2017 is being celebrated as the UK-India Year of Culture, and the festivities will see Bengaluru native Jyotsna Srikanth, a former medical doctor and violinist, taking part in them.
Student of the legendary violinist R.R. Keshavamurthy, Dr. Jyotsna received an invitation from Queen Elizabeth II of England and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to take part in the official start of the celebrations at Buckingham Palace, London, on February 27.
She will lead a 50-piece orchestra from her music organisation, Dhruv Arts, during the various cultural events over the next few months.
Dr. Jyotsna, 43, was introduced to the Queen as a violinist and composer who had bridged two cultures through her work with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.
“I had the honour of talking to her Majesty and Prince Philip at the special reception ahead of the cultural events. Her Majesty was told of my organisation Dhruv Arts and its associated entities working in London for cultural awareness,” said Dr. Jyotsna, who has been living in London for 13 years now.
“I saw that Carnatic music had no recognition in the U.K.. Most Europeans had heard about Hindustani music, but not Carnatic music. Thus was born Dhruv Arts,” says Dr. Jyotsna.
This has led to the formation of Dhruv Arts, an organisation which teaches Indian and Western classical music, in the U.K..
Dr. Jyotsna had presented ‘Indian Violin Concerto’ at Wembley Stadium during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit in 2015.
She is also the founder of the London International Arts Festival, which has an entire day dedicated to Carnatic music.
Dr. Jyotsna, who holds an MD in Pathology, gave up her practice after a decade to become a full-time violinist. She had started performing Carnatic music at the age of 9.
She went on to train in Western classical at the Bangalore School of Music, and got her grading from the Royal School of Music, London.
“I love trying out innovative fusions and collaborations. One requires courage to be experimental. My gurus R.R. Keshavamurthy and V.S. Narasimhan would insist that collaborative efforts can come about only thorough knowledge of both Western and Indian classical music. I am indebted to their guidance,” says Ms. Jyotsna.
