Carnatic Choir to unite communities

The British Carnatic Choir, a unique concept based on classical Indian music, is aimed at uniting diverse communities through music, will be officially launched on Friday (June 12)…reports Asian Lite News

Chithra Ramakrishnan - British Carnatic Music -
Chithra Ramakrishnan – British Carnatic Music –

The concept is the brainchild of Dr Chithra Ramakrishnan, Artistic Director of Shruthi UK, a not-for-profit Midlands-based arts & culture organisation.

The launch event, which will take place in Birmingham, will be inaugurated by world renowned musician and scholar Chitravina N Ravikiran, hailed as the Mozart of Indian music. It will also feature a panel discussion.

Panellists will include:

-Dr Eliot Bates PhD, Lecturer in Ethnomusicology and Popular Music Studies, University of Birmingham. Dr Bates specialises in ethnography of digital audio production and has, since 2004, done extensive field research in recording studios in Turkey. He is also a performer and recording artist.

–  Jyotsna Srikanth has carved a career in Carnatic Music. The mother-of-two from London has lectured on comparative techniques between Indian and Western classical violin at

– The universities of Cambridge and Liverpool. In 2012, she organised the London International Arts Festival.

–  Ashanti Omkar is a journalist with a particular interest in Bollywood and Indian music. She has interviewed many high-profile artists and actors, actresses. Born in Sri Lanka, Ashanti grew up in Nigeria and Denmark before moving to England. She also runs her own social media consultancy.

–  Chitravina Ravikiran is an established artist in Indian classical music and is often referred to as the Mozart of Indian Music. He has been featured in the BBC Magazine, CNN, New York Times and on Radio National, Australia. He is also the creator of Melharmony, the award-winning concept.

–  Greg Beardsell is described a leading light in music education and performance. He is Artistic Director of the Irish Youth Choir and works worldwide as a conductor, singer, adjudicator, workshop leader and presenter. Greg is the host for the Choir of the Year competition and has also been a guest presenter on BBC Radio Three’s ‘The Choir’ and ‘Live in Concert’ programmes.

The British Carnatic Choir aims to identify and recognise people, particularly children and young adults, of all abilities to create a British Carnatic Community, one which reflects the multicultural mosaic of Great Britain.