The Artists of Shades of Love

VASUDHA is a Carnatic classical vocalist from Bangalore, India. She was born into a traditional family of artists, her father Sri. K. SUBRAMANYA . Her mother, Smt. SUMA SHASTRY is well-versed in handy crafts and music. Vasudha started learning Carnatic classical music at a very young age under the guidance of Vidwan Sri.BALAKRISHNAPPA and continued under Smt. SHAKUNTALA SRINIVAS and Vidwan TIRUMALE SRINIVAS. She is now pursuing her career under Vidushi Smt. NEELA RAMGOPAL of Bangalore. She is a” B’HIGH” graded artist in ALL INDIA RADIO Bangalore and performs regularly on Radio and Television. She also accompanies Bharathanatyam dancers. She has been given concerts at many prestigious stages and Music& Dance festivals in Bangalore, Mysore, Chennai, Delhi, Bombay, Calcutta, Kerala, Tirupati TTD, Jodhpur, Konark, Goa, Ragamala Music Festival Chicago, Ruthin Music Festival UK, Edinburgh music festival UK etc.

She has extensively toured England, the USA, South America, South Africa, South Africa, South Korea, and other European countries. Vasudha worked with Western Fusion Bands during her tour and was given music workshops and classes. Her teaching techniques to Welsh CHOIR Singers at “RUTHIN INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL OF WALES” UK 2003 was highly acclaimed. She has also accompanied many Bharatanatyam and Kathak Jugalbhandhi concerts in England, the USA, South Africa, South America, Singapore, and Europe. Many Cd’s and Albums to her credit, name a few 'DEVA GAANA SUDHA'(Released in Birmingham, UK in 2002), 'DEVINE,' 'DEVOTIONALS' & ’THALYADA HANUMA’. Many dance ballets and Bharathanatyam and Kuchpudi dance Albums also etc.

She is faculty of music at ‘UNIVERSITY OF BANGALORE’ department of Dance, Drama & Music. Vasudha, along with her husband S.V.BALAKRISHNA Mridangam artist, runs a school of arts, 'SRIVANI CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS' in Bangalore. SCPA conducts Music & Dance Festival annually in the name of ‘Vaibhavam.’

Guru Vidyalatha is a renowned Bharanatyam exponent, who is the founder and director of vidya dance academy and Smaran Performing Arts. She started learning Bharatanatyam at a tender age of 6 from her Guru Smt.Manjula Paramesh and completed her Vidwat. She continued her training under renowned Guru Late Smt.Narmada. Vidya has also studied techniques in choreographing Indian Folk dances, Contemporary art form, basics of Kathak and Odissi art forms to enhance her choreography techniques.  As a Bharatnatyam soloist, she has performed all over India and has also represented India in many other countries through ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations). She is a Doordarshan top A' grade artiste and an empanelled artiste in Kendriya Sadan, Bangalore. She is very well known  for her choreographic skills and presentation.  She is a recipient of numerous awards throughout her dance career and here are a few mentions. 

Prestigious Aryabhata Award, Karnataka Rathnashree, Kuvempu Kalanikethan , Padmashri Kalaratna, Kala Kusuma - Bangalore City Corporation, Honored by title "Natya Poshaki". Awarded by the title "Nruthya Kala Choodamani" by Sanatana Dharma Kendra, California. 

She is also the founder of Smaran Performing Arts, through which she conducts the Smaran Dance Festival which provides an opportunity for young talented classical dancers in the Bay Area. Smaran has raised funds for many non-profit organizations like Aram Sei, Prajwala, KKNC, Oakland children's hospital and Sanatana Dharma Kendra.

S. V. Balakrishna is a professional Mridangam (Indian Drums) and Morsing (Jaws Harp) artist from Bangalore. He belongs to a musical family - his father, Vidwan (Late) Sri S. V. Venkateshaiah (founder of Sri Vani Institute of Music ®) was a Veena and Harmonium artiste and his mother Vidushi (Late) Smt. S. V. Kamalamma, a Veena artiste. Gurus S. V. Balakrishna is the disciple of Guru ‘Karnataka Kalashri’ Vidwan Sri M. Vasudeva Rao, Bangalore and ‘Kalaimamani’ Vidwan Sri Mannargudi A. Eshwaran, Chennai (Asthana Vidwan of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham). He has also learnt vocal from his mother Vidushi Smt. Kamalamma, Vidwan Sri N. S. Raman, ‘Karnataka Kalashri’ Vidushi Smt. Ranganayaki Rajan and ‘Sangeetha Kalanidhi’ Vidwan Sri S. Shankar, Bangalore. Artistic Accomplishments S. V. Balakrishna is an accomplished and sought after musician and performs regularly in Radio and National Television. His rhythmical and musical compositions are highly appreciated by music lovers and art critics all over the world. He has composed and conducted music for many CDs, Fusion bands and Dance Ballets. He has performed at many prestigious venues and major festival and travels extensively across India, UK, USA, Canada, South Africa an other European countries. He is a part of Percussion ensembles and Western Fusion Music groups and travels often to support Chitralekha Dance Academy, England, for their dance projects and rhythm workshops.

Some of his noteworthy accomplishments include: 

* First Rank - 1997 - Proficiency examination in Mridangam conducted by Karnataka  Government Secondary Education Board. 

* ‘A’ Graded Artiste in Mridangam - All India Radio (National Radio Network of India) * ‘A Top’ Graded Artiste in Morsing - All India Radio (National Radio Network of India) * Unique Percussionist Award - 1999 

* Ananya Yuva Puraskara Award - 2004 

* Morsing Vaadana Chatura Award - 2011 

* Lalitha Kala Suma Award - 2018 

* Proficient in playing other instruments such as Morsing (Jaws Harp), Ghatam (Earthen  Pot), Khanjira (One-faced hand drum) and Konnakolu (Vocalisation of Mridangam  syllables). 

S. V. Balakrishna is bestowed with a sound knowledge of Indian Classical Music. He adheres to the purity of the classical form. He is critically  acclaimed of his meticulous control of the instrument, discipline and concentration while executing complex rhythmic calculations. His keen sense  of rhythm generates a sense of complete involvement in all his performances. 

He is a sought after accompanying percussionist to some legendary and well-known musicians, a few of them being - Late Nedanuri Krishnamurthy,  Late Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Neela Ramgopal, S. Shankar, T. V. Gopalakrishna, Rajkumar Bharathi, Maharajapuram Ramachandra, T. M. Krishna, M. S. Sheela, Sudha Raghunathan, Nithyashree Mahadevan, Dr. N. Ramani, Mysore Nagaraj, Dr. Manjunath, Dr. L. Subramanyam, Late Mandolin U.  Srinivas and Saxophone Kadri Gopalnath. 

S. V. Balakrishna along with his wife Vidushi Smt. Vasudha Balakrishna, a Carnatic classical singer, are founders of ‘Srivani Centre for Performing  Arts® (SCPA)’ and Balakrishna is a faculty member for Mridangam in the prestigious ‘Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha - School of Performing Arts®,  in Bengaluru, India since 20024. Srivani Centre for Performing Arts® (SCPA) organizes an annual music festival ‘Vaibhavam’ which is a prestigious platform with a goal of sharing  knowledge and bringing quality music to the connoisseurs and art lovers of Bangalore. He is a director of Laya Vaibhavam (Percussion Ensemble) & Srivani Music Ensemble.

Shashank Jodidar is a senior disciple of Karnataka Kalaashree Vid. Sri Venugopal Hemmige, and the son of Sri. Ravi Jodidar and Vidushi. Veena Vani G S, a Bharatanatyam artiste. Shashank has been learning the art for the past 13 years and has performed at prestigious international stages across the globe.

He has pushed boundaries to present Jugalbandhi concerts with eminent Hindustani and Carnatic artistes.

Shashank has had the great privilege of sharing the stage with many internationally acclaimed artists and has had the wonderful opportunity of working under the able direction of Vid. Anoor Anantha Krishna Sharma, SV Balakrishna, Vid. Praveen D Rao, Dr. Mysore Manjunath, Sri.Sandeep Chowta, Pt. Praveen Godkhindi and Vidu. Varijashree Venugopal to name a few.

Along with performing solo concerts, he has been a regular practicing accompanist to senior Bharatanatyam artists.

D. ARUN KUMAR disciple of Mridanga Vidwan Sri NANDYALA RAMAMURTHY

An eminent and qualified professional is a percussionist performing all over India and abroad.

His artistic journey at a very young age and he ascended great heights with the guidance and nurturing of great teachers and Gurus. Initiated into the classical music world by his Guru Vidwan. Sri S. Nandyala Ramamurthy, at Sri Dharmala Ramamurthy Institute of Mridangam. Arun gave his first performance at the age of 10.

Has a caliber of playing percussion instruments like Mridangam, Tabla, and Rhythm Pad,  in their respective styles giving more popularity in various forms of music such as Carnatic classical, Bharatanatyam, Semi classical music. Has an professional experience over 27 years by accompanying many renowned artists.