Dr. Jyotsna Srikanth is a British-Indian violinist and composer recognized for her versatility across genres. Born into a musical family, she began her training in vocal music under her mother, Smt. Rathna Srikantiah, at the age of five, and later studied Carnatic violin with the renowned Sri R.R. Keshavamurthy, , the legendary seven stringed violinist.
Although deeply rooted in Carnatic music, Srikanth also trained in Western classical violin under V.S. Narasimhan, performing her first concert at the age of nine. Over the years, she has established herself as a performer and composer, adept at combining Indian music with contemporary styles. Her violin technique, noted for its blend of expression and technical skill, is the result of decades of experimentation.
She has given numerous Carnatic solo concerts, jugalbandhi performances, jazz fusion shows, apart from accompanying most of the stalwarts in Carnatic Music. Her violin playing has a nice blend of bhava [musical expression and emotion] & technique. She has been featured in all major festivals in India globally. Notably, she has received many awards & titles at National & International levels.
Furthermore, she is also an accomplished western classical violinist too. Jyotsna has played violin for nearly 2 commercial Indian films. She has composed music for TV series, dance ballets & albums.
She is a medical doctor, a post graduate in Pathology. However, she is now into music completely and is presently based in London. Her workshops on Indian/Western violin techniques & Indian/Western Music – comparisons have been well received.
Srikanth has a fusion band of her own which performs contemporary Indian music. In her release with Times Music called Fusion Dreams, she played violin in eight different styles.
Her album Call of Bangalore (Riverboat Records) is one of many solo albums, earning her acclaim as a major instrumentalist with vision and imagination. Srikanth’s projects include Nordic Raga, a Scandinavian-Carnatic collaboration; Raga Garage, a fusion of European classical and Carnatic sounds with Robert Atchison; and Carnatic Connection with the Bollywood Brass Band. She also performed with double bassist Daphna Sadeh, highlighting their jazz virtuosity through their respective musical heritages. Srikanth continues to compose and engage in large-scale musical projects aimed at uniting diverse communities through music.
Her work has led to invitations from prestigious orchestras, including the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra, to perform her concerto Raga Seasons, which depicts India’s six seasons through six movements and ragas. Srikanth has appeared at major music festivals and venues such as WOMAD, BBC Proms, and the Royal Albert Hall, and she is also a guest lecturer on World and Carnatic music.
Srikanth’s is the Artistic Director of Dhruv Arts and the London International Arts Festival. Separately, she has played the violin in nearly 400 Indian films.
In December 2023, she was awarded an MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) at Windsor Castle by King Charles of England for her contributions to music.
Jyotsna Srikanth’s Carnatic Nomad (Naxos World, 2024) is the culmination of a decade-long journey to introduce Carnatic music to Western audiences. During a six-month tour across 15 countries, Srikanth presented the intricate aesthetics and technical depth of South Indian classical music, using the Western violin as her instrument of choice. In this album, she collaborates with percussionists Manjunath B.C. on mridangam and Amrit N. on khanjira to present a series of carefully selected ragas. These pieces, rooted in the Melakarta system—a framework of 72 parent ragas—are performed with a mix of traditional and innovative elements, often featuring alapana (a non-rhythmic improvisation) and kalpana-swaras (free-flowing rhythmic improvisation).
The album opens with Vatapi, a composition in the Hamsadhwani raga by Muthuswami Dikshitar, followed by works from other great composers such as Swathi Thirunal, Sadashiva Brahmendra, and Saint Tyagaraja. Each piece is thoughtfully arranged to reflect the traditional structure of a Carnatic concert, with compositions often followed by improvisations that highlight the rhythmic cycles, such as adi tala and rupaka tala. The album’s progression leads to a climactic conclusion with Tiruppugal, set to the Shanmukhapriya raga and featuring the intricate mishra chapu tala. Throughout Carnatic Nomad, Srikanth not only preserves the rich traditions of Carnatic music but also breathes new life into them, making the album a testament to the enduring and evolving nature of this classical art form.
Discography:
Life (Earthnbeat, 2007)
Fusion Dreams (2008)
Insight (Fountain Music, 2008)
Alaiapayudhe (2010)
Carnatic Jazz (Swathi Sanskriti, 2011)
Chants for Children (Theme Musik, 2011)
Carnatic Lounge (Times Music, 2011)
Call of Bangalore (Riverboat, 2013)
Bangalore Dreams (United Sound Records, 2015)
Sri Tyagaraja Raga on Strings (PM Audios & Entertainments, 2023)
Carnatic Nomad (Naxos World, 2024)
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
Updated biography and discography.