Performance: Kamalakiran Vinjamuri (violin), Krupa Sekhar (violin), and Athrey Nadhan (mridangam)
Friday, August 9, 2024 at 7pm
Black Mountain College Museum + Arts Center {120 College Street}
TICKETS – $15 General Admission / $10 BMCM+AC members + Students w/ID

Join us for an evening of Carnatic music with the renowned virtuoso Kamalakiran Vinjamuri. A distinguished artist from Northern Virginia, Vinjamuri is acclaimed for his masterful technique, melodic innovation, and profound emotional expression. Joining him on stage will be the gifted violinist Krupa Sekhar and masterful percussionist Athrey Nadhan, this performance promises to be a captivating celebration of South Indian classical music.

Kamalakiran Vinjamuri embarked on his musical journey under the guidance of his grandfather, Sri. Parthasarathy Iyengar, and later honed his skills under Smt. Malladi Vijayalakshmi. Introduced to the violin by his father, Sri. Subhash Vinjamuri, at the age of 7, Kamalakiran established a strong foundation for his musical career. Since 2006, he has been under the esteemed tutelage of Sangeethakalanidhi A. Kanyakumari, and also continues advanced lessons under his father.

From a young age, Kamalakiran garnered attention for his exceptional talent, earning numerous awards from esteemed institutions such as Sri Mylapore Fine Arts, Sri Parthasarathy Swami Sabha (2010, 2013), and Sri Krishna Gana Sabha (2014). Notably, he was recognized as the best violinist in the prestigious Music Academy in Chennai during the 2014 Spirit of Youth series, as well as in the 2016 and 2017 Music Seasons.

Renowned for his versatility, Kamalakiran excels both as a soloist and accompanist. His ability to replicate vocal styles effortlessly on the violin, while intricately weaving instrumental nuances, sets him apart. His performances showcase not only technical prowess but also a quick wit in accompaniment and a formidable flair in solo performances.

Kamalakiran has shared the stage with legendary figures such as Sri M. Balamuralikrishna, Sri TN Seshagopalan, and many other stalwarts of Carnatic music. He remains a favored accompanist among today’s leading artists, enriching performances with his virtuosity and musical sensitivity. His collaborations span different genres, reflecting his versatility and adaptability across diverse musical contexts.

As a soloist, Kamalakiran performed across the US, Asia, and Europe.

Krupa Sekhar feels blessed to have begun her Carnatic violin musical journey at age four with Guru Shri. A.R. Balaskandan and doubly blessed to be continuing it with Vidwan Shri. Kamalakiran Vinjamuri since 2017. Krupa has won many prizes for Carnatic violin in Krithi & manodharma categories in several prestigious competitions such as the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, the SVBF Nadaswaroopini, CMANA’s GCD, Papanasam Sivan competitions, and more. Krupa has also learned Carnatic Vocal from Guru Smt. Saavitri Ramanand, Kanjira from Guru Shri A.R. Balaskandan, Bharathanatyam from Guru Smt. Thejeswini Raj and had her Bharathanatyam Arangetram in 2018. Krupa is a rising Senior at Cornell University.

Athrey Nadhan from Chicago, IL started learning the art of playing the Mridangam at the age of five and is currently undergoing advanced training from the esteemed professional, Srimushnam Sri V. Raja Rao in Chennai, India. Athrey has performed in over 350 concerts across North America and India, accompanying several leading musicians including Chitravina N. Ravikiran, Neyveli Santhanagopalan, and Vittal Ramamoorthy, among many others. Athrey also has learned Carnatic vocal music from B.U. Ganesh Prasad. He is a Software Engineer at Apple in Raleigh, North Carolina.