Jyotsna Srikanth

MBE
Live concert, 2011
Born
Bangalore
NationalityIndian, British
Known forCarnatic music, Western music

Jyotsna Srikanth MBE is an Indian-British violinist and composer, performing Carnatic music and Western classical music.

Early life

Srikanth was born into an Andhra musical family in Bangalore, India. Her mother, Ratna Srikantaiah, is a Carnatic musician and teacher.[1]

Musical life

Training

Srikanth's music training began with Carnatic vocals at age five under her mother.[2] It was a rigorous programme of coaching, with practice for six hours daily, and the attendance of concerts during the festival periods.[1]

At the age of six, she attended a violin performance by the virtuoso Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan, which sparked her own interest in the instrument.[3] She began training under R. R. Keshavamurthy, a doyen of classical Indian violin.[4] Her first solo concert was at the age of nine.[1]

Srikanth recognised the necessity of learning the western classical style of violin, and began her training in this genre at the Bangalore School of Music. For more advanced training, she went to Chennai to study with V. S. Narasimhan, a solo violinist who works with the notable Indian composer Ilaiyaraaja.[2] She achieved her grading from the Royal School of Music, London.[4]

Career

Srikanth's initial foray into music came in the film industry, playing under the direction of film composers such as Hamsalekha and Ilaiyaraaja.[2] By her account, she has played for over two hundred south Indian films.[3]

Following her marriage, she moved to London, where she expanded her repertoire to music scores for documentaries (on Discovery and National Geographic), teleserials, besides performing at global music events such as WOMAD, the Red Violin Festival, the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival, and the BBC Proms.[3]

Srikanth also performs jazz and fusion, and has set up a troupe called Fusion Dreams,.[2] She has collaborated with the classical guitarist Simon Thacker, and the flamenco/jazz guitarist Eduardo Niebla.,[3] as well as Fado saxophonist Rão Kyao.

Srikanth has lectured on comparative techniques between the Indian and western classical violin at the University of Cambridge and Liverpool University.[4]

She established a foundation Dhruva Arts to help upcoming Indian artistes to perform in the United Kingdom,[4] as well as raise funds for charity.[5]

In 2012, she organised the London International Arts Festival, a series of concerts of Carnatic, fusion, folk and Balkan music, as well as dance performances from Cyprus and India.[1]

Srikanth continues her Carnatic music career as a soloist and as an accompanist, and has accompanied masters such as Dr M. Balamuralikrishna,[6] Kadri Gopalnath,[7] Chitravina Ravikiran, Ranjani-Gayatri, Sudha Ragunathan, Jayanthi Kumaresh, Sanjay Subrahmanyan, Nithyasree Mahadevan, R. K. Srikantan Aruna Sairam, A K Palanivel, .[8]

Srikanth specialises in the following Indian composers: Thyagaraja, Purandara Dasaru, Papanasam Sivan, Annamacharya, Muthuswami Dikshitar, Shyama Sastri and Mysore Vasudevachar. Jyotsna hosts London International Arts Festival and is the Artistic Director of Dhruv Arts, in the U.K.

Honours and awards

Concert at the BBC Proms

Her violin playing and music style has been referred to as "amazing".[9]

In 2008, she received a Fellowship in Carnatic Music from the Trinity College of Music, London.[3]

She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 Birthday Honours for services to music.[10]

Personal life

Srikanth is a practising pathologist, having received MBBS and Post-Graduate degrees in Clinical Pathology from Bangalore Medical College, India. She is married to K. V. Srikanth Sharma, has two children and lives in Bangalore presently.

Discography

  • Sri Tyagaraja Raga on Strings, PM Audios & Entertainments, 2023.[11][12]
  • Carnatic Lounge, Times Music, 2011.[13]
  • Chants for Children, Theme Musik, 2011.
  • Carnatic Jazz, Swathi Sanskriti, 2011.[14]
  • Alaiapayudhe, CD Baby, 2010.
  • Fusion Dreams, CD Baby, 2008.
  • Insight, Fountain Music, 2008.
  • Life, Earthnbeat, 2007.
  • Carnatic Connection, 2016

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Nivedita K G (5 November 2012). "Re-inventing the wheel". The New Indian Express. Bangalore.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Geetha Srinivasan (8 December 2007). "Stringing passion and profession!". Deccan Herald. Archived from the original on 22 March 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Aruna Chandaraju (16 January 2011). "Stringing it right". Bangalore Mirror. Archived from the original on 18 January 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Geetha Srinivasan (8 April 2011). "East meets west". The Hindu. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "Enriching Melody". Deccan Herald. 11 April 2011.
  6. ↑ "Balamuralikrishna flips 81, says he's 18". The Times of India. 7 January 2012. Archived from the original on 18 February 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "Darbar Festival 2011, Episode 2". BBC Radio 3. 2011.
  8. ↑ "Festival at a glance" (PDF). Darbar Festival. 2012.
  9. ↑ Michael Church (28 July 2011). "BBC Proms 16/17: BBC NOW/Fischer/Arditti/World Routes Academy, Royal Albert Hall (3/5, 4/5)". The Independent. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  10. ↑ "No. 64082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B25.
  11. ↑ Hungama, Sri Tyagaraja Raga on Strings, retrieved 31 March 2023
  12. ↑ Sri Tyagaraja Raga on Strings | Mahesh Mahadev | Jyotsna Srikanth | Sri Ramachandram Bhajami -Violin, retrieved 3 April 2023
  13. ↑ Carnatic Lounge by Dr Jyotsna Srikanth, 20 April 2011, retrieved 31 March 2023
  14. ↑ Carnatic Jazz by Dr. Jyotsna Srikanth, 1 January 2011, retrieved 31 March 2023
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