Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh is one of the foremost Veena artistes of India. Jayanthi comes from a lineage of musicians who have been practising Carnatic music for six generations and started playing the Saraswati Veena at the age of 3. Smt. Lalgudi Rajalakshmi, her mother, was her first teacher and she later underwent intense training from her maternal aunt, Smt. Padmavathy Ananthagopalan. She is also blessed with a rare opportunity to learn Veena from the Veena Maestro, Sundaram Balachander and perform with him as well. She is married to Vid. Kumaresh Rajagopalan, the younger of the famous Ganesh Kumaresh Violinist duo. She is the niece of legendary Violinist Sri. Lalgudi Jayaraman. Dr. Jayanthi has performed at several prestigious festivals in India such as Sawai Gandharv Mahotsav, Gana Saraswati Samaroh, Gwalior Music Festival. She has also performed in international festivals such as San Francisco Jazz Festival, Darbar festival, Queensland Music Festival, Darwin Music Festival, Adelaide Music Festival and at prestigious venues such as U.N., New York, Palladium, Indiana, Theatre de la Ville, Paris, Northwest folklife festival, Seattle. A collaborator, she has performed with legends such as Tabla Maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain, Violin Maestro Shri. R. Kumaresh, Hindustani Flautist Ronu Majumdar, Hindustani Violinist Kala Ramnath, Carnatic Musicians Aruna Sairam, Bombay Jayashree, Sudha Ragunathan, and the like. A researcher, she holds a Doctorate for her work on “styles and playing techniques of the Saraswati veena” and conducts workshops and lecture demonstrations around the world. She founded the Indian National Orchestra, where a group of artists from Carnatic and Hindustani genres representing the rich musical and cultural heritage of India come together under one banner to showcase Indian classical music. She composed and released the album which is a multi-dimensional reflection of the simple yet complex self - through a single instrument, the Saraswathi Veena. The artist has played 7 different Veena tracks and this album is one of its kind.
Awards
1990, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 : "Award for Veena" - The Music Academy, Chennai - Madras Music Academy 2019: Bhavan's Sangeet Shikhar Samman - Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi 2018: Indira Sivasailam Endowment Medal 2018: Vishwa Kala Ratna from Milapfest, London 2016: Mudhra Vainika Award 2016: Kala Ratna from Kala Sangam, Mumbai 2015: Hamsadhwani Award 2014: Asthana Vidwan at Sringeri Sharadha Peetham 2013: Sangeetha Choodamani - Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai 2013: Gana Varidhi - MA Narasimhachar Music Foundation 2011: XL award for the outstanding Instrumentalist of the year 2010: Veena Nada Mani - Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham 2007: Sathyashri – Bangalore 2006: Mahaswami Puraskar 2006: State award of Kalaimamani from Tamil Nadu Government 2004: Maharajapuram Santhanam Memorial Award 2003: A-TOP grading, from the All India Radio 2000: Fellowship from Department of culture for ‘Ragam Tanam Pallavi’ rendering on Veena 1999: Kalki Memorial award 1997: Veena Dhanammal Memorial award- Sriragam fine Arts, Chennai
