Sandeep Narayan says, “I am bringing Karnataka music to the table, but with a separate group of equipment,” Sandeep Narayan says. “We have found a bass guitar with flute, violin, miradangam and Kanjira – this is a mixture of traditional and western equipment.”
Artists were talking to Los Angeles over the phone, about their upcoming concerts presented by the Shibulal family philanthropic initiative in Bengaluru later this week.
“I am carrying different elements to present a concert that will easily be digestible by the audience, which may not be aware of the complications and complications of Karnataka music. It is often considered very brain or complex, and I hope that I get rid of the audience of that stigma.”
Melody makers
Although he grew up in the United States, Sandeep made initial initiation in Karnataka music. Not only his entire family had made musical inclination, but his mother also gave a lesson and his father organized concerts with Karnataka musicians who were visiting Southern California.
He says that when he turned 11, his parents decided to send him to India for intensive study of this traditional art form, “As I was a little mischievous and not taking my music studies seriously.” Here, he was advised by KS Krishnamurthy for nearly three years, and after his death, one of his disciples continued training under Sanjay Subramanian.
Close to the 12 -year regular classes, Sandeep says that he began searching for this style on his own. “Until about four or five years ago, I considered myself a purist and was deeply entangled in my Karnataka learning; My concerts followed a traditional format with violin, ghatam and Kanjira.”
“However, I noticed that wherever we had a tour, the audience consisted of large South Indians. Many people did not know what Karnataka music was,” they say, saying that the only reference to Indian music seemed Bollywood.
Sandeep Narayan | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“I wanted to do my share, even if it was small, to put Karnataka music on the world map. When I started thinking about various ways to present our amazing traditional style.”
Sandeep says that he took inspiration from a Mahashivratri program at Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore, where he performed with various artists. “It burnt something within me.”
Bangalore offering
Sandeep says that the more he did with other artists, the more convinced that he was one of the few music styles in the world of Karnataka music, which could join other styles.
“I have seen that Karnataka music can create a relationship through one Ragam, Thalam Or Nadi, Whether you are working with folk and Indian artists along with hip hop, R&B, rap or jazz. I want to make those connections more and bring the beauty of Karnataka music for more people. ,
“My goal is not to dilute Karnataka music, but the audience shows its wide range.”
Talking about his upcoming concert, Sandeep says it took the team almost years to keep it together. “Every time we perform, I want to bring something new, and since we are coming to Karnataka, I have included more compositions in Kannada.”
Some of these include Purandaradasa in Ragam Darbari, ‘Akka Kelava’ – A Vakhana by Akka Mahadevi and ‘An Appan Alva’ from Mahshivarthari.
Sandeep will be included by B Anantakrishnan and Akshay Yasadharan on electric violin, Sameer Rao on flute and Bas guitarist Akilesh, SJ Arjun Ganesh on Mridangam and Sunil Kumar on Thawal.
According to Sandeep, such events have three-dimensional cases, including artists, audiences and organizers. “I hope the audience grows in number because the option of going online and listening to music is quite real. To preserve the tradition, people should come out and participate in concerts. In real time, there is nothing compared to experiencing energy, interaction and relationship between artists and audiences.”
Sangamam was launched in 2022 as part of a one -year long series by a Shibulal family philanthropic initiative, which aims to preserve India’s cultural heritage.
Sandeep Narayan and Ensambal and Project Samskari will perform at St. John’s auditorium from 5.30 pm on July 12. Ticket on bookmyshow
Published – July 09, 2025 08:04 pm IST
