Dialogues 6: Prasant Radhakrishnan

Dialogues: A Conversation and Performance is a series of events in which we invite someone to discuss their creative process and present an aspect or aspects of their work. For the sixth edition we present Carnatic (South Indian classical) saxophonist Prasant Radhakrishnan.

Prasant Radhakrishnan is a versatile saxophonist steeped in both South Indian Classical (Carnatic) and jazz disciplines. The unique vocal texture of his sound on saxophone, noted for its expressive complexity and rhythmic ingenuity, reflects Prasant’s continued study of tradition, constant innovation, and vast concert experience over the past 23 years.

The foremost disciple of Carnatic saxophone pioneer, “Padmashri” Dr. Kadri Gopalnath, Prasant began developing his music over the course of nearly a decade of intensive musical training under his guru, much of which took place in the traditional gurukulam format of complete immersion. Waking at 5am each morning in his teacher’s home and practicing through the day under his guidance, Radhakrishnan was initiated into the world of Carnatic music in a format seldom available today. The rigor of this training, followed by the privilege of accompanying his teacher on stage in hundreds of concerts in subsequent years, fostered a deep understanding of Carnatic music. In his solo Carnatic endeavors during those years, he has had the privilege of performing with luminaries such as M.S. Anantharaman, Guruvayur Dorai, Mannargudi Easwaran, Srimushnam Raja Rao, Poovalur Srinivasan, V. Suresh, B. Rajashekar, as well as superstars of the younger generation such as B.U. Ganeshprasad, P. Satishkumar, Embar S. Kannan and Delhi P. Sunderrajan, among others. At age 17, Prasant released his first album, Swara Sudha (2000), featuring some of the most respected names in Carnatic music.

Back home, in parallel with his meteoric development as Carnatic artist, Radhakrishnan immersed himself in American jazz, playing in the all-star bands in high school and studying jazz at the University of Southern California. It was in this intense musical environment that Radhakrishnan first began to hear a new sound, one that naturally combines Carnatic and jazz music. After Prasant’s move to the Bay Area in 2005, he founded VidyA. VidyA has emerged with a soulful, penetrating sound that merges the virtuosity of jazz with the melodic and rhythmic nuance of Carnatic music. In VidyA’s music, Prasant’s multi-layered compositions infuse the classic jazz sounds of bass, drums, and saxophone with unusual melodic richness. Named among the top jazz acts by the San Francisco Chronicle, VidyA’s seamless hybridity forges new ground in the American jazz scene and serves as a liaison between the worlds of jazz and Indian classical music.

Prasant will be accompanied by Vinay Mallikaarjun on mridangam and Swetha Narasimhan on violin.

Vinay Mallikaarjun received his initial training in mridangam from Vidwan Srinath Bala, starting in 2009. For the last eight years, Vinay has been receiving advanced mridangam training from Vidwan Neyveli Narayanan. Vinay has accompanied several leading Carnatic artists, such as Sikkil Gurucharan, TS Sathyavathi, Kiranavali Vidyashankar, and others. Additionally, Vinay is also a concert-level Carnatic vocalist, as well as a proficient tabla and kanjira artist. Vinay recently completed his doctorate in education from the University of Pennsylvania.

Swetha Narasimhan is a senior student of Late Smt. Gowri Ramakrishnan, from whom she was privileged to learn for 16 years. Swetha started learning violin at the age of 6 and was taught by several violinists, including Shri. Purnachander Rao and Sangeetha Kalanidhi Smt. Lalgudi Vijayalakshmi, with whom she is currently continuing to learn. For nearly two decades, Swetha has enjoyed playing for Carnatic vocal, instrumental, Bharathanatyam, and Kuchipudi programs around the world, and has taken pride in encouraging upcoming young artists and her local musical community. She has also had the honor of working with several senior artists in the fields of music and dance. Outside of music, Swetha's background is in math education, and she works to support adult education and the growth and development of educators in Philadelphia.

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Please note, entrance is via the side door on Arizona Street.