pooja has received prestigious National Scholarships in Hindustani classical music awarded by the Ministry of Human Resources and the Sahitya Kala Parishad in India. The prominent venues she has performed at include the India Habitat Center (New Delhi), the Vietnam International Tourism Festival (Hanoi), the Guthrie Theater (Minneapolis), the Ordway Center for Performing Arts (St. Paul) and the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium (St. Paul). She has performed widely and lectured at several premier academic institutions within the USA including the University of Minnesota, University of St. Thomas, St. Catherine University, St. Cloud State University, Macalester College, MacPhail Center for Music and McNally Smith College of Music. An active composer, she frequently collaborates with many leading music, dance and theater organizations nationally including the Pangea World Theater (Minneapolis), Ananya Dance Theater (Minneapolis) and Katha Dance Theater (Minneapolis). Pooja has also been an adjunct faculty member at the School of Music, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, and Macalester College, St. Paul, where she has taught courses in Indian music and culture since 2006.