Vidushi. Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh
Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh, a sixth-generation Veenavirtuoso, started playing the National Instrument of India, the Saraswathi Veena at the age of 3 and is a ten-time recipient of the "Award for Veena" bestowed by The Music Academy, Chennai, India. In the 37 years of her concert career, Jayanthi has placed the Saraswathi Veena on the world map through her trailblazing performances.
Jayanthi has performed at many international festivals, including the San Francisco Jazz Festival, Darbar Festival London, Celtic Connections in Scotland, Queensland Music Festival, Darwin Music Festival, and Adelaide Music Festival, BBC Proms London, and at prestigious venues such as the United Nations in New York, the Palladium in Indiana, Théâtre de la Ville in Paris, and Northwest Folklife Festival in Seattle.
Apart from her collaborations with several star musicians of Indian Classical Music, her concerts with Ustad Zakir Hussain, the Indian National Orchestra, and the British Philharmonia make her an ambassador of the rich musical heritage of India.
She has taken the internet by storm through her innovative web series, "Cup O’ Carnatic," which demystifies Indian Classical music to the world audience and has more than 2.5 million views on social media.
With a doctorate in the art of Veena playing, her online Jayanthi Kumaresh Academy for Veena has students from over 15 countries with over 1500 individual registrations in the age group spanning 10-75 years.
She has been honored with innumerable awards including "Kalaimamani" by the Government of Tamil Nadu, and "Sangeet Shikar Samman" by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan to name a few.
Her fresh expressions of the ancient ragas and talas through the Voice of the Veena makes Jayanthi one of the legendary Veena masters that India has ever produced.
Vid. Sri. K.U. Jayachandra Rao
Mr. Jayachandra Rao is a well-known Carnatic classical musician specializing in percussion and plays the "mrudangam," the South Indian classical drum. He performs extensively with all the leading musicians in India and has performed at most of the prestigious music festivals across India. He is known for his unique style of playing the mrudangam, which blends aesthetics and precision in a manner that seamlessly complements and exemplifies the music of the vocal or instrumental artist.He is known for his rich, melodious sound and his versatility and creativity onstage, making him one of the most sought-after percussionists in the rare group of left-handed mrudangam artists. Mr. Jayachandra Rao (Jay), as he is fondly addressed, is equally at ease with musicians from across the world and has collaborated extensively with renowned musicians such as Dillon Fowler, Peter Stacey, Andrew Weichman, and Rajesh Mehta.
Some of the international bands and music festivals that he has performed with include Beches Indian Brew, First Line-Celtic Music, Rümlingen Music Festival in Switzerland, Poland Drum Festival, Rainforest World Music Festival, and Scotland Music Festival, to name a few.
Vid. Sri S.G. Pramath Kiran
S.G. Pramath Kiran is the most sought-after percussionist, music producer, and sound engineer from the south of India. His musical career took off at a very young age as he received training in Indian Classical music. Pramath learned Tabla (Hindustani classical music) under the great tabla maestro Pt. Udayraj Karpur. Later, he was trained by Vidwan. Anoor Ananthakrishna Sharma who blessed him with the art of playing the Morching (Jawsharp) in the traditional Carnatic style. He expanded his musical horizons in world music endeavors by playing several world percussions like Djembe, Congas, and Cajon in their respective traditional styles. Pramath Kiran became the foremost artist from South India to introduce Afro-Cuban percussions and rhythm structures into the traditional Carnatic style.
Pramath Kiran has collaborated with several world-renowned artists like Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Violin Maestro Dr. L. Subramaniyam, Santoor Maestro Pt. Shivkumar Sharma, Veena Maestro Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh, Violin Duo Ganesh Kumaresh, and Violin Maestros Mysore Nagaraj and Dr. Manjunath, to name a few, in several music festivals across India and globally.
