Jayanthi Kumaresh

Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh is a Veena artist^[1] from Tamil Nadu, India.^[2][3] Jayanthi comes from a lineage of musicians who have been practicing Carnatic music for six generations and started playing the Saraswati Veena at the age of 3. Smt. Lalgudi Rajalakshmi, her mother, was her first teacher and she later moved to her maternal aunt, Smt. Padmavathy Ananthagopalan as part of Gurukula vasam for intense training in Veena. She is the niece of Violin Legend Sri. Lalgudi Jayaraman. She is also blessed with a rare opportunity to learn Veena from the Veena Maestro, Sundaram Balachander. She is married to Vid. Kumaresh Rajagopalan, the younger of the famous Ganesh Kumaresh violinist duo.^[4]

Dr. Jayanthi has performed at several prestigious festivals in India such as Sawai Gandharv Mahotsav, Gana Saraswati Samaroh, Gwalior Music Festival. She has also performed in international festivals such as San Francisco Jazz Festival, Darbar festival, Queensland Music Festival, Darwin Music Festival, Adelaide Music Festival and at prestigious venues such as U.N., New York, Palladium, Indiana, Theatre de la Ville, Paris, Northwest folklife festival, Seattle.

A collaborator, she has performed with legends such as Tabla Maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, Violin Maestro Shri. R. Kumaresh, Hindustani Flautist Ronu Majumdar, Hindustani Violinist Kala Ramnath, Carnatic Musicians Bombay Jayashree, Sudha Ragunathan, and the like.

A researcher, she holds a Doctorate for her work on “styles and playing techniques of the Saraswati veena” and conducts workshops and lecture demonstrations around the world.

She founded the Indian National Orchestra,^[5] where a group of artists from Carnatic and Hindustani genres representing the rich musical and cultural heritage of India come together under one banner to showcase Indian classical music.

She composed and released the album "Mysterious Duality" ^[6] which is a multi-dimensional reflection of the simple yet complex self - through a single instrument, the Saraswathi Veena. The artist has played 7 different Veena tracks and this album is one of its kind.

Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh is also a great patron for SPIC MACAY movement and has been performing for SPIC MACAY for several years.^[7]

Awards

1990, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2012, 2015: "Award for Veena" - The Music Academy, Chennai - Madras Music Academy

1997: Veena Dhanammal Memorial award- Sriragam fine Arts, Chennai

1999: Kalki Memorial award

2000: Fellowship from Department of culture for ‘Ragam Tanam Pallavi’ rendering on Veena

2003: A-TOP’ grading, from the All India Radio

2004: Maharajapuram Santhanam Memorial Award

2006: State award of Kalaimamani from Tamil Nadu Government

2006: Mahaswami Puraskar

2007: Sathyashri – Bangalore

2010: Veena Nada Mani - Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham

2011: XL award for the outstanding Instrumentalist of the year

2013: Gana Varidhi - MA Narasimhachar Music Foundation

2013: Sangeetha Choodamani - Sri Krishna Ganan Sabha, Chennai

2014: Asthana Vidwan at Sringeri Sharadha Peetham

References