Margazhi in San Francisco 2022

About Shri. Shankar Kandasamy

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Shankar Kandasamy is an established Bharata Natyam dancer in Malaysia. He heads the Bharata Natyam faculty of The Temple of Fine Arts Malaysia, where he was trained and continues to serve as Artistic Director, Choreographer, and Performer. He has given many Bharata Natyam recitals both locally and internationally and traveled with the Temple of Fine Arts worldwide performing dance dramas and variety programs. He is also trained in Odissi, Western Classical Ballet, and other regional classical styles of India. This gives him a rich vocabulary of dance which he uses in choreography. Shankar has been one of the key choreographers in all major Dance Drama productions of the Temple of Fine Arts.

Being the head of the Bharata Natyam section Shankar has choreographed and conducted over 120 Arangetrams till this date. His sound working knowledge in Sanskrit and Tamil plus his Carnatic music training makes him double up as a resource person for Indian dancers. He also serves as a guest lecturer in the Degree Programme of the Malaysian National Arts Academy ASWARA run by the Government of Malaysia.

Shankar had completed his Masters degree with the Kalai Kaviri College of Fine Arts Bharathidasan University.

 

Shankar has received the BOH CAMERONIAN Award for best choreographer for a full-length work ADC Crossing Borders.

 

Shankar has been the main Artistic Director, Scriptwriter, and Choreographer for major The Temple of Fine Arts Bharata Natyam productions in recent years

Panchali Sapatham

NeoMargan

Krishnaayanam

Ramanatakam

PadmaPurush

Crossing Borders

Among many other full length features.

 

He presented the Malaysian Bharatha Natyam Ensemble of TFA for the prestigious international Konark festival in Orissa Dec 2017, to standing ovations of the opening night.

In recent years Shankar has traveled widely to conduct workshops internationally and currently with the Pandemic has continued to do so on the online platform with international participation worldwide.

He has been invited to present papers, lecture demonstrations, and workshops for many Indian Universities and Organisations internationally during this recent period of the Pandemic.

He was invited to be a panelist presenting a paper on Group Choreography at the prestigious Natya Kala Conference Chennai in the year 2019.

He was invited to represent Malaysia by the Indian High Commission to present a paper on the Role of the Diaspora in Promoting the Indian Culture of the region in July 2021.

About Vid. Kali Futnani

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Kali Futnani began her studies of Bharatnatyam after visiting India with her family when she was ten years old. Kali was entranced by Bharatnatyam and continued to go to performances in the Bay Area, where she met Katherine and K.P. Kunhiraman, founders of Kalanjali. She began classes with them when she was 12 years old and enjoyed classes with K.P. Yesodha when she was a visiting teacher for two years. After High School, Kali graduated from Kalakshestra’s four year diploma course. She joined Yesodha’s company in Chennai for six years, continuing her training and perform sing with the troupe. 
Kali returned to the Bay Area and joining Kalanjali as a senior dancer and teacher, while also attending Mills College and UC Berkeley. Aside from dancing, Kali works in construction management for Biotech and is learning how to sail. 

About Vid. Shri. Prakash Rao

 

From 1977, received training in mridangam from Sri K. Sudarshanacharyulu (Hyderabad). Since 1982, disciple of the legendary Sangitha Kalanidhi Vellore Ramabhadran. Prakash is one of Sri Ramabhadran’s most senior disciples.

Performed over 2500 concerts in a career spanning 40+ years.

Accompanied senior artists such as Lalgudi Jayaraman, Neyveli

Santhanagopalan, Chitraveena Ravikiran, T N Seshagopalan.

Honored by CMANA in 2021 for his contributions for 30 years to the community as a senior mridanga-vidwan, musicologist and Guru. Honored on September 16, 2022 with Acharya Ratna Award from Dr. T V Gopalakrishnan.

About Vid. Dr. Bhavani Prakash

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“Sakalakalavalli” Dr. Bhavani Prakash is physician by profession and musician by passion. She is a master of veena, vocal and flute. She is an “A” grade artist of All India Radio and Doordarshan, Chennai. Her esteemed Gurus include Sangita Kalanidhi Dr. N. Ramani, Sangita Kalacharya Smt. Suguna Varadachari, Kalasri Sri A.V. Prakash and her mother, Smt. Vasantha Subramaniam. Her numerous awards include the All India Radio National.Award, Ambujam Krishna Award from Chennai Music Academy and Best Concert Award from Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai. Performing since the age of 12, Dr..Bhavani has participated in over 2000 solo concerts, dance recitals, musical ensembles and lecture/demonstrations. She has performed all over India, Mauritius, the French island Reunion, Canada & the US. 

About Vid. Chi Ananth Rayar

 

Ananth began learning music at the age of 2 from his mother Dr. Bhavani Prakash and mridangam at the age of 5  from his father Sri Prakash Rao. Ananth has received advanced training from senior gurus P S Narayanaswamy  and Dr. S. Sowmya. Ananth has competed in music competitions from the age of 5 and won several awards. Performing since the age of 7, Ananth has given over 1000 concerts, performing as a vocalist and mridangist in US, Chennai & Canada, and also sings for dance programs across the US. He works in the field of cybersecurity.

About Vid. Chi. Skanda Rao

 

Skanda Rao is a vocalist and flutist. He has been exposed to music since he was born through his parents Prakash Rao and Dr. Bhavani Prakash, two well-respected performing musicians in the tri-state area. He was formally trained in Carnatic vocal music from the age of 3 and on Carnatic flute from the age of 8, both from his mother, an A-grade All India Radio artist.

Skanda gave his first vocal concert 1.5 hours before the age of nine and has since given many other solo vocal and flute concerts. Over the years, Skanda won numerous prizes in CMANA and Cleveland music competitions in both vocal and flute. In 2012, he was one of the finalists in the Carnatic Idol USA vocal music competition. He has participated in many of the musical productions directed by prominent musicians in New Jersey and the Tristate area. Skanda has also played flute at several Bharatanatyam Arangetrams and Kuchipudi Rangapraveshams. He teaches vocal and flute in Anandabhairavi School of Music, run by his parents, and he has been taking advanced flute lessons from Shashank Subramanyam for the past two years.

Skanda also has a strong background in western music theory with an interest in Indo-jazz fusion. He recently completed his Bachelor of Science in physics at Rutgers University with minors in mathematics and music and is currently a physics Ph.D. student at MIT.

About Vinay Srinivasan

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Vinay Srinivasan has studied Bharathanatyam under Smt. Hema & Krithika Rajagopalan for the past 24 years. Having completed his Arangetram in August 2007, Vinay continues to perform as both a solo artist & with the acclaimed Natya Dance Theatre at various prestigious venues both national & international — to name a few: the Chase Manhattan Plaza, NYC; the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park; The Harris Theatre; DCA's Storefront Theater; respected institutions such as Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, as part of the December Music Festival in Chennai, India. Through his performances he has won appreciation for his crisp Nritta and involved abhinaya by critics and connoisseurs. His training in Carnatic music, especially the knowledge of ragas and swaras, further enhances his involvement with the music to form a deeper emotional connection with the work being presented. Vinay is also a studio artist and enjoys studying symbolism in ancient Dravidian art and architecture — He finds it interesting to connect these experiences (be it dance, music, or art) at a philosophical level to ultimately guide his spiritual growth.

 

Alongside being an artist, Vinay also balances his day job as UX Designer in the Bay Area.

About Vid Shri. Srikanth Chary

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Srikanth Chary began his training at the age of six in Mumbai under the veena vidwan Devakottai Sri Narayana Iyengar. He later studied music under the auspices of Shanmukhananda Sabha from Smt. Kalyani Sarma. At the age of eight, Srikanth was presented first prize in a music competition by the music doyen Bharat Ratna Smt. M. S. Subbulakshmi.

After moving to the United States, Srikanth had the opportunity to study music from the famed violinist Sangeetha Kalanidhi Kum. A. Kanyakumari. This opportunity awakened in Srikanth a keen love for music that he has been pursuing ever since.

Srikanth started receiving advanced music training from the late music maestro Padmabhushan Sri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman in the early 1980s. Sri Jayaraman's baani is well known for its purity of sound and rhythm, its emphasis on tonal perfection, and its sparkling creativity in manodharma sangitam.

Srikanth has adapted this captivating style to the veena, and explored the subtle nuances of this divine instrument while preserving the traditional purity of Carnatic music.

Srikanth has given many concerts in the United States, India, and Australia and has received excellent reviews.  Srikanth was awarded "The Best Veena Player Award" by the prestigious Chennai Music Academy during the 2002-2003 music festival.

Srikanth frequently performs on television and radio and is a graded artiste of All India Radio.  His performances and recordings have won rave reviews from music connoisseurs worldwide.

In 1989, Srikanth established a music school Nada Nidhi to pass on the rich heritage of Carnatic music. His students include not only youth being brought up in the United States who wish to absorb musical aspects of Indian culture, but also seasoned vainikas who wish to refine and embellish their knowledge and techniques. Srikanth’s students have performed widely to critical acclaim.  They have also won prestigious awards in national and international music competitions.

About Vid Chi. Hrishikesh Chary

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Hrishikesh Chary started learning the veena at the age of six from his father, Sri Srikanth Chary, who is a disciple of the late music maestro, Sri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman. 

As a young child, Hrishikesh showed a keen interest and talent in music.  He could easily identify ragams by the age of two.  Hrishikesh has performed several solo veena concerts in the United States and India. He has provided orchestral accompaniment for various programs, CD releases, and dance performances. In 2014, Hrishikesh was selected as a Fellow by Indian Raga, and awarded a music fellowship.

Since the age of 10, Hrishikesh has won several prizes in veena and vocal competitions.  In 2010, Hrishikesh won the prestigious Cleveland Aradhana Concert Competition and was awarded a tambura and the opportunity to present a concert at the 2011 festival.  He has also been invited to participate in instrumental ensembles, including performances with Sri V. V. Subrahmanyam, at the Cleveland Festival.

In addition to following his passion for the veena, Hrishikesh has received vocal training from Smt. Hema Sista, a disciple of the late Smt. M. L. Vasanthakumari.

Hrishikesh has given vocal and veena performances for television programs.  He has collaborated with other musicians as part of instrumental ensembles. He performs veena duets with his sister, Priyanka, regularly in Chennai during the Margazhi Music Festival.

Hrishikesh has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from UC San Diego, and a Master’s degree from Purdue University.

About Vid. Kum. Priyanka Chary

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Priyanka Chary started learning the veena at the age of six from her father, Sri Srikanth Chary, who is a disciple of the late music maestro, Sri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman.  

Priyanka has performed on television, and given performances widely through the United States and Canada, and at the Chennai Margazhi Music Festival.  She has won awards in several music competitions for krithi, alapana, kalpana swarams and pallavi rendition.  In 2015, Priyanka was selected as a Fellow by Indian Raga, and was awarded a music fellowship. Priyanka has also recorded music for a new age music album.

Priyanka has also undergone training in vocal music from Smt. Hema Sista, a disciple of Dr. M. L. Vasanthakumari.  In addition to pursuing music, Priyanka learns bharatanatyam from Smt. Nirupama Vaidhyanathan. She completed her arangetram in 2013 and has also presented a full-length solo margam in Chennai.  

Priyanka has a Bachelor’s degree in Molecular Biology from UC Santa Cruz, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Bioinformatics at Boston University.

About Vid Shri Anand Prakash Poomagame

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Anand Prakash got his initial Karnatic vocal training at a very young age from his mother, Late Smt M.N.Manonmani.  Later on he went for serious training under Guru Sangeetha Kalasri Sri H.G. Anantha Avadhani for 15+ years. Under his Guru’s rigorous training, Anand secured 2nd rank in the Karnataka government vocal music state level examination in the junior and senior grade category. Anand was also a performing AIR artist at Bhadravathi, Karnataka for about 10 years, where he was giving concerts under the Yuvavani program. Anand has won a lot of prizes and awards in vocal music competitions held in and around Karnataka. Anand is pursuing his vocal music under Swetha Dasharathy, a disciple of Sangeeta Kalanidhi Sri Neyveli Santanagopalan.

Anand works  at a semiconductor company as a  Tech Manager in San Jose, California.

About Chi. Bhargav Nemani

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Bhargav Nemani has been learning mridangam from Sri Patri Satish Kumar for the past three years, and has been learning for eight years in total. He is a passionate and keen student
and over these years transformed into a good mridangam player.  He currently accompanies various local artists in the San Francisco Bay area under organizations such as SRFA, Gayathri Fine Arts, Lotus, and more.  He has also been a consistent player under Carnatic Chamber Concerts (CCC) monthly events conducted in San Jose, California. He has also won and received prizes in various local and international mridangam competitions including Samaa Arts, Papanasam Sivan, Osaat, and more.  Bhargav was also a top ten finalist in the 2021 International HCL competition. 

About Vid Shri Vikram Ragukumar

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Vikram Ragukumar, had his initial training under legendary violinist Vidwan H.V. Krishnamurthy at Vijaya College of Music, Bangalore. He later pursued intensive training under the able guidance of All India Radio “ A” grade Violinist Vidwan B. Raghuram. Vikram has performed extensively in India and the USA as a solo violinist and as an accompanist for classical music and classical dance performances. He is currently furthering his understanding of music by training under the guidance of Vidushi. Smt. Asha Ramesh. By day he works as a software engineer in the Bay area.