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About

My journey with Carnatic music has unfolded over many years through study, reflection, performance, and teaching. I have been fortunate to learn from many inspiring and generous teachers, engage in meaningful performances, and explore the music academically and artistically. The four sections below highlight my teachers/mentors, notable performances, academic background, and recognitions, offering a glimpse into experiences I have gathered along the way - experiences that have shaped and continue to inform the approach I bring to creating, teaching, and sharing music.

Music Teachers and Mentors

Carnatic Foundational and Intermediate Levels​

  • Sri Kovai Padmanabhan 

  • Smt. Shanta Nagarajan

  • Smt. Girija (Veena)

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Professors at Kalakshetra Foundation

  • Sri T. Shashidhar

  • Sri K. Hariprasad

  • Sri. Sai Shankar

  • Sri. A. S. Murali

  • Sri. Shertalai Sivakumar

  • Sri Pakala Ramadas

  • Sri A V Ragguprasad

  • Sri. N. Ananthanarayanan (Veena)

  • Sri. Balaji (Veena) 

  • Smt. Rama Raghuraman (Veena)

  • Smt. Seetha Rajan

  • Smt. Rama Ravi 

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Specialized Mentorship & Focused Masterclasses

  • Smt. T.M. Prabhavathi (Senior disciple of Padmabhushan Dr. M. L. Vasanthakumari)

  • Smt. Dr. Prema Rangarajan (Senior vocalist)

  • Sri P. Vasanthkumar (Veena)

  • Sri Arijit Mahalanabis (Dhrupad)

  • Sri Carsten Wicke (Rudra Veena - Dhrupad)

  • Sri K. Sridhar (Sarod/Naadayoga - Dhrupad)

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Tiruppugazh Teachers

(in the baani of Guruji Sri A.S. Raghavan)

  • Sri. Jayaraman

  • Sri E.N. Murthy

  • Smt. Chitra Murthy

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Guidance in Western Music

Music instructors, artists & scholars at the Department of Music, Pittsburg State University (USA), Rutgers University (USA), University of Oklahoma (USA) & Simon Fraser University, (Canada). 

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Apart from the direct instruction I received from all my teachers and mentors, I have also been fortunate to gain subtle guidance from the artistry of countless past and contemporary musicians, Bharatanatyam artists, and research scholars, as well as through informal conversations with fellow artists, peers, and friends, all of whose musical thoughts I hold in the highest regard. Last but not the least, I also gain immensely from my students, whose curiosity and insights continually help me clarify and deepen my own understanding.

Notable Performances & Guest Lectures

Concerts​​​

  • June 2017 – The Music Academy, Chennai, sponsored by Radel & Co, India.

  • February 2017 – India International Centre, New Delhi, India. 

  • January 2017 – Delhi Tamil Sangam, Delhi, India. 

  • April 2016 – Shanmukhananda Hall (Senior Slot), Mumbai, India.

  • March 2015 – Shanmukhananda Hall (Junior Slot), Mumbai, India. 

  • November 2013 – Gradation from All India Radio.

  • April 2013 – TamilNadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram’s Young Artist Scholarship & Sponsored concerts. 

  • November 2012 – MLV Remembrance Day Concert sponsored by SAFE.

  • November 2011 – Spirit of Youth Festival, The Music Academy, Chennai.

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Lectures​ & International Conference Presentations​

  • May 2021 – On the role of mathematics & music in life, Invited Guest Talk for High School Students, Surrey, Canada.

  • August 2019 – Correlations between Indian musical improvisations with mathematical proof writing, Bridges Math-Art Conference Linz, Austria.

  • May 2019 – Creative Patterns in Indian Music, Learning Together Conference, Simon Fraser University, Canada.

  • November 2017 – ‘Music of India’, Rutgers University, USA.

  • January 2016 - Exploration of Quotient Spaces and Group Actions, with Applications to Visualizing Music, - Joint Mathematics Meetings, American Mathematical Society, USA. 

  • October 2015 – ‘Indian Music and Mathematics’, University of Oklahoma, USA.

  • March 2015 - Katapayadhi Sankhya: An ancient Indian method of encoding and decoding, Kansas, USA.

  •  January 2015 - Connections between Indian Classical Music and Mathematics, Joint Mathematics Meetings, American Mathematical Society, USA.

  • November 2014 – ‘The mathematics of Indian Music’, Pittsburg State University, USA. 

Academic Background

4- year Diploma in Carnatic Music

Kalakshetra Foundation, India. 

 

​Bachelor of Science in  Mathematics

University of Madras, India.

 

Master of Science in Mathematics

Pittsburg State University, USA.

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​Doctoral Studies in Mathematics Education

(Coursework & Qualitative Research)

Simon Fraser University, Canada. 

Major Awards & Recognitions

  • Jan 2017 - ‘Isai Chemmal’ Award from Trinity Fine Arts, India.

  • October 2015 – Best Vocalist, Senior Category, Sangeet Samrat Music Show, USA chapter.

  • University First Rank, The Marsh Prize, and Gold Medal in Mathematics, University of Madras. 

  • September 2013 – National Level Finalist in SwaraRagaSudha Reality show, TTD Channel.

  • May 2013 – TamilNadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram Young Artist Scholarship Award.

  • August 2011 – 2nd Prize at Madras Music Academy Annual Competitions, Senior Category.

  • April 2011 – ‘Best Performing and Outgoing Student’ Award, Kalakshetra, India.

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