Enjoy an afternoon of Indian Classical-Carnatic music performed by vocalist Anjana Nagaraja with live violin and mridangam accompaniment.

Indian classical music can be broadly divided into Hindustani and Carnatic music. While the Hindustani system is associated with north India, Carnatic or Karnataka classical music is popular in southern parts.

Carnatic music is one of the oldest systems of music. Sri Purandara Dasaru is considered as the Father of Carnatic Music. He formulated the system for teaching. Other great composers like Saint Tyagaraja, Sri Muttuswy Dixitar, Sri Shyama Shastry (trinity of Carnatic music) and many more have contributed towards this system with their structured compositions in different Ragas (melodic scales) which are handed down through generations of disciples. The main elements of these compositions are devotion and philosophy, but there is a lot of scope for improvisation that differs from musician to musician.

Atlanta-based Anjana Nagaraja is originally from Mysore, Karnataka in India. She is a disciple of Smt. Dr. Sukanya Prabhakar, a leading vocal artist in Karnataka and Vidwan Ganesh Rajagopalan, Carnatic violin maestro. She also has trained in light music under Smt. G. Pushpalatha. She has completed Vidhwat exams (Proficiency in Music) during 2011 and 2012 and has pursued a Master of Arts in South Indian classical Music from Karnataka State Open University, Mysore, and is a graded artist in All India Radio (Akashavani) since 2012.

Anjana Nagaraja has performed in several prestigious organizations, such as Sri Thyagaraja Sangeetha Sabha, Ganabharathi, Sri Nadbrahma Sangeetha Sabha, Ramasevamandali Charitable Trust, Sri Chandramouleshwara Temple Trust (all in Mysore), Gayana Samaja, Narasimhachar Music Foundation (in Bangalore), The Kingsort Office of Cultural Arts (TN), Khayaal, Georgia Tech University (GA), Mirani Foundation, Knoxville (TN), Namadhwar, Cumming (GA), Yugal Kunj, Duluth (GA), and Indian Music Ensemble, Auburn University (AL). Anjana also holds a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from the University of Mysore, Karnataka, India.