Tuning into the Veena

An interactive session with Sarasvati Veena Maestra, Dr.Jayanti Kumaresh, for young learners

Listening to the Veena is a conversation for curious young minds. Children and young musicians sit down with Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh and ask her anything about the instrument: how it sounds, where it comes from, how it is made, and why it still matters in Carnatic traditions as well as Indian music today.

This event is open to everyone. We are looking forward to seeing young musicians, under the age of 25 as well!

BIO

Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh is a renowned Saraswathi Veena maestra and a 13-time recipient of the “Award for Veena” from the Music Academy, Madras. She is a sixth-generation musician who began her musical journey at the age of three and has played the Veena for 53 years, with a concert career spanning 40 years. She is a disciple of Vidushi Padmavathy Ananthagopalan and Padma Bhushan Dr. S. Balachander, and she holds a doctorate from the University of Mysore for her research on the styles and playing techniques of the Veena.

As a Carnatic innovator, Dr Kumaresh has created a fresh dialogue between the old and the new, expanding the expressive range of the Veena and taking it beyond traditional venues to global audiences. She has performed at major festivals such as the San Francisco Jazz Festival, WOMAD, and BBC Proms, as well as at venues including the Sydney Opera House, Royal Albert Hall, and Théâtre de la Ville in Paris. She has also collaborated with Ustad Zakir Hussain, the Indian National Orchestra, the British Philharmonia, and the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, among others.

Her web series, Cup O’ Carnatic, has drawn more than 8.6 million views and has grown into a sold-out live show across India. Her online platform, the Jayanthi Kumaresh Academy for Veena, has attracted over 1,500 students from more than 15 countries. As a pioneering woman in Carnatic music, she has broken stereotypes and drawn a young, engaged audience to the art form.

Her honors include the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2022), the Kalaimamani, and the Sangeet Shikar Samman. She has also been designated for the Sangeetha Kalanidhi award for 2026 by the Music Academy, Chennai.

Date and time:
25 October 2026, Sunday
11:00 AM – 01:30 PM

Venue:
IME Museum,
JP Nagar 7th phase,
Bengaluru – 560078

Registration:
Click Here