BRHAD-KALA: Celebrating Dikshitar 250 with Carnatic Music-Autumn 2025

BRHAD-KALA in association with Kala Bharati is pleased to invite you all for the Autumn 2025 Carnatic Music concerts in Orpington, UK. We are celebrating the 250th year birth anniversary of Muddusvami Dikshitar, one of the greatest composers of Carnatic Music. The opening concert will be performed by Orpington resident Carnatic musician Ms Deepa followed by the main concert by Vidwan G Ravi Kiran from Chennai. Brhaddhvani UK is also honoured to be hosting the award ceremony of Mridangam Meastro Vidwan Karaikudi Krishnamurthy who will be conferred the Pandit Sharda Sahai Award 2025 instituted by PRSSV Institute of Performing Arts and Heritage, UK. 

Date: Saturday, 8th November 2025

Time: 3.30pm

Venue: St Pauls Church, Crofton Road, Orpington BR6 8JE

PROGRAMME

 - Award Ceremony and special performance by Vidwan Karaikudi Krishnamurthy

 - Opening Concert - Ms. Deepa-Carnatic Vocal, Aparna Raghuraman-Violin and Sriram Shriananda-Mridangam

 - Main Concert - Vidwan G Ravi Kiran-Carnatic Vocal, Vidwan Balu Raghuraman-Violin, Vidwan P Kirupakaran-Mridangam

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Deepa - Vocal

Deepa is a distinguished Carnatic vocalist celebrated for her soulful renditions and unwavering commitment to classical tradition. She received her foundational training under the guidance of eminent gurus, Kovaladi Ranganathan and Madhva Prasad in Srirangam, and continues to refine her artistry under Srividhya Ramnath in the Neyveli tradition.

Her performances are marked by a blend of improvisation and soulful rendition of compositions of the Trinity and contemporary composers. Deepa has given regular concerts in India and in the bay area. A passionate teacher and advocate for the art form, Deepa is committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians and fostering a broader appreciation for Carnatic music among diverse audiences

Aparna Raghuraman - Violin

Aparna is the daughter and disciple of renowned violin vidwan Sri Balu Raghuraman. Aparna was initiated into the art of violin playing at a very young age and has shown immense progress since then. Aparna has won several awards in various competitions during her time as a young child. Milapfest awarded the National youth Fellowship to Aparna for the years 2020 and 2021. Aparna had her violin Arangetram in the year 2022 with the support of Guru Sri Srimushnam V Raja Rao which was well received by the audiences here in London. Having attended various workshop conducted by Sri Ganesh Rajagopalan and Sri Lalgudi Krishnan, Aparna currently is under the tutelage of legendary violin maestro Sangita Kalanidhi A. Kanyakumari in Chennai. Aparna has been actively performing at prestigious venues and festivals in the UK and India

Sriram Shriananda – Mridangam

Sriram Shriananda learnt the Mridangam under the tutelage of Shri P Kirupakaran and performed his Mridangam arangetram in January 2011 at the age of 13. Following his arangetram, Sriram has accompanied many young artists in the UK at their vocal, Veena and Bharatanatyam arangetrams and participated in a variety of Carnatic concerts. More recently, Sriram has performed at the prestigious Darbar Festival.

G Ravi Kiran-Vocal

Vidwan G Ravi Kiran was initiated into Carnatic Music by Vid. Gayatri Kesavan, Vid. Vasanta Ramanujam and Vid. RS Ramakanth. After a four-year break to pursue engineering at BITS, Pilani, he was convinced that Carnatic Music was the love of his live! He was fortunate to learn under Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri RK Srikantan for over a decade. Since 2002, he has been under the tutelage of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Sri TM Krishna and fortunate to be one of his senior most students.

In the world of Carnatic Music, the kritis of Muttusvami Dikshitar hold a special place in his heart. The intricate lyrics, the sweeping glides, the majestic chowka kala pramanam (slow tempo) – all of it moves him beyond words!!! He has performed over numerous concerts consisting of only Dikshitar’s kritis and have even recorded an exclusive album consisting of Rare Kritis of Dikshitar.

Ravi Kiran has been regularly performing at the prestigious December Music season in Chennai and festivals across India. He has extensively toured Asia and North America performing and conducting workshops.

Apart from a concert career, he also worked in radio for a while. He hosted two shows on Shruti - the 24 hour Carnatic Radio Station on Worldspace Satellite Radio where he expounded various aspects of Carnatic Music such as ragas, melakartas and also talk about the ancient musicians who have dotted the Carnatic landscape.

He strongly feels that a concert must be a passionate musical experience - if the artist on stage is charged with sheer love for what he/she is singing, the listeners would also be drawn into the experience. Innovation is great - but it must be a natural progression backed by ability and passion!!! If an artist doesn’t enjoy every moment of their music, then how do you expect the listeners to enjoy??

Enamored by the rich compositions of Muthuswami Dikshitar, I founded a trust dedicated to the popularization and propogation of Dikshitar’s kritis – called – Guruguhaamrta. Under this trust, I have so far organized several exclusive concerts of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s compositions. I have also conducted workshops of Dikshitar Kritis. Guruguhaamrta also organises a regular aradhana for Dikshitar at his Holy Samadhi at Ettayapuram (Tamilnadu).

Balu Raghuraman-Violin

A Fellow of Trinity College, London, Balu Raguraman is a talented Carnatic violinist who has performed extensively around the world, including appearing with musicians from Western classical, jazz and African music traditions. He is known as an innovative and adaptable musician who has worked with some of the greatest maestros of our time including the famous Dr. Balamurali Krishna, Dr. N Ramani, and Umayalpuram Shivaraman. He is also involved in The Bhavan’s special music series “Bhinna Abhinna”, a collaborative project featuring musicians from different genres and styles.

P Kirupakaran-Mridangam

P Kirupakaran hails from a family of musicians, learning vocal under his father Vallipuram Paramasamy. He began his Mridangam tutelage under Shri. M. Sithambaranathan and Shri. S. Mahendran at Anaamalai Isai Tamil Manrum, Nallur. He furthered his training under the esteemed Mridanga Maestro Guru Karaikudi R. Mani, developing such intricate and sympathetic techniques of playing Mridangam. He has participated in Ruphavahini, the Sri Lankan TV broadcasting channel, Norwegian TV, the BBC and Greater London Radio.