AIM for Seva is excited to present Harmony in Svaras featuring Kiran + Nivi for our 2023 donor appreciation event three-city U.S. tour. This twin-sister and vocal-powerhouse duo will captivate and amaze with their exquisite tone, range and harmony.
Kiran + Nivi will be accompanied by renowned percussionist and keyboard artists for a most enjoyable and entertaining evening of song and celebration.
Singers/songwriters Kiran and Nivi have become a social media sensation, amassing 2M+ followers on TikTok and over 500k on Instagram. They have been featured on Good Morning America, BBC Radio, India Today, Canada TV, and the Today show, to name a few.
Also known as the Sai Sisters. they have collaborated with award-winning singer/songwriter Jason Derulo on his hit track “Love Not War.” Pride of the San Diego Fine Arts community, Kiran and Nivi were most recently nominated and promoted by the wonderful Freida Pinto from “Slumdog Millionaire” fame as AAPI Inspirators. Stars such as Alicia Keys, Shawn Mendes, Demi Lovato, Sia, Meghan Trainor, Lizzo, and Michael Bublé have publicly recognized their exceptional talent. Kiran and Nivi have also delivered a TEDx talk about imbibing Carnatic music into popular music.
Kiran and Nivi have been learning Sai bhajans from Sri. TV Hariharan (a prolific composer in Sai bhajans) since the age of 2. They have been studying Carnatic music with Sri. Kunnakudi Balamuralikrishna and “Sangeetha Seva Ratna” Dr. C. M. Venkatachalam since age 5. They have also learned layam from “Nada Oli” Shri. Melakkaveri Balaji and have had the privilege of being under the tutelage of “Sangeetha Shironmani” Smt. Gayathri Venkataraghavan for four years.
They have conducted numerous concerts in both the United States and India and have been invited to perform in Chennai since 2015 at prestigious sabhas. Their achievements further extend to being a finalist of Carnatic Music Idol USA in 2012, and in 2015, the duo won the Carnatic Premier League “Sangeeth Samraat.”
Their music has made a mark at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, where they have won in concert competition and advanced pallavi competition. In 2018, Sai Sisters won the “Best Young Artists” from Valayapatti Sabha.
True to their spiritual tutelage, they have invoked Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s spirit in their numerous Sai bhajan concerts and have commercially released a Sai bhajan album, composed by their bhajan guru, Sri. Hariharan Venkatraman, which is being sold worldwide.
Performing at Little Rock and Seattle events
Indian-American percussionist, composer, and educator Dr. Rohan Krishnamurthy is one of the leading voices of Indian classical and cross-genre music in the South Asian diaspora. Acclaimed a “musical ambassador” by The Times of India, he received mridangam training from the legendary maestro, Sri. Guruvayur Dorai, tabla with Pt. Swapan Chaudhuri at the Ali Akbar College of Music, and drum set with Alan Hall at the California Jazz Conservatory.
Distinguished as a soloist, composer, and collaborator, Rohan performed with legendary Indian classical musicians and Grammy Award-winning global artists. Rohan leads The Alaya Project, an Indo-jazz-funk collective featuring celebrated saxophonist Prasant Radhakrishnan and keyboardist Colin Hogan. The group’s recently released debut album has been praised by Jazziz Magazine, NPR, San Francisco Chronicle, and more.
Rohan holds a Ph.D. in musicology from the Eastman School of Music and directs the RohanRhythm Percussion Studio with students from across the globe. Rohan is the recipient of international awards and grants including commissions from the San Francisco Arts Commission, Zellerbach Foundation, and Goethe Institute (Germany). He has taught at renowned institutions, and his patented RohanRhythm drum tuning system is available worldwide.
Performing at Charlotte and San Diego events
Vinay Sharma, a highly accomplished musician, has devoted over 25 years to the enchanting art of playing tabla and other Indian percussion instruments. Hailing from Southern California, Vinay has carved a remarkable niche for himself in the world of music.
Under the tutelage of esteemed mentors, Rupesh Kotecha and the late Pandit Ravi Bellare, Vinay honed his skills and developed a deep understanding of the intricacies and nuances of tabla playing. His dedication and passion for the instrument became evident as he immersed himself in the rich traditions of Indian classical music.
Throughout his illustrious career, Vinay has had the privilege of entertaining a host of renowned stars, including the likes of Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas, Kunal Nayyar, Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, and many more. His exceptional talent and mesmerizing performances have captivated audiences and left a lasting impression on everyone he has had the pleasure of playing for.
While Vinay’s musical prowess is evident in his ability to entertain and impress, it is the profound spiritual connection experienced while playing tabla for bhajans and kirtans that truly sets him apart. Through the rhythmic beats and melodious tones, Vinay finds solace and a higher sense of purpose, creating an ethereal atmosphere that resonates with both the performers and the listeners.
As a master of his craft, Vinay continues to inspire and uplift others through his music. He has become a beacon of creativity and a symbol of dedication, showcasing the beauty and power of Indian percussion to audiences around the world. His contribution to the preservation and promotion of this ancient art form is immeasurable, and his journey serves as an inspiration to aspiring musicians and tabla enthusiasts everywhere.
Performing at Little Rock and San Diego events
Ashwin Seshadri began learning piano at the age of 12 and quickly developed an ear for music. He has learned classical piano and violin, and is an avid Indian classical music enthusiast. He teaches western classical music and Bollywood piano at his own school called Studio!
Ashwin is ABRSM certified in piano and theory. He has performed at arangetrams, weddings, cultural shows, and concerts, and serves as the lead keyboardist for several local bands. He has performed with many leading artists and music directors during U.S. stage shows.
In addition to being an IndianRaga fellow, Ashwin has several compositions released on YouTube/iTunes/Spotify. He released an instrumental CD called “Elements” with eight original compositions, and is now working on his second album production. He was most recently featured in episode 3 of Disney’s Ms. Marvel as the keyboardist for Brown Jovi.
Performing at Charlotte and Seattle events
Kamalakiran Vinjamuri started his musical journey by learning to play the violin from his grandfather, Sri. Parthasarathy Iyengar. He subsequently had training from Smt. Malladi Vijayalakshmi. His father, Sri. Subhash Vinjamuri, started teaching him the violin at the age of 7. He has been under the tutelage of Sangeethakalanidhi A. Kanyakumari since 2006.
Kamalakiran has won numerous awards from prestigious institutions including Sri. Mylapore Fine Arts, Sri. Parthasarathy Swami Sabha (2010, 2013), and Sri. Krishna Gana Sabha (2014), to name a few.
In the 2014 Spirit of Youth series and the 2016 and 2017 Music Seasons, Kamalakiran was selected as the best violinist in the prestigious Music Academy in Chennai.
As a soloist, Kamalakiran has performed across Asia, the U.S., and Europe. He has also accompanied several leading artists of both past and present generations, and collaborated with musicians of different genres.
Performing at Charlotte event
Sanjana Sri Bellapu began her piano studies at the age of 10 and currently studies with Dr. Jonathan Bass and Natalia Harlap. She has performed at various festivals such as the NC Bach Festival, ECU’s Next Generation Four Seasons Chamber Music Festival, and the NC Federation of Music Clubs Festival.
In May 2022, Sanjana was invited to perform at Muziekcentrum in Enschede, the Netherlands, for the 11th International Piano Competition for Young Musicians. In 2018, she received the Young Artists Award from the NC Bach Festival. She has performed in master classes of Alexander Korsantia, Michael Lewin, Dr. Kwan Yi, Maestro Radoslaw Sobczak, Ya-Fei Chuang, Dr. Keiko Sekino, and many more.
Sanjana also trained for 10 years in Indian Classical music and has performed at festivals including the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana and the Charlotte Purandara Dasa Aradhana.
Sanjana is a scholarship student at Boston Conservatory at Berklee College of Music where she is majoring in Piano Performance and minoring in Film Scoring and Creative Entrepreneurship.
Mills University Studies High School
708 E. Dixon Road, Little Rock
