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APOORVA KRISHNA

70th Annual BMI Student Composer Honorable Mention for original composition “Merging Parallels”

May 17th, 2022 at Tribeca 360, NYC

INTUITION

Apoorva Krishna’s maiden contemporary fusion album “INTUITION” features 8 original compositions combining Indian classical influences and microtones with western harmonies and various genres from over the world including Latin jazz, Flamenco, Western Classical, Waltz, Bluegrass, and Jazz fusion.

BIO

ARTIST BIO

Apoorva Krishna is an accomplished South Indian Classical violinist, specializing in the Carnatic tradition, and has been trained under the esteemed Lalgudi Srimathi and Anuradha Sridhar. Her musical journey spans over 15 years, and her dedication to blending the intricacies of Indian classical music with diverse influences has set her apart.

In 2017, Apoorva became the first Indian artist to receive the prestigious Young Artist Grant from the London Tarisio Trust. Her Master’s in Contemporary Performance and Post Master’s Fellowship at Berklee College of Music deepened her understanding of various genres, inspiring her to fuse traditional Indian Classical music with Western harmonies and other global styles. This journey culminated in her debut album Intuition, truly in the direction of world music, celebrating both the exclusivity of Indian classical music and the inclusivity of global influences. Intuition features the renowned vocalist Shankar Mahadevan on the track Ragamaya.

Apoorva’s composition Merging Parallels received Honorable Mention recognition at the 70th Annual BMI Student Composer Awards in 2022. She was also featured on the Grammy-nominated album Shuruaat by the Berklee Indian Ensemble.

In 2019, Apoorva performed the Shakti masterpiece Lotus Feet with the legends themselves—John McLaughlin and Ustad Zakir Hussain—at Harvard Business School’s Klarman Hall.

Apoorva has had the honor of performing with legendary artists such as John McLaughlin, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Shankar Mahadevan, Bombay Jayashri, Aruna Sairam, Vijay Prakash. Apoorva has graced prestigious stages across the world, including Mumbai's Neeta Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, London Darbar Festival, Poland Jazz Jantar Festival, Berlin Tagore Centre, Bogotá Jazz al Parque Festival, Madras Music Academy, Mumbai's National Centre for the Performing Arts Mumbai, India Habitat Centre New Delhi, and Sony Auditorium Madrid to name a few.

Apoorva’s work has garnered attention from notable publications, including Rolling Stone India, The Strad, The Hindu, Business Standard, Deccan Herald, New Music USA, Rock Street Journal, The New Indian Express, and The Times of India.

Apoorva received the All India Radio A Grade, Kalavanta Award from the Karnataka Fine Arts Council, the Naadbhed Sheik Chinna Moulana Yuva Puraskar, the Madras Music Academy’s Best Accompanying Violinist Award, and the Dr. M.S. Subbulakshmi Fellowship in Music Award from Shanmukananda Fine Arts in Mumbai.

Apoorva's new album Only Love is Real will be released soon and features incredible artists like Varijashree Venugopal, Vijay Prakash, and Michael League. The album reflects Apoorva’s deep emotional connection to music, drawing on her experiences and passion for blending the purity of her roots with creating sounds that resonate with the heart.

Music

MUSIC

Tu Hi Re with Hariharan Ji & Shankar Mahadevan Ji

Apoorva Thillanas Album

Gulon Mein Rang Bhare with Hariharan Ji

Intuition Album

Collaborations

CARNATIC SOLO RECITALS

MUSIC VIDEOS

Lotus Feet

Words can’t express what feelings and emotions went through me during this experience. It was a dream come true to have had the fortune of being called on stage by the legends themselves- John McLaughlin Ji and Ustad Zakir Hussain to perform the Shakti masterpiece ‘Lotus Feet’.

I would never have imagined it possible! What touched my heart the most was their simplicity, humility, unconditional love, and everlasting friendship.

It was truly a surreal and priceless memory that I will indeed cherish forever.

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En la Corte de Luis

Had the pleasure of collaborating with my dear teacher and friend Polo Orti on his composition En La Corte de Luis XIV, at Berklee Valencia. He inspires me endlessly to play freely and honestly from my heart in whatever musical environment I end up being a part of.

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Rāgamaya

An original composition propagating Indian Carnatic Classical Music with a contemporary touch of arranging through the Grahabedam concept. This single features vocalist Sri. Shankar Mahadevan and comprises of 4 Raga sections starting off with Section 1 in the scale of E comprising of

E F# G# A B C D# (Sarasangi - S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N3) which will also be the only notes used in the melody.

The speciality is that throughout the piece, the tonic note of Scale 1 is shifted in every section to another note in Scale 1 itself, thereby arriving at different Indian scales (2- F#,4-A,5-B).

Scale 1 - Do Re Mi Fa So Le Ti Do-Do Ti Le So Fa Mi Re Do S R2 G3 M1 P D1 N3 S - S N3 D1 P M1 G3 R2 S.

Scale 2 - Do of Scale 2 becomes Re of Scale 1 OR S of Sriranjani becomes R of Sarasangi Re Mi Fa So Ti Do Re - Re Do Ti So Fa Mi Re or S R2 G2 M1 D2 N2 S - S N2 D2 M1 G2 R2 S.

Scale 3 - Do of Scale 3 becomes Fa of Scale 1 OR S of Madhuvanti becomes M of Sarasangi Fa Le Ti Do Mi Fa -Fa Mi Re Do To Le So Fa S G2 M2 P N3 S - S N3 D2 P M2 G2 R2 S.

Scale 4 - Do of Scale 4 becomes So of Scale 1 OR S of Bindumalini becomes P of Sarasangi So Ti Le Ti Do Re Fa So-SoFa SoMi Re Ti Do Re Ti Le So S G3 R1 G3 M1 P N2 S - S N2 S D2 P G3 M1 P G3 R1 S.

After every section, it comes back to the previous sections cumulatively adding the previous section's finale phrase to arrive at section 1 (21,321,4321).

Ragamaya was awarded the Third Prize at The Rising Stars Grand Prix International Music Competition 2019, Berlin.

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Transcend

Through the swaying melodies and delicate microtones of the Carnatic violin along with the rich flavour and genre of Latin-Jazz, Transcend brings about a unique collaboration combining two opposite sides of the world. This single features four-time Grammy nominee and creator of Puerto Rican Jazz, William Cepeda.

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Bahudari

This original composition in the Raga Bahudari was selected by Tarisio London and won the Young Artist Grant 2017.

On the percussion and konakkol : Vinod Shyam and Sunaad Anoor.

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Timeless - Live at Berklee Valencia

This was my first original composition at Berklee in the Raga Vagadishwari (Mixolydian #2). It blends Indian Carnatic melodic and rhythmic concepts with Arabic and Rock influences of music.

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Merging Parallels

During my Post-Masters Fellowship at Berklee College of Music in 2019, I was blessed to perform with John McLaughlin Ji and Ustad Zakir Hussain at the Harvard Business School. I am eternally grateful for John Ji's guidance and mentorship, towards inspiring me to experiment beyond my comfort zone, by fusing my roots in traditional Indian Classical music with Contemporary Western music. I went on to explore composing something new - a Carnatic Thillana over chord changes, through the concept of "Adhara Shruti Bedha Ragamalika", meaning simultaneous tonic and raga/scale shifts. "Merging Parallels" incorporates 18 tonic shifting ragas in Khanda Chapu Thala (5/4 time signature) with mathematical 'Jathi Prayogas' and Sanskrit lyrics in Saramathi Raga. Special thanks to John McLaughlin Ji.

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Blossom

This heartfelt original composition blossoms into new soundscapes through sheer openness and authenticity between a pair of string instruments and blends Indian Carnatic influences with Western harmony incorporating jazz and classical styles.

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Valencia

Valencia blends flamenco, rock, and Indian classical influences of music.

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Inner Voice

Inner Voice is very special to my heart because it was the first song I composed using the piano for the very first time in my life, trying out several voicings and by truly reflecting my feelings of nervousness and excitement at the same time in this wonderful exploration process. This piece has waltz and contemporary influences, blending with my core native original style of Indian classical microtones.

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Tinky Winky

I was inspired to compose Tinky Winky during my time at Berklee where I learned to appreciate and love Jazz music while playing with some of the masters of the craft. This upbeat track although very much Carnatic has a heavy blend of jazz influences that gives it a unique sensibility.

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Video

Press