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Jayanthi Kumaresh

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Jayanthi Kumaresh
Jayanthi Kumaresh with the Saraswathi Veena
Jayanthi Kumaresh with the Saraswathi Veena
Background information
Born1969 (age 55–56)
OriginBengaluru, India
GenresCarnatic Music
Occupation(s)Vainika, Composer
InstrumentSaraswati Veena
Websitejayanthikumaresh.com

Jayanthi Kumaresh[1] (born 1969[2]) is an Indian classical musician and prominent artist who plays the Saraswati veena.[3][4][5] She has pursued her career for over four decades, during which she has performed in numerous concerts and international tours.[6]Jayanthi holds a postgraduate degree in English literature and earned a doctorate from the University of Mysore for research on "the analytical study of different banis and playing techniques of the Saraswati veena." She is youngest veena players to receive A-Top grading from All India Radio, highest grade given to performing artists in India.[7]

Her online series Cup O’ Carnatic (2016 – present) presents short introductions to ragas and compositional forms and has accumulated several million views.[8] Her latest production, Cup o’ Carnatic, a live show, which was staged recently in Bengaluru and Chennai, is a unique blend of music, animation and storytelling and has won over the interest of young listeners.[9]

Blending the traditional and the innovative in her music in terms of content, technique, virtuosity and expression, Jayanthi seeks to express the true voice of the veena, which transcends the boundaries of language and region.[10]Jayanthi was awarded the Government of India’s Sangeet Natak Akademi[11][12] award in 2022 and was the recipient of Sangeet Shikhar Samman[13][14][15] in 2019 conferred by the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi Kendra.[14][16]

Early life and education

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Her formal training commenced at the age of three under the tutelage of her mother, Lalgudi Rajalakshmi.[17][18] At the age of 13, she left home to live with her guru Vidushi Padmavathy Ananthagopalan under the Gurukul system for 22 years[18][1] and later came under the guidance of S. Balachander.[1] She also received specialized training from her maternal uncle violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman and other maestros like T. Brinda, T. R. Subramaniam, and Thanjavur Shankara Iyer.[citation needed]

She is a researcher[19] and holds a doctorate from the University of Mysore for her work on "styles and playing techniques of the Saraswati veena"[20][better source needed] and conducts workshops and lecture demonstrations around the world. She has founded the Indian National Orchestra, an ensemble that brings together artists from Carnatic and Hindustani traditions.[21] Her dissertation examines historical playing styles, references in classical treatises, and recent developments such as electronic Veenas. Portions of her research have been published in academic journals. [citation needed]She is married to Kumaresh Rajagopalan, the younger of the violinist duo Ganesh–Kumaresh. She is the niece of violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman.[22]

Career

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Over a performing career spanning more than forty years,[23] Jayanthi has given concert tours across India and internationally. Her concerts have been featured in famous venues like Royal Albert Hall, London, Theatre de la Ville, Paris, and NCPA, Mumbai. Festival of India in Paris, Queensland Music Festival, Darwin Music Festival, Sydney Music Festival, Northwest Folklife Festival, San Francisco Jazz Festival, BBC Proms in London, Celtic Connections in Scotland, Bengal Classical Music Festival Bangladesh, Sydney Opera House, and New York's Lincoln Center.[24]

In July 2024, she performed at Sydney Opera House as part of the cross-genre trio Triveni, which blended Hindustani and Carnatic traditions[25] She also joined the Triveni ensemble on an 18-city North American tour in 2022.[26] Critics have praised her live performances for their technical clarity and emotive power, noting for instance that "Jayanthi’s Saraswathi Veena mesmerises" at the Dehradun Concert.[25][27]

Important venues where Jayanthi Kumaresh was featured in:

Discography

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She has released several albums with multiple themes and presentations, which includes 45 Ragas, Jagruthi, Shankaram, Run with SA, Thillana Thillana, Timeless Tunes, The Singing Veena, Veena Saman, Veena Visions, Walking Together, and many others. Jayanthi composed and released the album "Mysterious Duality",[42] in which the artist has played 7 different Veena tracks. Jayanthi has recorded for Labels Times Music, Music Today, Sa re ga ma, Sense World, and Home Records.[citation needed]

Teaching and outreach

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She has collaborated with the Indian Ministry of Culture and Rikskonsertene Norway Ministry of Culture,[43] conducting lectures and masterclasses in Norway. She has presented numerous TED talks and has collaborated with SPICMACAY on several occasions to bring larger audience into the Carnatic Music.[44]

Productions

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As a composer, Jayanthi has written music for dance productions and films; she scored works such as Krishna Bhakthi, Abbakarani and Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya, and composed for the National South Asian Youth Orchestra (UK).[45] Moreover, Jayanthi Kumaresh has crafted some Singles like "Janani", "Vasanthabhairavi", and "A Thousand Stars". Jayanthi Kumaresh has also released several albums with multiple themes and presentations.[46] She introduced "Story in Concert", a blend of music, story-telling, and painting.[47]

Awards

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  • 2006: State award of Kalaimamani from Tamil Nadu Government[48]
  • 2018: Indira Sivasailam Endowment Medal - Chennai[49]
  • 2019: Bhavan's Sangeet Shikhar Samman - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi[7]
  • 2020: K.S. Narayanaswamy Award for Veena - Shanmukhananda Fine Arts, Mumbai[50]
  • 2022: Sangeetha Vedanta Dhurina - Bangalore
  • 2022: Sangeet Natak Academy[51][52]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "String maiden". PuneMirror. 20 September 2012.
  2. ^ https://sangeetnatak.gov.in/public/uploads/awardees/docs/1741592411_jayanthi%20kumaresh.pdf
  3. ^ "Faculty | Milapfest". 22 December 2014. Archived from the original on 22 December 2014.
  4. ^ "An evening of classical music with Jayanthi Kumaresh and Sounak Chattopadhyay". The Times of India. 25 August 2020. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  5. ^ "String maiden". PuneMirror. 20 September 2012.
  6. ^ Shukla, Harsh (11 December 2019). "No cause for worry when it comes to sustaining classical music". Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  7. ^ a b Govind, Ranjani (30 November 2019). "Recognition for Saraswati Veena". TheHindu. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  8. ^ "Artist Feature - Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh". Issuu. 1 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  9. ^ Raghunathan, Aishwarya (21 May 2025). "Veena exponent Jayanthi Kumaresh wins over young listeners with her new live show". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  10. ^ Pillai, K (27 December 2019). "Veena luminary Janyanthi Kumaresh goes the digital route with a video series on YouTube". IndulgeExpress. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  11. ^ "Shrimati Jayanthi Kumaresh" (PDF). Sangeet Natak. 1 January 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  12. ^ Srikanth, Venkatesan (14 November 2019). "Jayanthi Kumaresh: The chosen one". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  13. ^ Khanna, Shailaja (21 November 2019). "AsianAge". Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  14. ^ a b Govind, Ranjani (30 November 2019). "Recognition for Saraswati Veena". TheHindu. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  15. ^ Govind, Ranjani (30 November 2019). "Recognition for Saraswati Veena". SrutiMagazine. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  16. ^ Srikanth, Venkatesan (14 November 2019). "Jayanthi Kumaresh: The chosen one". The Hindu. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  17. ^ Deccan, Deccan (19 August 2019). "Legendary Saraswathi Veena artiste honoured". DeccanChronicle. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  18. ^ a b "Jayanthi Kumaresh". Darbar. 20 September 2012.
  19. ^ https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/music/jayanthi-kumaresh-the-chosen-one/article29971498.ece
  20. ^ https://fac.umass.edu/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=ZakirArtists
  21. ^ "Classic Choral: Indian National Orchestra". The Hindu. 25 October 2014.
  22. ^ darbarAdmin (22 May 2025). "Jayanthi Kumaresh". Darbar. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  23. ^ Shukla, Harsh (11 December 2019). "No cause for worry when it comes to sustaining classical music". Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  24. ^ Deccan, Deccan (19 August 2019). "Legendary Saraswathi Veena artiste honoured". DeccanChronicle. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  25. ^ a b Sudarshan, Chitra (15 July 2024). "Triveni review: A Hindustani and Carnatic fusion". IndiaLink. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  26. ^ Hoffman, Jarrett (13 April 2022). "Triveni trio to blend musical traditions of India at Cleveland Museum of Art". ClevelandClassical. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  27. ^ Tribune, Tribune (6 August 2016). "Jayanthi's Saraswathi Veena mesmerises". Tribune News Service. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  28. ^ "Performances of Jayanthi Kumaresh at BBC Proms". 25 August 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  29. ^ Cumming, Tim (25 September 2013). "Darbar Festival, Southbank Centre". TheArtsDesk. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  30. ^ RnmTeam, RnmTeam (25 January 2017). "Veena virtuoso Jayanthi Kumaresh to perform at Celtic Connections Festival". RadioAndMusic.com. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  31. ^ "Bengalclassicalmusicfest". 19 August 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  32. ^ Ledoux, Christian (27 November 2017). "Theatre de la ville". TheatreDeLaVille. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  33. ^ "Shrimati Jayanthi Kumaresh" (PDF). Sangeet Natak. 1 January 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  34. ^ "Sydney music festival". 1 January 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  35. ^ Sen, Debarati (23 June 2023). "Audience appreciation is what keeps us encouraged". TimesOfIndia. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  36. ^ "Seen and heard international". 19 August 2019. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  37. ^ "Indian cultural extravaganza Utsav to be held at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts from September 19-21 ahead of Modi’s visit". 4 September 2014. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  38. ^ Sudarshan, Chitra (15 July 2024). "Triveni review: A Hindustani and Carnatic fusion". IndiaLink. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  39. ^ "Sanshleshan". 20 April 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  40. ^ "PuneMirror". 20 September 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  41. ^ Shukla, Harsh (11 December 2019). "IndianExpress". Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  42. ^ Sivakumar, S. (21 October 2010). "Concept of duality". The Hindu.
  43. ^ "Kala Samvada—Conversations on Art with Distinguished Musicians – News". ChinmayaVishwaVidypeeth. 19 November 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  44. ^ Tribune, Tribune (6 August 2016). "Jayanthi's Saraswathi Veena mesmerises". Tribune News Service. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  45. ^ "Thriveni". UMassAmherst.
  46. ^ Govind, Ranjani (1 April 2020). "'The Journey Within' is Jayanthi Kumaresh latest composition". TheHindu. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  47. ^ Deccan, Deccan (19 August 2019). "Legendary Saraswathi Veena artiste honoured". DeccanChronicle. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  48. ^ Srikanth, Venkatesan (14 November 2019). "Jayanthi Kumaresh: The chosen one". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 26 February 2023.
  49. ^ Deccan, Deccan (19 August 2019). "Legendary Saraswathi Veena artiste honoured". DeccanChronicle. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  50. ^ "Sri Shanmukhananda Principal K. S. Narayanaswamy Vaineeka Vidwan Award". Shanmukananda. 30 June 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  51. ^ Herald, Deccan (28 February 2025). "Recognition for Saraswati Veena". DeccanHerald. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  52. ^ Janaki, S (14 March 2024). "Sangeet Natak Akademi awards mark a milestone in artistes' lives". TheHindu. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
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