Krithi Haresamudra
The Bay Area Kala Utsavam festival was held at the University of Silicon Andhra on February 22nd & 23rd, 2025. This year’s event celebrated the rich tradition of Indian Carnatic music, bringing together a vibrant community of performers and music lovers.
The first day featured spirited competitions with nearly 100 young participants in three disciplines: vocal, mridangam, and violin. Each performer had the opportunity to showcase their skill and dedication in a five-minute session before a panel of expert judges. These competitions provided a platform for emerging musicians to nurture their talent and receive constructive feedback on their musical presentations.
Day two of the festival was equally exciting, with a diverse mix of vocal, veena, and violin performances. The highlight of the concert series was a performance by Sindhu Natarajan, the recipient of this year’s Rajam Swaminathan Award, accompanied by Prahlad Saravanapriyan and Ajay Gopi. Additionally, the 2024 competition winners—Sathya Ganesan, Anish Anand, Varun Ramachandran, and Avanija Vangala—came together for a grand combined concert, marking the event’s finale.
The prize distribution ceremony on day two was graced by the presence of respected Bay Area gurus, musicians, and dignitaries from Alameda County, the City of Fremont, Alameda & FOG, Fremont Cultural Arts Council. These officials honored the competition winners with medals, blessing the young performers. The Bay Area Kala Utsavam festival, held in honor of Smt. Rajam Swaminathan, an ardent patron of Carnatic music was a phenomenal success. It provided a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together, celebrate talent, and deepen the appreciation for Carnatic music in the Bay Area.
Krithi Haresamudra (student at Shruthi Swara Laya Music School)
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