HYDERABAD: “I am looking forward to reaching to the younger audiences and making them identify with our national instrument Saraswati Veena as something that is so traditional and still so pertinent in today’s context,” says Dr Jayanthi Kumaresh, a leading Veena artiste from Bengaluru, who will be performing on Friday, 6.30 pm November 29 at Keyes High school for Kalasagaram. Two weeks ago, Dr Jayanthi was conferred the Sangeet Shikar Samman by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Delhi in recognition of her distinguished services to Indian Classical Music- Saraswati Veena.
This Travelling Vainika is considered India’s torchbearer worldwide for Saraswati Veena, the National Instrument of India. An artiste, collaborator, composer, researcher, creator, pioneer and educator, her body of work and achievements over 30 years makes her one of the legendary Veena masters of India.A sixth generation musician, she began playing the Veena since age of three. “I am looking forward to presenting the Saraswathi veena in Hyderabad,” she says about her rendition this Friday.
Apart from several prestigious venues and festivals in India, Jayanthi has performed at several international festivals such as San Francisco Jazz Festival, Darbar festival and at prestigious venues such as U.N, New York, Palladium, Indiana, Theatre de la Ville, Paris etc.
Dr Jayanthi’s is also known for Cup O’ Carnatic, a web series which she uploaded on YouTube and Facebook wherein she introduces concepts related to music and veena. Her videos have garnered more than 2.5 million views for the series. Buoyed by its success, Dr. Jayanthi is now presenting a new web series titled ‘Season Of Carnatic’, which aims to promote the Chennai Margazhi Season by getting the fans Margazhi-Ready. “Social media has demystified several aspects of the art form by making it more accessible and approachable. The right to expression is a two edged sword; when used rightly it is a boon,” she says.
She believes that such a magnificent festival deserves worldwide recognition and the series aims at exploring new ragams daily to get audiences ready to identify ragams and compositions when they attend the Margazhi Season in December. She posts a new episode lasting about 3-5 minutes daily. The series began on November 1 and will be on till November 30. Rasikas can check out her webseries on her Facebook page and Youtube channel.
— Manju Latha Kalanidhi
kalanidhi@newindianexpress.com @mkalanidhi