Artists:

One of Carnatic music’s most celebrated violinists, Avasarala Kanyakumari is a trailblazer with over six decades of artistry. A native of Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh, she trained under three legendary gurus: Vidwan Ivaturi Vijayeswara Rao of the Dwaram school, Sangita Kalanidhi M. Chandrasekaran, and Sangita Kalanidhi Dr. M.L. Vasanthakumari, with whom she served as resident accompanist from 1972 to 1991. Renowned for her gayaki style of bowing, she became the first woman violinist to receive the Sangita Kalanidhi award from the Madras Music Academy (2016). She was also conferred the Padma Shri (2015) and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2003). A prolific composer, she is the first female musician to create new ragas, including the Saptadri series dedicated to the seven hills of Tirumala. She has performed at the Berlin Jazz Festival, the Kennedy Center, and premier stages across the world, and has trained over 150 students across the globe.