Jayanthi Kumaresh’s Saraswati veena is an ancient instrument, named after the Hindu goddess of arts and learning. But her gently electrified version produces a strikingly guitaristic tone, igniting Carnatic classical melodies with sweeping bends.
She started playing aged three, and learned under her mother Lalgudi Rajalakshmi, before leaving home aged 13 to study with her aunt Padmavathy Ananthagopalan. She also received instruction from her great-uncle, violinist Lalgudi Jayaraman, and noted veena player S Balachander.
A few years later she became one of the youngest artists to receive an All India Radio ‘A’ grading, earned a doctorate in veena history, and founded the Indian National Orchestra, uniting musicians from India’s classical traditions in a large ensemble. On recent recordings she has experimented with recording seven layers of veena on top of each other, and continues to write for dance and film.
"The history of the Saraswati Veena runs parallel with the history of the Indian Music scene. It has been existent in different forms, sizes and shapes through many thousands of years. The current Saraswati Veena is a piece of art."
Darbar believes in the power of Indian classical music to stir, thrill, and inspire. Explore our YouTube channel, or subscribe to the Darbar Concert Hall to watch extended festival performances, talk and documentaries in pristine HD and UHD quality.
D Srinivas is a superbly talented veena exponent from Hyderabad. He studied in the family, making his debut aged nine...
read more
Rajhesh Vaidhya was born into a musical family in Tamil Nadu - his father KM Vaidyanathan played mridangam, and ghatam...
read more
20 year old Ramana Balachandhran is not your conventional college student. Though he is pursuing a Bachelor's degree...
read moreDownload our app and watch on the go
New exclusive releases every month
Watch anytime, anywhere
Keep up to date with the latest news, events, music and musings across our social channels
For hundreds more clips and shorts, vist our YT page here