Rukmini Vijayakumar

Rukmini Vijayakumar, is the artistic director of Raadha Kalpa Dance Company, and the director of Lshva, a space for artists. She is known for her unique style and approach to the practice of Bharatanatyam. Her strength lies in her dedicated and rigorous practice and layered knowledge of Bharatanatyam. Rukmini has developed a pedagogical system that approaches Bharatanatyam in a systematic analytical manner that trains the body progressively while cultivating creative exploration. She has performed as a soloist all over the world, including the Jacobs Pillow, The Drive east festival, LaMama Theater NYC, Korzo Theater, amongst numerous other venues. 

“… Rukmini has burning eyes that repeatedly catch the observer’s breath; and she makes those eyes part of the fabric of the dance…. she is not just engaging but also authoritative.” The New York Times ( 2011, By Alastair Macaulay)

Manorama Prasad

Manorama Prasad is a South Indian (Carnatic) vocalist, composer and conductor par excellence. Since coming to the UK in 1990, she has established herself as a unique artist with many strings to her bow. Her deep knowledge, innate ability and rich experience have enabled her to produce consistently exceptional performances. A prolific performer in concerts, Manorama has also sung at many prestigious international music festivals and venues, including the Edinburgh Festival; Alchemy & Darbar Festivals at the South Bank; Royal Opera House, Covent Garden; Lake District and Dartington International Summer Schools and Salisbury International Arts Festival. She has also performed extensively on radio for BBC Radio 3, BBC Asian Network, and All India Radio. Her sustained excellence was recognised in 2005 by Trinity College London, with the award of a fellowship and she was conferred the title of ‘Kala Jyothi’ for her outstanding contribution to Indian Classical Music in the UK. In 2006, Manorama was appointed as the Artistic Director of Samyo and Tarang – the UK’s National South Asian Music Youth Orchestra and Indian Classical Music Ensemble. Under her direction, Samyo and Tarang broke new ground in the Indian Music arena, leading to Tarang being invited to perform for Her Majesty The Queen at Buckingham Palace and for His Excellency Dr APJ Kalam, President of India in Liverpool, coupled with a show-stopping concert at the Darbar Festival, a stunning performance at the Royal Albert Hall, for the BBC Proms and a mesmerizing cross-genre collaboration with Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in the presence of the late Pandit Ravi Shankar. Manorama’s creation ‘Prapanch’ was performed jointly by Samyo, National Youth Choir of Great Britain, Royal Northern College of Music and Chetham’s School of Music at Excellent! Festival, Sadler’s Wells. Manorama’s exceptional versatility enables her to break down barriers between the genres, whilst remaining true to the core essence of classical Carnatic music. She is in all aspects, a ‘true original’.

Richa Srivastava

Richa Srivastava, Grade ‘B’ artist of Doordarshan, hailing from family with interests in acting, with his actor father Shri. Rakesh Dagg, has been trained in Kathak by Smt. Shila Mehta, Smt. Saswati Sen and Pandit Birju Maharaj ji. She has been an important link in propagating Lucknow Gharana style of Kathak. Richa Srivastava is an esteemed member of INTERNATIONAL DANCE COUNCIL CID, UNESCO France. She currently holds the position of Artistic Director of Arambh Kathak Pathshala, Mumbai. Honoured with “Kalavikas Youth Award 2015” in Pandit Bhimsen Joshi Sangeet Samaroh 2015, Gadag,  “National Nritya Shiromani Award” in 5th International Cuttack Dance Festival, Orrissa, and “Nritya Vilasini Award” in Nrithanrithyathi Festival 3rd Edition, Bhillai. She is also an empanelled artist of IWCF

Akash Parekar

Akash is the disciple of the renowned Sitarist and educator, Ustad Dharambir Singh (MBE) and one of Ustad Ji’s most famous disciples, Smt. Roopa Panesar. In the year of 2010, Akash had played in an ensemble in India in the divine presence of His Holiness, Sri Satya Sai baba and in October of 2012, he had the opportunity to perform as a soloist in Prashanti nilayam. He considers this to be one of his life changing performances and one that has shaped him into the musician that he is becoming. Akash has worked on a number of collaborative projects such as, Peguins risisng with Zak Starkey (The Who and Oasis), Mayur Navekar (bandish Projekt) and Michael Tedstone (ManikeMusic) to name a few. Akash has also played and some very prestigious venues such as the Royal Albert Hall with the philharmonic orchestra and DE Montfort hall to name a few He currently performs in the UK and internationally.

Prathap Ramachandra

Prathap is an internationally acclaimed South Indian Percussionist who has performed on some of the biggest global stages. He has accompanied ballet and contemporary dance start Sylvie Guillem on her world tour and some of the worlds top Bharthanatyam dancers. He is also proficient vocal technique Konnakool and his versatility makes a leading role model for the next generation of percussionists.

A.G.A.Gnanasundaram

Hailed as a prodigy of the Lalgudi school Sri Gnanasundaram is one of the prime disciples of violin maestro Sri Lalgudi G Jayaraman.Violin virtuoso Sri Gnanasundaram is an accomplished soloist,renowned accompanist ,respected teacher and a forward thinking innovator of Indian classical music.Sri Gnanasundaram is the son of illustrious vocalist Sri Ayyakkannu Desigar and grandson of violinist the Late Vedaranyam A. Gnanasambanda Kurukkal. Gnanasundaram holds a first -class master’s degree in Performing Arts from Madurai Kamaraj University. His Awards and accolades are numerous from revered institutions in India, in particular the Music Academy,Chennai.He is an A graded artist of All India Radio and is a regular performer in various renowned sabhas . Gnanasundaram was invited to perform in the prestigious Radio Sangeetha Sammeelanam concert ‘2018 at Trichur before invited audience. Sri Gnanasundaram’s academic experience extends to one and a half decades as senior lecturer at Tamil Nadu Government Music College,Madurai and as external examiner for University of Monash,Australia and Trinity College,London,for Indian music.As a staunch follower of the classical style of Lalgudi Bani,he always strives to propagate the same in the wider music world. Sri Gnanasundaram has found the organization Naadasudha,which aims to take the classicism of carnatic music to the next generation and has completed it’s 10th Anniversary in March 2017.