My Experiences with Dhvani’s Music Workshops and Lecture Demonstrations

Classical arts are oceans unto themselves. As children, when we learn classical music or dance, we may begin in a shallow lagoon, paddling around, singing, dancing, or playing for the joy of art.

Artist in Residence, 2025 Report
by G Ravikiran

I was tentative but curious about the artist-in-residence program. My first entry into Ananda Nilayam, the residence, stays fresh in my memory. In the quiet study, two tamburas stood waiting — their presence almost symbolic, as though they were to be my companions for the month...

Why Dikshitar Matters Today

Youngest of the celebrated Carnatic music trinity he may be, but Muthuswamy Dikshitar (1775-1835) is not the most accessible of composers.

The Violinist Everyone Loves

RK Shriramkumar must be one of the most popular choices for the title of Sangita Kalanidhi in the history of Carnatic music, beloved as he is of senior musicians, the vocalists he accompanies,...

A Songbird in Ohio

In the tapestry of a musician's life, there are moments that stand out as transformative - periods of growth, introspection, and artistic evolution. My two-month artist-in-residence programme in the United States through Dhvani, was one such pivotal experience....
A Fledgling Attempt

A Raven in Residence – a reaction to Birdsong

Ms. Ranjani Sivakumar’s delightful musical presentation on Friday night inspired me to tap into my avian vocabulary to see if I can possibly write something centered around our feathered friends.
With Dr Bob Brown and troupe at Wesleyan University 1965-1966

Sangita Kalanidhi KV Narayanaswamy

In one of his last concerts, Kollenkode Viswanatha Iyer Narayanaswamy moved listeners to tears with the depth of feeling of his rendering of Gopalakrishna Bharati’s, Varugalamo Ayya, the devotee Nandan’s desperate plea before the Deity.
Musiri Subramania Iyer with RK Venkatrama Sastry, Nagercoil Ganesa Iyer. TK Govinda Rao in the back.

Musiri Subramania Iyer (1899 -1975) and his bani

What is the Musiri bani?  Listen to what his star sishya Suguna Purushottaman had to say about him during Musiri Margam, an illuminating tribute she paid to his memory—during the late evening of her own life. 
Chitravina Ravikiran

Chitravina N Ravikiran as composer

Ravikiran is among the more prolific composers in Indian Music with over 800 compositions to his credit. About half of these are traditional classical pieces which include about 400 krtis, 30 varnams, 35 tillans besides javalis, padams, pushpanjalis, kavittuvams, shabdam, bhajans, chindus etc. Several of Ravikiran’s works have been presented by leading musicians and dancers.
An Online Performing Arts Festival

Ties That Bind: the pandemic, technology and the arts

We, in Columbus, Ohio, have been in the isolating grip of a viral pandemic for three months now. Social interactions have been impacted in ways one could never have imagined before its onset. Our diverse humanity has been united via this singular…
We Stand With You

We Stand With You

It is with deep sadness and anguish that we have all been observing the events surrounding the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Our emotions are also mixed with the knowledge that the circumstances and behavior which led to his death are all too common.