T.M.KrishnaResume

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TableofContents

ThePerson-AnOverview........................................................................................................................................3

TheBeginnings.........................................................................................................................................................4

ALifeinMusic...........................................................................................................................................................5

ImportantSocioMusicCollaborations....................................................................................................................6

WorkingwithMusicians..........................................................................................................................................7

AssessmentsinMusic...............................................................................................................................................8

Teaching...................................................................................................................................................................9

SharingThroughLectures.........................................................................................................................................9

ReachingOutinWorkshops...................................................................................................................................12

VoicesWithin-BusinessCreativityWorkshops(2007-2009).........................................................................12

Curator,Utsav(2013).....................................................................................................................................13

ArtisticDirector,ClassicalArtsSocietyofHouston(2008).............................................................................13

Publications............................................................................................................................................................13

ASouthernMusic:TheKarnatikStory(2013).................................................................................................13

VoicesWithin(2007)......................................................................................................................................13

ProfessorP.Sambamoorthy(1999)................................................................................................................13

WritingOnIssuesofConcern................................................................................................................................13

OnSociety,Culture,PoliticsandReligion.......................................................................................................14

OnMusic,itsPractice,Musicians,HistoryandFuture...................................................................................15

InitiativesBeyondtheStage...................................................................................................................................15

UrurOlcottKuppamVizha..............................................................................................................................15

Svanubhava.....................................................................................................................................................16

SumanasaFoundation....................................................................................................................................16

JnanarnavaTrust.............................................................................................................................................17

SangitaSampradayaPradarsiniEditorialBoard,TheMusicAcademy(2011–2014)....................................17

ONE.................................................................................................................................................................17

MargazhiRaagam...........................................................................................................................................17

Build-A-Rasika(1996–2000)..........................................................................................................................17

ContributionstoOtherOrganizations....................................................................................................................18

BoardMember,Kalakshetra(2012–2014)....................................................................................................18

Member,EditorialAdvisoryBoard-JindalJournalofPublicPolicy(2016-Present).....................................18

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Member,AdvisoryPanel,IndianWriter’sForum(2016-Present).................................................................18

Collaborator,CompMusicProject,IITMadras(2011-2016).........................................................................18

Board,MITHAS(2013–tothePresent)..........................................................................................................19

President,Sampradaya(2007–2014)............................................................................................................19

AVitalInitiative......................................................................................................................................................19

JaffnaCulturalRetrieval..................................................................................................................................19

ForaCause.............................................................................................................................................................20

SomePublicAppearances......................................................................................................................................21

InConclusion..........................................................................................................................................................22

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ThePerson-AnOverview

ThodurMadabusiKrishna,whodescribeshimself,quitesimply,as‘asinger’,isoneofthepre-eminentvocalistsinthe rigorous Carnatic tradition of India's classical music. His tutelage is in this form that originated in thesouthernpeninsulaofthesub-continentnearlyfivehundredyearsago.Histraininghasbeenunderthedistin-guished gurus, B. Seetharama Sarma and Semmangudi Srinivasier, placing him in thehighest reachesof thattime-honoredsystem.Hehas,atthesametime,cometooccupyamarkedlydistinctplace intheCarnaticuni-verseforthestunningindividualityofhisrenditionsdistinguishedforaninnerluminosityandapassionateinten-sitythatareallhisown.Krishnabelongstoatradition,butisnotownedbyit.Hisconcertstage,whetherinhishometownofChennaioranywhereelseintheworld,iswhollyclassicalbuthisconcertpracticeisuncompromis-inglyhisown.Hesingswithamusicalveracitythatgoesbackcenturiesbutfromamusicalimaginationthatun-foldsinthepresent.Itisfreeofthecoilsofmindlessadherenceand,equally,ofthetrapsofsoullessinnovation.Asoneofthemostwidelytravelledmusiciansofhisgeneration,KrishnahasreinforcedtheCarnaticmusicalleg-acyamongitscognoscentiandalsointroduceditsmajestytonewaudiencesacrosscontinents.

In the firm belief that an aestheticfoundation to society is vital not just culturally but civilizationally,he haslaunched an initiative called Svanubhava (self-wrought experience)to kindleaninterest among the young inmusic,danceandtheatre.This isaplatformthatdissolvesalldivisionsofclass,creedandcastewhich impedecultural interaction and creativity. It gives the young an ordinarily unavailable opportunitytohear, seeandabsorb‘live’culturalpresentationsfromthegreatestartistsofIndia.KrishnahasalsofoundedorganizationsfortherevitalizationofCarnaticmusicwithinsocialformations,groupsandindividualswhohaveanaturalbentfortheartisticbutlackcreativeaccesstoit.Hehashelpedthemviewtheirmusicalgoalsnotasadecorativeor-chidbutasanorganicexpressionoflife.Awareofthecriticalityofconservationinanarenaasfragileasclassicalmusic, he has also catalyzed and furthered efforts at documentation and archival preservation. The authorofregularlypublishedarticlesandpapersonmusicandaesthetics,hehaslecturedontheseandrelatedsubjectsinforumsforstudents,scholars,professionalsandbusinessmen.

Hisinterestsextendtopublicconcernsandissuesofcontemporaryimplication.Hehasbothwrittenaboutandparticipated in initiativesthathaveavitalsocialbearing. Indoingthishehasnot flinchedfromexpressinghisconsideredviewsthatoftenflyagainstthecurrentsoftraditionalbeliefsornewandpassingfashions.Thesein-cludeabelief,amountingtoapassion,intheneedtofreehisrareartfromthegrip-lockofsocialorganizationsfunctioning likecartels,admit into itspracticecommunitieswithgreat talentbut littleopportunity,giveequalandampleroomforwomenartistswhohavebeenunderthesubtleswayofmaledominationand,nottheleast,aplaceofequaldignityonandoffstagetothehugelyskilledinstrumentalaccompanistsofvocalists.

Hehas provided guidance toa movement for cultural retrieval in thewar-ravaged NorthernProvince of SriLanka.Hisfirstbook,titledVoicesWithin,co-authoredwithBombayJayashri,wasanillustratedworkonCarnat-icmusicians.Hismostrecentbook,ASouthernMusic,publishedbyHarperCollinsinDecember2013,isafirst-of-its-kindworkontheCarnatictradition.Inaforewordtoit,ProfessorDavidShulmanoftheHebrewUniversity,Jerusalemsays:

“Thisisapassionatebookwrittenbyapersoncapableofstrongfeeling–capable,thatis,oflove.Youcanhearthispersonalquality,alongwiththetremendousforceofpracticeandexperience,inthewayhewrites:‘Theragaexistsinatrainedlistener'smindevenbeforeitisheard.’‘Timeisnotonlyameasure;itisalivingentitythatde-finesandredefinesoursenseofourselvesasindividualsandasapeople…Themostbeautifulpartoftimeinmu-

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sicistheideaofcreatedtime.’‘Creativitythatisbornoutofpurelystructuralrulesthatareimposedonaragalackstheorganicqualityofcreativity.’Theauthoristhereforeinterested,ashetellsus,intheway‘rulesceasetobeconditions’.Heissometimesironic:‘Wethinkofbothapersonstandingonhisheadfortwenty-fourhoursandarenditionofragabhairavibyavidvanas“awesome”.’Hecanberefreshinglyirreverent:‘ThebiggestproblemwithmusicologistsisthattheystudyCarnaticmusicasascience.’Thoughheembodiesatraditiongiventovari-ouscompetingorthodoxies,heisopentoexperimentation.Thus,needlesstosay,passagesofhisbooksoundde-liberatelyprovocativeandwillcertainlygeneratecontroversy,asbefitsavitalartistictraditionthathasprovencapableofrepeatedlyrenewing,evenre-imagining,itselfoverthecourseofsixorsevengenerations.Thisbookistestimonytothatvitality.MyhopeisthatitwillreachreaderswholoveCarnaticmusicwithoutknowingmuchaboutit–withoutknowingwhytheyloveit–andthatitwillmovepeoplewhohaveneverheardaCarnatickrititodiscoverwhattheyhavemissed.Asfortheconnoisseurs,T.M.Krishnahasgiventhemacandidviewofhowatruemasteroftheartconceivesofwhathedoes,whathehears,whathehaslearnt,andwhathethinksisstilltocome.”

Krishna’sengagementwiththeartisticscenehashadtoconvergewithhisparallelreflectionsonthestateofhissociety. His concern over the status of women and ofmarginalized sectors of the Carnatic music world hasgrownintoalargerawarenessofthegreatdebilitationsinIndiansociety.Hehasthereforewrittenandspokenonwomen’srights,children’sneeds,teacher-responsibilities,andonissuesthatgotomakeasocietycivilorun-civil.Hehasthereforewrittenstronglyonthedangersofthementalityofwar,ofthedangersofnarrownation-alismandonhowanewspiritneedstoinformlife-rhythmsinthetensestateofJammu&Kashmir.Hehas,withtheinevitabilityofsuchthings,writtenonthecriticalityofimprovingHindu-Muslimtrust.Caste,thatoldtoxin,hascomeinforKrishna’sun-remittingattention,winninghimbrickbatsfromtheorthodoxandofcoursedeepappreciationfromthosewhobelievecastetobeanenervation.

MorespecifieddescriptionsofKrishna’slife-workfollowintheparagraphsbelow.

TheBeginnings

Hailingfromafamilyofmusicconnoisseurs,(ThodurMadabusi)Krishnawasbornon22January1976,intoprox-imitytosouthIndianclassicalmusic.HebeganhisformaltraininginvocalmusicfromB.SeetharamaSarmaattheageof6.KrishnaalsoreceivedspecializedgroomingunderChengalpetRanganathaninthecomplexformofCarnaticmusic,RagamTanamPallavi.HethenwentontoreceiveadvancedtrainingfromthedoyenofCarnaticmusic,SemmangudiSrinivasierformorethansevenyears.

He was, therefore, ‘customized’ for a predictably fulfilling, perhaps, self-fulfilling career in the well-groovedpracticeofCarnaticmusic.Krishna’slearningyearsatTheSchool-KFI,aninstitutionmanagedbytheJ.Krishna-murti trust, influencedhisperceptionsabouta lifedrivenbycompetingrivalries.HeearnedhisBachelors’de-greeineconomicsfromVivekanandaCollege,Madras.Butthroughhisyearsatschoolanduniversity,musicre-mainedcentraltohimandbeforeturningeighteen,helaunchedintohisimpactfulcareerasafull-timevocalist.

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ALifeinMusic

Overthetwenty-fiveyearsthatKrishnahasbeenanacclaimedsinger,hehascometobeknownforthereso-nanttimbreofhisvoiceandastrictadherencetoclassicism.Hismusicisvaluedforitscombinationofseemingopposites–meditatedmethodandunpremeditatedspontaneity.Intheirinnercore,verystillandintheirflowdynamic, his concerts are electrifying performances that leave his listeners deeplymoved. Krishna believes aconcertplatformismorethanaperformancespace:anevolvingarenaforthebalanced interplayofvocalandinstrumentalmusic,forstyleandcontent,textandtune.Andso,throughhisconcerts,hechallengescommonlyacceptedpresentationformats,andtheroleofaccompanists.

Krishna’s first concert was at the age of 12, at the Spirit of Youth series organized by TheMusic Academy,Madras.Sincethen,hehastravelledwidelyinIndiaandabroadandgivenover2000concertsallovertheworld,performing regularly inmajor internationalmusic festivals.Hehas also releasedover40albums.Hehasper-formedatprestigiousvenues including theKennedyCentre,Theatrede laVille,TheEsplanade,SydneyOperaHouse,NationalCentreforthePerformingArts,MumbaiandTheMusicAcademy,Madras.Hehasalsorenderedmusicat several specialoccasions, including thedeathanniversaryofMahatmaGandhiatGandhiSmrtiorga-nizedbytheGovernmentofIndia,andinmemoryofPrimeMinisterIndiraGandhiatherresidence.

Hisglobalconcertsinclude:

• NorthAmerica:IntheUSAandCanada,averaging20-30concertsoneachvisitduring1998,2002,2005,2008,2011and2014.Additionally,hehastravelledtotheUStotakepart in individualperformances,conferences,andproductions.

• Europe:Hasrenderedover20concertsacrossTheUnitedKingdom,France,TheNetherlands,Belgium,Switzerland,andAustria.

• MiddleEast:HassungatconcertsregularlyinMuscat,AbuDhabi,andDubaiinthelast10years.

• SoutheastAsia:HassungextensivelyinSingaporeandMalaysiaaspartofseveralmusicfestivalsinclud-ingthoseatTheEsplanadeandSingaporeIndianFineArtsSociety

• Australia:Hasgivenmorethan20concertsinAustraliaandNewZealandovertheyears.

• Sri Lanka: At tours of the Northern Provinces organized by the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka,KrishnapresentedconcertsinJaffna,Kilinochchi,andVavuniyain2011.Thiswasthefirstconcerttourinthecivilwar-ravagedregionafter30years,spurringaculturalretrievalofimmensevalueforthehighlyknowledgeable but music-deprived communities there. In that year and on two subsequent years,KrishnahasenabledIndianartistsofdistinctiontotraveltothoseLankanvenuesfor individualrecitalsandworkshops.Thishasamountedtoateaminitiativeofimmediateandlong-termimpact.

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ImportantSocioMusicalCollaborations

• TM Krishna's Poromboku Song - Poromboke is an old Tamil word for shared community resources like wa-ter bodies, seashore and grazing lands that are beneficial in a collective sense but are not part of anyone's private wealth. Today, it has acquired a pejorative connotation and is used to denote a kind of valueless-ness, or worthlessness, in a person or place. Chennai Poromboke Paadal is part of a campaign to reclaim the word and restore its worth. It was created in association with environmental activist Nityanand Jayaraman It's larger aim is to bring focus to the acres of land which are being encroached at the Ennore Creek, which is an important ecological area for the city's environmental sustenance. The land has become un-inhabitable and the people living in the surrounding areas are affected severely due to the pollution and the dumping of fly ash. Over time, this has hindered rainwater runoff and drainage, apart from polluting the environment. It has also substantially diminished the livelihood of the fisher folk and has created health hazards that are fa-tal. This song, apart from extending the art form's frontiers, also extends the artiste’s frontiers too. Contra-ry to common understanding that High art is exclusively concerned with the spiritual, and sung in the franca lingua of upper-class/caste this song demonstrates that this classical art form can handle complex contem-porary issues in the language of the common man. When the song ends with the question, ‘Who or what is poromboke?’, it resounds in the listeners’ mind as well. This song has inspired people who are plugged into the contemporary world. The boundaries of art are limitless. When art is sought to be bounded, everyone – art, artiste, and audience – suffers. This attempt effectively begins to break such confines.

• TM Krishna and The Jogappas - The Jogappas are a transgender community living around the border areas

that are shared by Karnataka-Maharashtra and Telengana that carry forward a singing tradition that is in-tense in devotion. They are a musical community who sing the praise of Yellamma but like all 'queer' com-munities the Jogappas are marginalised and stigmatised. The Jogappas predominantly sing compositions in Marathi and Kannada. Steeped in ritualistic fervour, they are strong voices with an hypnotic rhythm. By pre-senting karnatik music along side them, T.M. Krishna has begun a rare conversation between people who are far removed and art forms that belong to the two spectral ends of society. Through this musical partner-ship, Krishna has managed to question social norms, inequality and the inherent discomfort we all feel when in-teracting with the third gender. Musically, Krishna has worked honestly to maintain the aesthetic integrity of both art forms, acutely conscious of the inequality in perception that exists about both forms. This project has seamlessly brought together two unlikely partners in the most thoughtful and sensitive manner. Like always, T.M. Krishna raises many uncomfortable questions through this aesthetic synergy.

• TM Krishna and writer Perumal Murugan - Perumal Murugan is one of the foremost authors of Tamil Liter-ature today. With the release of his book titled 'Madhorubagan', translated in English as 'One Part Woman', Permual Murugan was humiliated, threatened and harassed after local caste-based and religious Hindu groups objected to the fictional portrayal of traditions, thereby violating his freedom of speech and artistic expression. Following these events, Murugan went into a period of artistic silence and as he called it, "death". He wrote a collection of poems that vividly describe his struggle and hurt in these difficult times, appealing to the deity at Namakkal, Madhorubagan or Ardhanarishwara. TM Krishna was presented these po-ems by Murugan to sing in his concerts. Captivated by its lyrical and emotional appeal, Krishna began singing them in concerts with great poignancy. Subsequently, Murugan and Krishna forged a partnership that has strengthened over time. As a professor of Tamil literature, Murugan has made several contributions to re-search and the academic study of Tamil literature specific to the Kongunadu region, including building a lexicon of words, idioms and phrases special to Kongunadu. Krishna has worked with Murugan to create compositions that use local dialect and slang to create multiple language narratives through his music. The songs, secular in nature, break the convention of presenting songs on Hindu upper-caste deities. Apart from songs on the five elements of nature, they have together created songs on wind, love, barren land, and other such wide ranging topics which strike a chord with all beings that can feel. Apart from presenting songs on the concert platform that are new in content thereby breaking conventions and traditions, their partnership represents the true spirit of mutuality. This is an rare collaboration that is creating beautiful art that questions societal norms just by its own creativity.

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WorkingwithMusicians

In addition tohis solo concerts, Krishnahas collaboratedwith a numberof artists, includingother renownedCarnaticmusicians,aswellasartistsacrossgenresandartforms.

• PerformingwithTrans-gendermusicians,2016: Ina stunningbreakaway fromthenormT.M.Krishnahas performed a collaborative concert in Bengaluruwith the Jogappas, a transgender community be-longingtotheIndianstatesofKarnatakaandMaharashtra.InaconcertthatwitnessedtheequalsharingofstageandartbytheJogappasandKrishnaabeautifulconversationofmusicalstylesemerged.Krish-nahopestocontinuethismusicalconversationandinitiatenewoneswithothersectionsofsocietythatthe so-called ‘mainstream’ so stubbornly keeps confined to the so-called ‘margins’.

• Saayujya,2012-2016:Acomingtogetherofmusicanddance,SaayujyawasaproductioninwhichT.M.Krishna rendered Carnatic concerts associatively with classical dance renderings by eminent Bha-ratanatyamexponentPriyadarsiniGovind.ThesecomplementaryrenditionswerepresentedattheKen-nedyCentreinWashingtonD.C.andNewJerseyin2012.In2013,theywerepresentedinIndiaina3-city series at the renownedNational Centre for PerformingArts inMumbai, ChowdiahMemorialHallBangalore,andat thepre-eminentvenue for theclassicalarts,TheMusicAcademy,Madras. In2016,withagrantfromPewFoundation,Philadelphia,T.M.KrishnaandPriyadarshiniGovindcreatedandpre-sented a new productionwhich explored ‘freedom’ and ‘liberty’ both as aesthetic and socio-politicalideas.

• UstadRashidKhan,2012:Presentedtwoconcerts inthesimultaneousandsupportivesystemof jugal-bandi or ‘twosome’ concertswith the renownedHindustanimusicianUstadRashidKhan in Pune andBangaloreaspartofmajormusicfestivals.

• SangeethaSivakumar,2008-2016:GavenumerousconcertswithSangeethaSivakumarforthebenefitofdifferentcausesandorganizations.

• ‘Bombay’ Jayashri Ramnath, 2007-2011: In collaboration with the distinguished vocalist ‘Bombay’Jayashri,undertookanumberofconcertsinIndiaandaroundtheworld,thefirstonebeingheldattheofficialresidenceofthePresidentofIndia,RashtrapatiBhavan,NewDelhi,in2007.

• Aikya,2011:InaconcertwiththeeminentsingerSudhaRagunathan,presenteda‘musicaljourneyintotheconceptofduality’,exploringitspresenceatvariouslevels.

• Music in Theatre, 2010: Presented music for theatre productions of playwright and director GowriRamnarayan,includingRuralPhantasy,FlameoftheForest,andOneDayinAshadha.

• Samarasya-TheUnion,2010:PresentedbyTheMadrasSevaSadanonJuly11th,2010,SamarasyawasatheatricalpresentationofCarnaticmusicconceptualizedbyT.M.Krishna.Theproductionexploredtheconcept of two radically independent and absolute elements which yet must converge, acrosslight/dark,man/woman,Siva/Mohini,music/rhythm,andsoon.

• SemmozhiAnthem,2010:LenthisvoicealongwithothereminentartistsforthethemesongcomposedasafusionofvariousstylesbyA.R.RahmanfortheWorldClassicalTamilConference2010,intributetotheTamillanguage.

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• Samyukta,2009:RenderedCarnaticmusicinacreativecollaborationenvisionedbySeherwith‘Bombay’JayashriandBharatanatyamexponentsLeelaSamsonandPriyadarsiniGovindattheIndiaInternationalCentre,NewDelhi.

• YouthOrchestra, Singapore, 2001: Supportedby a grant from theNationalArtsCouncil of Singapore,composedforandconductedtheyouthorchestraoftheSingaporeFineArtsSociety.

• N.VijaySiva,2009:Ontwospecialoccasions,collaboratedwiththedistinguishedvocalistVijaySivaandpresentedconcertsinChennaiandBombaythatconveyedtwodifferentstylesinCarnaticMusicasone,amalgamatingthebestfromboth.

• PabloCasalsFestival,Prades,France,2005:Witheminent instrumentalistsmusiciansChitravinaN.Ra-vikiranandPatriSatishKumar,gaveaperformanceofvocalmusiconAugust1st,2005inanoldchapelwhileaversatilewesternquartetcomprisingDavidGrimalontheviolin,GeorgesLambertontheflute,MichelLethiecontheclarinetandAndreMartinontheoboe,andthewell-knownCatalansingerFerranSavall,representingCatalanmusic.

AssessmentsinMusicKrishnahasbeenwrittenaboutextensivelybyartreviewersandmusiccriticsworldwideandhasbeenfeaturedinseveralpublications,bothforhismusicandforhismanyandgrowingcontributionsoff-stage.Hehasreceivednumerousawardsandtitlesfromvariousinstitutions.Someofthemarelistedhere:

• RamonMagsaysayAward-2016• TataLiteratureLive!BestFirstBook(Non-Fiction)Awardfor‘ASouthernMusic’–2014• IndiraSivasailamEndowmentAward–TheMusicAcademy,Madras&ISFoundation-2014• BestLectureDemonstrationAward–TheMusicAcademy,Madras-2009• BestOutstandingVocalist–TheMusicAcademy,Madras–2009• UstadBismillahKhanYuvaPuruskarAward–SangeetNatakAkademi,GovernmentofIndia-2006• YogamNagaswamyAward–TheMusicAcademy,Madras–2005• YoungAchieversAward-IndiaToday–2004• Honorific:ShanmukhaSangeethaShiromani–2004• Honorific:IsaiPeroli–KarthikFineArts–2002• KalkiKrishnamurthyMemorialAward–2001• Honorific:YuvaKalaBharati–BharatKalachar–1997• KVMahadevanAwardforExcellence–1997• TheSpiritofYouthAward–TheMusicAcademyMadras–1988

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TeachingOverthepast15years,teachinghasbeenatthecoreofKrishna’smusicalengagement.HehasdevotedtimetoimpartingknowledgeandpracticeinCarnaticmusic.StressingwithrigortheexactitudesofCarnaticmusic’stra-ditionalnorms,heencourageshis students,drawnfromvariouspartsof theworld, toexperience themusic’screativityasanartform.StudentsfromNorthAmericaandEuropecometospendmonths,atatime,learningfromhim, inaddition to thenumerous students fromacross India.Placing thehighest storeby fundamentalsKrishnaexpectsandreceivesfromhisstudentsasinceretrainingbypracticetoacquireandmaintaintheirskills.Today,manyofhisstudentsaresoloistsontheconcertplatform.

SharingThroughLectures

Krishnahasconducteddozensoflecture-demonstrations,inwhichhedelvesintospecificthemesthatholdhislisteners’attentioninthemannerthathisconcertsdo.Theintensestudyandanalysisthatgoesintohisprepara-tionforthelecturesallowshimtosystematicallyelaboratetopicsandcommunicatewiththematicfluencysub-jectsthatareinnatelycomplex.Athoughtfulandengagingcommunicator,Krishnahassharedhissharplyhonedideasonthemesspanningmusic,culture,aesthetics,society,conformismanddissent,classicismandoriginality,adherence and imagination, themany dimensions and dynamisms of art, leadership and innovation atmanypremierinstitutionsandconferences.Heisabletotranscendallbordersandreachesaudiencesofallagesandbackgrounds,irrespectiveoftheirfamiliaritywithIndianarts.BeginningthisAugust,asadjunctprofessorattheChennaiMathematicalInstitute(CMI)heiscuratingandconductingacourseonart,aestheticsandsociety.HehasalsobeenaninvitedspeakerinmanyliteraryfestivalsincludingTheJaipurLiteratureFestivalandTheHinduLitFest.Someofhisnotablespeakingengagementsinclude:

• TheSocialTextureofanArtiste-SaiMahindraLecture,HarvardUniversity-USA,2017

• AmIFree?-Prof.RamBapatMemorialLecture-Pune,2017

• TKRamachandranMemorialLecture-Kochi,2017

• AshokDaRanadeMemorialLecture-Mumbai,2016

• CultureandDemocracy,SchoolforDemocracy-Jaipur,2016

• ToAdmitorNotAdmit:CultureasaClub,CultureConnect&PolicySpeakSeries,IIM–Bangalore,2016

• KeynoteAddressonMusic,Science,&Society-MultidisciplinaryAnnualResearchConference,Universi-tyofKerala,Trivandrum-2015

• TheVoiceinMusic:TheManyChordsaSingerStrikes,TheHealth&HumanitiesDivisionofSt.John’sRe-searchInstitute,SJNAHS,Mangalore,2015

• AllfortheSong,&NonefortheMusic,6thDilipVeeraraghavanMemorialLecture,IIT–Madras,2015

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• EducatingforaCaringSociety,NationalConferenceonEduction,VidyaVanam–SchoolforUnderprivi-leged&TribalChildren,Anaikatti,2014

• Tilted Scales: Imbalances in the World of Carnatic Music,Madras Institute of Development Studies,Chennai,2014

• LivingwithaSouthernMusic,AzimPremjiUniversity,Bangalore,2014

• ClassicallyYours,RAZAFoundation,IndiaInternationalCentre,NewDelhi,2014

• AMovingLine:ThePersonalandthePublicinanArtist,LSRCollege,NewDelhi,2014

• ImbalancesintheWorldofCarnaticMusic,MadrasInstituteofDevelopmentalStudies,2014

• TheFutureofTradition,PanelDiscussionatArtChennai,2014

• LecturesatNinasam-aculturalorganizationdedicatedtothedisseminationofTheatreandCulture,He-ggodu,2014

• AestheticstoEmotion,PerspectivesfromCarnaticMusic,alecture-demonstrationpresentedwithalec-ture by ProfessorMichael R Trimble (Emeritus Professor of Behavioral Neurology University College,London,UK),Chennai-2013

• TIDESLeadershipConference,ConfederationofIndianIndustry(CII),Chennai,2013

• LectureonCarnaticMusic,IndianInstituteofTechnology,Madras,2012

• IndraniShridharanLecture,EthirajCollege,2012

• Svara,Gamaka,MotifandRagaIdentity,CompMusicConference,Istanbul,2012

• WhenParallelsMeet,NatyakalaConference,2012

• Innovation,TEDxSSN,SriSivasubramaniyaNadarCollegeofEngineering,Chennai2012

• CompMusicWorkshop,Delhi,2012

• Fear,PadmaSeshadriBalaBhavanGroupofSchools,2012

• Manthan,ForumforPublicDiscourse,Hyderabad,2012

• SriNathadiGuruguho,TheMusicAcademy,Madras,2011

• AppreciatingCarnaticMusic,SAARCArtistsEnclave,Pondicherry,2011

• CarnaticMusic,Montessori,Kalakshetra,Chennai2011

• TIDESLeadershipSummit,ConfederationofIndianIndustry(CII),Coimbatore,2011

• ConfederationofIndianIndustry,NationalConvention,2011

• ConfederationofIndianIndustry,YoungIndians,Erode,2011

• OneRagaTwoTraditions,HarvardUniversity,2011

• ConcertFormatsandPossibilities,HarvardUniversity,2011

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• SankaraStudentLeadershipSummit,2011

• CompositionandImprovisationinCarnaticmusic,BerkleeCollegeofMusic,2011

• HistoryandEvolutionofMelakartas,Vivrti,SanJose,2011

• RagamTanamPallavi,Vivrti,SanJose,2011

• CompositionalFormsandPatantharam,VivrtiSanJose,2011–alongwithSangeethaSivakumar

• Bhairavam,Sahana,Kannada,Gaurivelavali,&DhamavathiinthespecificcontextoftheDikshitarSam-pradaya with special reference to the Sangita Sampradaya Pradarsini, The Music Academy, Madras2010.AwardedBestLectureduringthe2010AnnualConference.

• TheEvolutionofRagas,MassachusettsInstituteofTechnology,2010

• TheHumanVoice,RamachandraMedicalCollege,2010

• ArtEducationConference,IndianFederationforArts,2010

• IssueswithNotationinOralTraditions,HarvardUniversity,2009

• TheatreandArtAppreciationCourse,Rangashankara,Bangalore,2008

• LectureonCarnaticMusic,IndianInstituteofManagement,Bangalore,2007

• Notationinthe‘SangitaSampradayaPradarsini’,HarvardUniversity,2007

• EntrepreneurshipinCarnaticMusic,TheIndusEntrepreneurs,2007

• Manodharmam&Kalpitam,MusicForum,Chennai,2006

• LectureonSangitaSampradayaPradarsini,Bangalore,2006

• RhythmicAccompaniment,AMusician'sPerspective,TheMusicAcademy,2006

• LakshyaandLakshanainCarnaticMusic,Chennai,2006

• AppreciationofCarnaticMusic-CII,TamilNaduStateCouncil,2004

• AppreciatingCarnaticMusic,iFlexSolutions,Chennai,2003

• WhattoLookforinaConcert,SVNMusicAcademy,Bangalore,2002

• MusicalinsightsintoCarnaticMusicwithBombayJayashriandVijaySiva,Coimbatore,2000

• Traditional-Classical-FolkArtsandTheirRelevancetoYouthToday,TheSchool,KFI,1995

Inadditiontoindividualtalks,KrishnahasalsoproducedtwoalbumsthataimtodemystifytheintricaciesofoneofthemostsophisticatedandaestheticartformsofIndiathatcanbetracedbacktothe15thcentury:

• Learning to Appreciate Carnatic Music, 1998 – a first such Carnatic music appreciation album, co-producedandpresentedbyT.M.Krishna

• Rasikatvam,2012–3-DVDvideothat introducestheviewertoconceptsfromthebasics,compositions,improvisationandmathematicsinCarnaticmusic.

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ReachingOutinWorkshopsKrishnahas ledanumberofworkshopsacross theworld.Heaims, in these, at givingparticipants an intenselearningexperience,inashortspanoftime,withnodistractions.

• AWalkThroughCarnaticMusic,ChennaiMathematicalInstitute,2012–3-dayseries

• WorkshoponMusicandEducation,VidyaVanam(aschoolfortribalchildren),Anaikkatti,2012

• CarnaticMusicWorkshop,CentreforLearning,Bangalore,2012

• AppreciatingCarnaticMusic,TheMusicAcademy,2011

• CarnaticMusicWorkshop,MITHAS&LearnQuest,Boston2011

• Structure,Preparation&PresentationofaConcert,PallavitaSanJose,2011–3-dayworkshop

• NantesSchoolofCarnaticMusic,2005-2010–severalofweek-longworkshops

VoicesWithin-BusinessCreativityWorkshops(2007-2009)The Business CreativityWorkshop is a business innovation/leadershipworkshop conceived, created and con-ductedbyKrishnawith‘Bombay’JayashrialongwithinnovationcoachR.SridharofIDEAS-RS.Theworkshopisdesignedforseniormanagers,professionalsandentrepreneursofleadingcompanies.FollowingthepublicationofthecoffeetablebookVoicesWithin in2007,‘Bombay’JayashriandKrishnacontinuedtheirtributetosevenCarnaticmusicmaestrostheywroteaboutbyextendingthelessonsfromtheirlivestocorporateprofessionals.Five qualities that set apart the yesteryear artists from many others in the field were related to business-challenges that seniorexecutives face regularlyandwerepresented inanewand innovativeway tohelpun-leashbusinesscreativity.TheworkshopwaspresentedonanumberofoccasionsatdifferentvenuesacrossIn-diaandabroad:

• Mumbai,June1st,2007

• RaneGroup,Chennai,November21st,2007

• TataGroup,June14th,2008

• ICICIBank,Lonavla,September17th,2008

• NittanyHealthServices,Chennai,January5th,2009

• Zurich,February2nd,2009

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Curator,Utsav(2013)Krishnacuratedandmoderatedatwo-dayseminarinWashingtonD.C.onthe21stand22ndofSeptember,2013alongwithPriyadarsiniGovind involving leadingmusicians,dancersandscholars.Theeventwasconductedby'Sivam'incollaborationwithTheKennedyCentre-WashingtonD.C.andTheMusicAcademy,Madras.

ArtisticDirector,ClassicalArtsSocietyofHouston(2008)KrishnawasinvitedtobetheArtisticDirectortohelpplanandmoderatetheannualTyagarajaAradhanafestivalconductedinHoustonin2008.Krishna’sideasforconcerts,discussions,andlecturerswereabreathoffreshairfromthetypicalfestivalformatandprovedtobeanengaging2-daysfortheyoungandseniorsalike.

PublicationsASouthernMusic:TheKarnatikStory(2013)ASouthernMusic,publishedbyHarperCollins India, isa first-of-its-kindworkontheCarnatictradition. Itdis-cussesthephilosophy,aesthetics,sociologyandhistoryofCarnaticmusicandanalysesitsevolution,dynamics,internalchallenges,andexternalconditioningsinawaythathasnotbeenattemptedbeforewithinthecoversofasinglevolume.ItreceivedtheTataLiteratureLive!FirstBookAwardin2014.ThebookwaslaunchedbyNobelLaureateAmartyaSenwhosaid,“ThisisoneofthebestbooksIhaveeverread.”

VoicesWithin(2007)T.M.Krishna co-authoredand co-published this one-of-a-kind coffee tablebookonCarnaticMusic in January2007,paying tributes to sevenCarnaticmusicmaestros. The first copyof thebookwas receivedby the thenPresidentofIndia,AbdulKalamatthePresident’sresidence,RashtrapatiBhavan,NewDelhi.

ThisbookwaslatertranslatedinTamilandpublishedbyAnandaVikatanPublicationsin2011.

ProfessorP.Sambamoorthy(1999)Acommemorativevolumecontainingbrieflifesketchandseveralunpublishedandsomespeechesdeliveredatvarious conferencesbroughtouton theoccasionof thebirth centenaryof P. Sambamoorthy, amusicologist,teacher,researcher.

WritingOnIssuesofConcernKrishnawriteson themes ranging frommusic to society, culture, politics, and religion.His articles havebeenpublishedacrossleadingpapers,magazinesandjournalsincludingTheHindu,TheTimesofIndia,IndianExpress,OutlookMagazine,Caravan,IndiaToday,Frontline,Open,Seminar,JournaloftheKrishnamurtiSchools,LonelyPlanet,TheMusicAcademyJournal.

“AsISeeIt”

From2014to2015,KrishnacontributedafortnightlycolumninTheHindu,India’sleadingEnglishlanguagedaily.Thiscolumnhasbeenavehicleforhisideasonsubjectsofvitalimporttocontemporarytimes,suchasHindu-Muslimunity,women’srights,poverty,politics,religion,andmore.

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“TheThinEdge”

FromDecember2015hehasbeencontributingafortnightlycolumnforScroll(OneofIndia’smostwidelyreaddigitaldailies.)Alistofsomeofhiswritings

OnSociety,Culture,PoliticsandReligion• GauriLankesh’skillersjustdidthejoboursocietyhaddesignedforthem-9Sep2017,Scroll• ResponsetoGorakhpurdeathsshowswearelosingthelastbitofhumanity-21Aug2017,Scroll• TheCitizenasArtiste-15August2017,IndianExpress• Indiaat70:CanwegetridofCaste?-14August2017,DailyO• TheWallinBethlehemthatsegregatesandsubjugatesPalestinians-18March2017,TheWire• WhytheHindumajoritymustpushbackagainsttheBJP’spoliticsofhate-July252017,Scroll• Whoselandisitanyway?-1July2017,TheHindu• ThehumanshielincidentisaregrettablestainontheIndianArmy-May282017,Scroll• Shouldthe‘collectiveconscience’overridethespiritoftheIndianConstitution-15May2017,Scroll• SouthIndiansareracisttoo-14April2017,Scroll• ThroughYogiAdithyanath’srise,democracyhasheldupamirrortous-4April2017,Scroll• WhoseIndiaisitanyway?-10March2017,Scroll• IamuncomfortablewithJallikattu-20Jan2017,Scroll• DemonetisationWoes-24Nov2016,Scroll• Whygloatingoverthesurgicalstrikeswillnotdoanygood-12Oct2016,Scroll• I’muppercasteandI’mproudofit,andthat’swheretheproblemlies-15Sep2016,Scroll• MythandReality–9June2016,IndianExpress• Freebiesandmovies:WhydothetwoDravidianpartieshavesuchaholdoverTamilvoters?–17May

2016,Scroll• WhyevendevoutHindusshouldembraceAmbedkar’sphilosophy–26April2016,Scroll• Whywemustloveourlandandnotromanticizethenationstate–1March2016,Scroll• AshopefloatsforLGBTrights,itisnotjustthelawthatneedstochange–8Feb2016,Scroll• MovingoninChennai–29December2015,IndianExpress• BeautyRedefined–14August2015,OpenMagazine• Godless?–July2015,Seminar• TwoVoices,OneResonance:JinnahandRadhakrishnan:CloseDivides,-20June2015,TheWire• PinneddownbyIdentity–20June2015,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• AbovetheMundane?–6June2015,TheHindu• TheslowdeathofthePeriyarAtheist–15May2015,OpenMagazine• GorgeousorGrotesque–9May2015,TheHindu• WhoamI?–11April2015–TheHindu• HowIfailedPerumalMurugan–21Jan2015,EconomicTimes• TheCityofUnheardMelodies–12Jan2015,IndianExpress• Thepursuitof‘One’–22Nov2014,TheHindu• DisputedTerritories–5July2014,TheHindu• VotingforaChimera–26May2014,Outlook• ImaginingGandhi–1Feb2014,TheHindu• AMatterofFaiths–2August2013,TeacherPlus• IndiaCanDoBetterthanModiorRahul–22April2013,Op-ed,TheHindu

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• ConversationsFlow,IdeasDon't–24November2012,Op-ed,TheHindu• Powerflowsfromthebackseatofacar–21July2012,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• BeyondtheScars–22October2011,(National),TheHindu• DeathofaHumaneSociety–15May2010,TheHindu• CultureinOne’sLife–Jan2008,JournaloftheKrishnamurtiSchools• ACrisisofCulture–7May2006,SundayMagazine,TheHindu

OnMusic,itsPractice,Musicians,HistoryandFuture

• FilmMusic:ReinventionoftheClassical–8April2016,OpenMagazine• ChennaiArtFestival:FromSabhastoFishingVillages–22February2016,Op-ed,TheHindu• MourningRaga–18December2015,OpenMagazine• MSUnderstood–October2015,Caravan• TheSpiritofArtinaClassroom–January2015,JournaloftheKrishnamurthySchools• Themusicianwhoneverspokebutwealllistenedto–20Sep2014,IndianExpress• Highbrow,Lowbrow–21June2014,TheHindu• SingingCinema–18October2013,Frontline• WhatIsArtMusic–9February2012,FridayReview,TheHindu• ALivingLegend,SanjaySubrahmanyanandhisMusicToday–2012,SrutiMagazine• ArticleonViolinistProf.V.V.Subramaniam–2012,SrutiMagazine• AJourneywithKishoriTai–3September2011,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• TheCharismaofComposers–30January2011,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• CenteredUponCenturies–23January2011,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• CelebratingUnheardMelodies–16January2011,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• RhythmsofTime–9Jan2011,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• DecodingtheGramaraga–2January2011,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• CelebratingUnheardMelodies–26December2010,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• Poeticsofperformance-11December2010,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• EmergenceoftheDesiTradition–19December2010,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• TheInfluenceofHisMusic–2009,G.N.BalasubramaniamCentenaryCommemorativeVolume• BetweenTraditionandEvolution–20December2009,SundayMagazine,TheHindu• AnUnequalMusic-4November2007,SundayMagazine,TheHindu

InitiativesBeyondtheStageUrurOlcottKuppamVizhaInitiativeIn theyear2014,Krishna initiatedanunusualart festival ina fishinghamlet thatexploresspacesalien to theprivileged,elitist,classicalworld;onethatquestionsanynotionofartisticsuperiorityandrespectfullycelebratesthepeopleandtheartthatinhabitthesespaces.Itcreatesanintersectionwherevariousartformsbelongingtodiverseculturalspheresandpeopleofdistinctidentitiescometogethertounderstandeachotherthroughart.TheUrurOlcottKuppamFestivalisafreshvoicethatquestionsthenormativeideathateachartformoperateswithin itsownsphereand thatanycollaboration iseitherasymbolofappropriationorcondescension.Todaythisfestivalhasbecomeametaphorforthepossibilitiesthatliewithincreativeartisticinterventions.AcrossthecityofChennai, inschoolsand inpublicspacessuchasbusesandRailwayStations,UrurOlcottKuppamVizhahasbroughtartformsbelongingtodifferentsocialgroupsandenabledtheartstotranscendman-madebarriersandbeginanessentialsocio-culturalconversation.Thisculturaldialoguehasalsoenabledseriousengagementwithenvironmental,politicalandsocialissuesthataffectthefishfolkandthoseattheveryrimofsociety.

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CarnaticmusicinChennai’sPublicschoolsAlongwithSangeethaSivakumar,T.M.KrishnahasembarkedonaprojectwhereCarnaticmusicisbeingtaughtinafewpublicschoolsintheCityofChennai.Thestudentsintheseschoolsbelongtocommunitiesthatarenottraditionally connected with the Carnatic tradition. Through this un-precedented initiative Krishna hopes tospreadthereachofCarnaticmusicbeyonditshigh-casteandclasscluster.Healsohopesthatthroughthispro-jectamorenuancedcurriculumforCarnaticmusiccanevolvewhichwillrespondtotheneedsofchildrenwhohavehadhardlyanylinkwiththeartformandcanenrichitbytheirassociation.

SvanubhavaSvanubhavaisaculturalmovementlaunchedbyT.M.KrishnaincelebrationofIndianartexposingstudentsastheyhavenotbeenexposedbefore,tovariousIndianartforms.Itisauniqueevent-cum-institutionconductedby the students of the performing arts. Svanubhavawas conceptualizedwith the intentionofwelcoming thestudentstothediverse,multiculturalworldofIndianartandintroducethemtotheunderlyingbeautyofeventhe rarest forms.This festivalaims to involve studentsofmusicanddance institutions, students fromprivateandpubliceducationalinstitutions,andintheprocess,createhubsofstudentcommunitieswheretheycanfeela senseofbelongingandnurture theirpassion towards the Indianart forms.Svanubhavawas inauguratedatChennai,whereithasbeenconductedsince2008.Thefestival isorganizedinChennaiwiththesupportofKa-lakshetra,apremier instituteofdanceandmusic. In2011,Svanubhavawentnationalbytakingthefestivaltothenation’scapital,NewDelhi. Itwasconducted inpartnershipwithGandharvaMahavidyalaya,Delhi,oneoftheoldestandhighlyprestigiousinstitutesofIndianart.Inearly2012,SvanubhavawasalsopresentedinTrichyand taken toBangalore in2013,with theannualChennai festivals continuingeveryyearduring themonthofAugustsince2008. In2014,SvanubhavawascuratedatVidyaVanam,aruralschool for tribalandunderprivi-legedchildrenintheoutskirtsofCoimbatore.

SumanasaFoundationSumanasaFoundationisanon-profitorganizationthatwasformedin2004withtheaimtobringsupportandaidtothetalentedyoungstudentsinunderdevelopedruralareas.Theemphasiswasnotonnumbersofstudentstobebenefitedbutthenatureandvitalityofthenewopportunity.T.M.Krishnaco-foundedthisorganizationalongwithS.HariharanandMayaHariharantomaketalentpromotionmorethana‘pedagogicalsubsidy’.

Aprimary focusof Sumanasa Foundation is to identify talented individuals from rural, underdeveloped areasandtoprovideatangibleopportunityforthemtostepoutofcircumstantialdisadvantagesandcontinuelearn-ingbutwithmusic’screativedimensionaddedto it.Studentsfromtheseareasdonothavethe infrastructurerequired or the financial support needed to pursue their advanced training inmusic. The Foundation placesthemundertheguidanceofseniorCarnaticmusiciansfromwhomtheycontinuetheiradvancedtraining.TheirtuitionandlivingexpensesarealsoprovidedbytheFoundation.SumanasaFoundationidentified5suchtalent-edindividualsandhassupportedthem.TodaytheyareallactivelyinvolvedinCarnaticmusic.

In2010,SumanasaFoundationdevelopedanotherschemeto identify individualsandgivethemaplatformtoshowcasetheirtalents.Thiswastolookfortalentedindividualswhoarenotinthe'regular'circuitandprovidethem an opportunity to perform in Chennai. As a result, leading organizations such as TheMusic Academy,BrahmaGanaSabhaandHamsadhwani inChennaihavefeaturedindividualsthathavebeenrecommendedbythefoundation.Sinceitsinception,theinitiativehasprovidedplatformsforover52artistsfromalloverIndia.

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JnanarnavaTrustJnanarnavameans"Oceanofknowledge."Thetrusthastakenmanystepstoestablishitsmissionfromthefun-damentalvalueofpreservingtraditions.ThetrusthasembarkedontheAudioarchivalofallmusicalcomposi-tionspublished in theSangitaSampradayaPradarsini,apublicationonCarnaticmusic, in conformitywith themusical notationprovidedby its author. The Sangita Sampradaya Pradarsini (SSP)waswrittenby SubbaramaDikshitar intheyear1904,capturingthecompositionsofMuttuswamiDikshitar (1775-1895),oneof themostinfluentialcomposersinthehistoryofCarnaticmusic,andothers.Carnaticmusicbeinganoraltraditionhandeddownovergenerations,thistextprovidesinsightsconcerningthepracticeofCarnaticmusic150yearsago.

SangitaSampradayaPradarsiniEditorialBoard,TheMusicAcademy(2011–2014)TheSangitaSampradayaPradarsini, amagnumopusofSubbaramaDikshitar thatdocumentsall thecomposi-tionsofMuttusvamiDikshitaralongwithothercompositionsisoneofthemostimportanttextsofmusicalim-portance, originallywritten in Telugu. TheMusicAcademy in 2011 createdaneditorial boardwhich includedKrishna,tooverseethetranslationofthistextfromTelugutoEnglishtohelpgivemorestudents,musiciansandscholarsaccesstothiswork.Krishnawasactively involved intheeditorialworkforthepublicationofthefirstthreevolumes.Theprojecthasbeencompletedin2014.

ONEThesecondof itskindafterMargazhiRaagam,ONE isaconcert filmthatcapturestheartistic journeyofT.M.Krishna’sprofoundprocessofcreatingmusicinspiredbynature.DirectedbyP.Jayendra,the90-minutefilmnotonlypresentstheexperienceofclassicalmusicinadifferentmedium,butalsotakesitoutofitstraditionalset-ting. It captures the essence of the artist’s imagination. Krishna singswithout accompaniments in the pictur-esquehillsofTheNilgiris,amidst therustleof the leavesandbirdsong.Thefilm,producedbyC.SrikanthandpresentedbyAghalFilmsusingDolbyAtmos,waspremieredatDolbyTheatres inSanFrancisco, LosAngeles,andNewYorkCityinNovember2014.

MargazhiRaagamMargazhiRaagamisthefirstof itskindfilmedCarnaticmusicconcertperformedbyT.M.KrishnaandBombayJayashri.ConceivedanddirectedbyJayendra,withcinematographybyP.C.SreeramandaudiographybyH.Sri-dhar, this110-minuteconcerthas impactedaudienceperceptionof live concerts,andenabledanewmusicalexperience.Thisconcert,releasedindigitalcinemasacrosstheworld,helpstotakeCarnaticmusicbeyondtheconventional classical music audiences and reach people who love music from different cultures across theglobe.TheideawastogiveCarnaticmusicanevocativevisualappealandthesoundqualitythatthemusicde-serves.Using the latest high end, 4kREDDigital CinemaCamera in a seven camera shoot, digitally recordingsoundonProtools,editingonAvidsystems,confirmingandcolorcorrectingonDigitalVisiontools,mixingthesoundinMediaArtists-aTHXcertifiedstage,RealImagehasputanarrayoftechnologiestousetomakeMar-gazhiRaagamaoneofakindmusicalexperience.ThefilmwasreleasedintheatresaroundtheworldinIndia,theUnitedStates,andAustralia.

Build-A-Rasika(1996–2000)‘Rasika’isaSanskritwordderivedfrom‘rasa’meaning‘sap’or‘flavor’andreferstoapersoninthecontextofthearts:onepossessedoffeeling,passion,butnotbychanceorrandomattractionasmuchasbyknowledgea-blediscrimination,aconnoisseurandeven,perhaps,anon-performingpractitioneroftheartformoroneinthemaking.Effectivelyintroducedin1994throughYACM(YouthAssociationforClassicalMusic),theBuild-a-Rasikaprojectwasstartedinordertocreatefreshrasikasforthisartform,fromschools.Itaimsatinculcatinganinter-estinSouthIndianClassicalMusicamongstthechildren/youthwhoknowverylittleornothingaboutClassical

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Music.StemmingfromaconcernoverthelackoftrainingatmosphereforchildrentoappreciateCarnaticMusic,whichoncewasseamlesslyandbeautifullywovenintothefamily’sculturaloeuvre,thisschemeintroducestheyoungmindstothisgreatartformandtriestoturnthemintoinformedlistenersinashortspanoftime.OneofthesalientfeaturesoftheBARisthatitteachesthem"Howtoappreciate"andnot"Howtoperform".Thispro-jecthas reachedover135 schools inandaroundChennai coveringabout60000students, includingprogramsandlecturesinschoolsfromallstrataofsocietyandeducatedtheyouth.HavingbeenthePresidentofYACM,T.M.Krishnahasperformed inover50schoolsandpropagatedtheawareness forCarnaticMusicandpushedthisinitiativeandpropagatedthemovementasthePresidentoftheorganization.

ContributionstoOtherOrganizationsInadditiontohisowninitiatives,Krishnahasbeenactivelyinvolvedinvariouscapacitiesinotherorganizationsandinitiativesgivingthemofhisvisionaryintensities.Thishashelpedgivedirectionandfocustothesebodiesastheycontinuetoservethecauseofthearts.

BoardMember,Kalakshetra(2012–2014)Appointedby theMinistryofCulture,CentralGovernmentof India,KrishnahasbeenaboardmemberofKa-lakshetra,Chennaifrom2012.ItisthepremierorganizationfordanceandmusicinIndiaandisoneofthemostrespectedart institutions in theworld. Kalakshetra is a centerof trainingandperformanceof the IndianartssupportedbytheCentralGovernmentofIndia,establishedintheearly20thcenturyandhasproducedandmold-edgenerationsofacclaimedartistsinadistinctivestyle.

Member,EditorialAdvisoryBoard-JindalJournalofPublicPolicy(2016-Present)JindalJournalofPublicPolicyispublishedtwiceayear(AugustandDecember)bytheJindalSchoolofGovern-mentandPublicPolicy.TheJindalSchoolofGovernmentandPublicPolicy(JSGP)aimstopromoteresearchthatfacilitatesbetterunderstandingofissuesrelatingtogovernanceandpublicpolicy.

Member,AdvisoryPanel,IndianWriter’sForum(2016-Present)KrishnahasbeenamemberoftheadvisorypaneloftheIndianWriter’sForumwhichaspirestoperceive,under-standandcelebratedifferenceevenwhilebreakingdownthebarrierscreatedbycaste,class,religion,raceandlanguage.Theybelieveitiscritical,atthepresentjuncture,toresisttherangeofthreatsfacedbythecultureoffree expression, exchange, dialogue and debate. The IndianWriters’ ForumTrust has been set up to allow arangeoffora–theIndianCulturalForumsite,publicmeetings,seminars,facebook,andane-journalofculturecalledGuftugutodiscussissuesofconcerntowriters,educatorsandculturalpractitioners,andoffersupporttoindividualsintheculturalfraternity.

Collaborator,CompMusicProject,IITMadras(2011-2016)CompMusic,ComputationalModelsfortheDiscoveryoftheWorld'sMusic,isaresearchprojectfundedbytheEuropeanResearchCouncilandcoordinatedbyXavierSerrafromtheMusicTechnologyGroupoftheUniversitatPompeuFabrainBarcelona(Spain).ThemaingoalofCompMusicistoadvanceinthefieldofMusicComputingbyapproachinganumberofthecurrentresearchchallengesfromaculturespecificperspective.Collaboratingwith the technical teamat the IITMadras computer sciencedepartment,Krishna’s insightsonCarnaticmusicandinputsonthenuancesofthemusichasguidedtheprojecttogrowandmakebetteruseofthetechnologyavailable,therebyproducingbetterresults.

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Board,MITHAS(2013–tothePresent)MITHASwas founded in 1993, byMassachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)music senior lecturer GeorgeRucketandMITalumnusMoezRawjiwiththesupportoffaculty,students,alums,andfriends-toperpetuate,toteach,topresent,toperform,andspreadappreciationforthegreatvarietyofperformingartsandartistswhopracticeintheserichlylearnedandrefinedtraditionsinthegreaterNewEnglandareaofNorthAmerica.Overthe yearsMITHAShas featured thegreatest classicalmusiciansanddancers from India,whohaveperformedandlecturedonthenuancesofdanceandmusic.Nowinits20thyearMITHAScontinuestoactivelyengagewithitscommunity,enrichingitwithclassicaldanceandmusic.

President,Sampradaya(2007–2014)Sampradayaisanorganizationfoundedinthe1980swithanaimtodocumentinterviewsandconcertsofIndianclassicalartists.Today, theorganization ishometoa treasurehouseofbooks,a rarearchiveofphotographs,andarepositorywithover5000hoursofdocumentariesandrecordedmusic.In2007,T.M.KrishnawasinvitedtoleadtheorganizationasitspresidentandhasbeenworkingtohelpmakeSampradayabothrelevantandvi-brant.He introduced Samvaada, a conversation series designed toprovide a public platform to facilitate stu-dentsandconnoisseurstohaveface-to-face interactionswithveteranmusiciansofourtime.Theorganizationhassinceheldmanyconversations,allofwhicharerecordedandavailableintheSampradayaarchives.KrishnahasinitiatedthedigitizationofSampradaya’saudioandprintarchivestoensureitispreservedforposterity.Theaim is tomakethe libraryavailable forpeopleoverthe Internetsothat itcanreachpeople inallpartsof theworld.

AVitalInitiativeJaffnaCulturalRetrievalTheNorthernProvinceisoneofSriLanka’s9provincesandthebestknownaroundtheworld–alas,fortragicreasons.ItwasthebattlegroundfortheSriLankanCivilWarsince1983.Wagedover27years,thewarleftnear-ly 100,000 persons dead and countless rendered homeless and fleeing. For the peoplewho remained in theProvince,dazed, insecureanddispossessedof livelihood, thewarmeanta cessationofall culturalnutriment.Thiswastragicnotjustintermsofzero-classicalmusic,zero-classicaldanceandtheatrebutalsoacivilizationalstupor. The highly literate and aesthetically honed predominantly Tamil population of the Province wentthroughthemotions,inamannerofspeaking,withcollegecurriculaintheartsandwithsomeartperformancesbutthiswasclearlynotwhattheywereusedtoorwhattheydeserved.Theshellofculturewasthere,buttheProvincehad,overthenearlythreedecadesoflifewithballistics,allbutlostitslivingtouchinthearts.ThiswasacauseforgreatanguishamongthoseinSriLankaandoutside,suchasIndia,whoknewthecivilizationalaspira-tionsandcontributionsofthisProvincewhichhasgiventotheworld,amongothers,thehistorianandphiloso-pherofaesthetics,AnandaK.Coomaraswamy.

AfteratouroftheNorthernProvincesin2011,T.M.Krishna(whichwasthefirstbyamusicianin30years)sawthatwhilethesatisfactionofthepoliticalaspirationsofthepeopleoftheProvincerequiredademocraticpro-cessandwouldtake itscourse, theyneededculturalretrievalsandrestorationsurgently.Thedeepbondtheyhavewiththeirculture,particularlylanguage,musicandreligion,movedhimtodevelopaculturalprogramthatwould revive their strong but anaesthetized cultural intentions, inspire them, increase self-belief, and makethemproudoftheirculturalandaestheticanchoring.Giventhelackofsuchexposureduringthelastthreedec-ades,therewasaclearcallforaculturalre-kindlingandmuch-neededinspirationforchartingabetterfutureforthepeopleoftheNorthernProvinces.

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Partneringwith the IndianHigh Commission, The Indo-Sri Lanka Foundation, and theDepartment of CulturalAffairsoftheNorthernProvince,KrishnaintroducedtothepeopleofJaffnaafestivalfocusedonpracticaltrain-ingbyplacingpotentialstudentsofmusicanddanceindirectcontactwithperformingartistsinanenvironmentconducivetolearning.HeformedateaminChennaithattravelledtoJaffnatoworkwithofficialsinlayingthegroundworkforthefestivalandworkingthroughdetailssuchasthevenue,logisticsandcompleteplanningforthefestival.TheeventinAugust2011wassettocoincidewiththemonth-longannualfestivaloftheNallurtem-ple inJaffnaso itwouldreachawideaudience. It involvedacombinationoftraditionalculturalperformancesandaseriesofinteractiveworkshopsandpresentationsconductedbyeminentartists.

In2012,KrishnaintroducedtheBharatanatyamexponentAlarmelValliandCarnaticVocalistP.Unnikrishnantotheaudiencesof Jaffna.The3-dayfestivalwasheld inRamanathanAcademyofFineArtsof JaffnaUniversity,whichteachesmusic,danceandvisualartstoover400students.Nearly1000studentsfromRamanathanAcad-emy,JaffnaUniversity,andnumerouspublicschoolsinandaroundJaffnaattendedthemorningworkshops.Theeveningsawperformancesbyeachofthesevisitingartistsandwasattendedbyover2000people.Duringthefestival,studentshadtheopportunitytointeractcloselywiththemtounderstandthenuancesinvolvedintheartformspresented.

Astoundedthatsomanyyoungpeoplewereinterestedinlearningtheartsinspiteofthetraumaaroundthem,societyeldersandwell-wishersoftheProvincewantedthefestivaltobecomearecurringfeature.Asecondedi-tionwasheldagaininSeptember2013.BharatanatyamexponentLeelaSamsonandCarnaticvocalistSudhaRa-gunathan presented workshops during the day for the students. They gave full-fledged performances in theeveningattendedbylargenumbers.Onthemorningofthethirdday,TavilmaestroA.K.PalanivelledarhythmicensemblealongwithPatriSatishKumar,Dr.S.Karthick,andB.S.Purushotham.

Theculturalfestivalhasspurredasenseofculturalandcivilizationalself-esteemapartfromtakingthetradition-alculturalrelationsbetweenIndiaandSriLankatoanewheightofgreatcontemporarysalience.ItisalsonowpartofvariousstepsbeingtakenbyIndiatoupgradetheRamanathanAcademyofFineArts,anorganizationofimmenselocalveracity.

T.M.Krishna’sCarnaticmusic-basedassayinJaffnagoestoshowthatjustaspeace-keepingmissionshelphealthewoundsofwar,oftenagainstseriousodds,includingphysicaldangerand,invariably,risksofmisinterpreta-tionandmisinformation,soalso,culture-retrievinginitiativesareessentialtotheaftermathofwarandmustbemadeinaspiritofrespectfortheaffectedpopulace.Culturehasbeenseenasamethodinwhatisknownbythecallowexpression ‘culturaldiplomacy’.Somesituations likepost-war Jaffna’s, call for somethingmuchdeeperthanculturaldiplomacy.Theycallforcivilizationrestoration,andthatrequiresartiststotakeawhollydisinter-estedinterestandanunconditionally,un-agenda-ed,interestinlifebeyondwar,beyondstrife.

ForaCauseKrishnaactivelylendshisvoiceforvarioustopicsofpublicconcernandhashelpedraisefundsforvariousnon-profitinitiativesworkingtowardsacause.

• RASAFundraiser,2013-RASAisauniqueorganizationwhichservesasanartstheatreforchildrenwithspecialneeds, it focusesontheholisticdevelopmentofeach individual throughexperiencesofmusic,dance,drama,storytellingandotheraspectsoftheatre.Asitgrowsandtouchesmoreandmorelives,

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RASA celebrates the joy inmovement and the triumph of the human spirit. T.M. Krishna launched acampaigntoraisemoneyforRASAandsuccessfullyraisedover$10,500.

• Pragya,2013-KrishnaextendedsupportandparticipatedinPragya’sinitiativeof“AbuseagainstWom-en”.Here,hespeaksabouthowviolenceagainstwomenismorethanjustaphysicalact,butisawayofimposingone'spowerandcontroloverwomen.Hecallsformentochangetheperceptionthattheyarethe'morepowerfulofthetwosexes'.

• Youth for PeaceWalk, 2011 - The Aseema Trust conducted the Youth for Peace campaignwith T.M.Krishna,whichwasasymbolicprocessionoftheunityandawarenessthatcitizensshouldpossesstoday.Theperformancesweretheculminationofaweekofworkbystudentsofsixdifferentschoolsonwhatpeacemeanttothem,followedbyaninteractionbetweenallthestudentsandKrishna.Amidthevari-ous performances by different schools. Krishna concluded the eveningwith a dose of livemusic thatconsistedofsongsonsocialempowermentandchange.

• Alpha toOmega,2010 -Alpha toOmegaLearningCentre,anNGOprovidingacademicexperience forstudentswith specific learningdisabilities suchasdyslexia andattentiondeficit hyperactivitydisorderorganizeda fund-raiserprogram.T.M.Krishnaalongwithmusician Sangeetha SivakumarandV.Bala-krishnanof TheatreNishaperformed amusical show called ‘Abhibhava'. Themusical is basedon thetheatricalproductionof‘Theboywhoeclipsedthesun'.Thisprogramhelpedraiseover$10,000.

• VidyaSagarFundraising,2009–VidyaSagarisanon-governmentorganizationforthedifferentlyabled.KrishnahashelpedcontributingtoVidyaSagar’scausethroughhisconcertsbydirectingfunds,andinhispersonalcapacity.

• ReachFundraiser,2008-REACHIndiaisanorganizationthatisinvolvedwithTuberculosis(TB).InChen-nai, itpresenteda concertbyKrishnawhichwasan important fundraisingevent inaidofTBpatientssupportedbytheorganizationandhelpedtoraisefunds.

• Unnati,aBangalorebasedinitiativewhichwasstartedin2003withthepurposeofenablingunderprivi-leged,unemployedyouthtogetemployedhasreceivedKrishna’stimelysupport.

• VidyaVanam,aschool inthemountainslopesoftheNilgirisprimarilyforthebenefitoftribalchildrenhas received Krishna’s financial support in regular and substantial quantities amounting to around$10,000

SomePublicAppearancesOverthepastseveralyears,muchofKrishna’sworkhasbeencapturedandmadeavailableviatheInternet.Pro-videdbelowisasmallsamplingofhismusic,lectures,interviews,andspecialoccasions.

• Articulate:HowWeListen,TMKrishna,PBS,2016

• Aikya,T.M.KrishnaandtheJogappas,2016

• LivingwithASouthernMusic,AzimPremjiUniversity,Bangalore,2014

• Culture,Society&TheState,ManthanSamvaad,2015

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• IndianLanguagesFestival(ILF)Samanvay,2015

• TheHinduLitFestwithDayanitaSingh,2015

• ArtTalkwithJujharSingh,NewsX,2015

• WalktheTalkwithT.M.Krishna,NDTV,2014

• ASouthernMusic:TheKarnatikStory-DiscussionwithGopalkrishnaGandhi,LitforLife,2014

• AlotofdirtintheCarnaticMusicWorld,HeadlinesTodaywithT.S.Sudhir,2014

• AKindofIntegrity,Biblio,May2014

• ChangingIndia-Culture,CustodianshipandInheritance-DiscussionwithVidyaDehejia,T.M.Krishna&RajmohanGandhi,GoaArtsandLiteraryFest-2014

• Betweenpuristandpuritan:UnravelingTMKrishna'smusicalencyclopedia,HindustanTimes,June2014

• BookLaunchofASouthernMusic,Kalakshetra,December2013

• LecturesonCarnaticMusicatCMI,Chennai2013

• Svara,Gamaka,MotifandRagaIdentity,CompMusicWorkshop,2012

MorevideosofKrishnacanbeviewedhere.

InConclusion

Thelifeofanartist isdedicatedtotheart.Asingersingsforthesatisfactionsingingbrings.Buttimesdoarisewhenhestepsbacktoseewherehissinginghastakenhimandhissong.Andwhatthedirectionoftheroadhehastraversedistaking.Hashislifeandcareerbeensofulfillingartisticallyastohavebecomeself-fulfilling?Has,inotherwords,hisartobscureditsownseed-bed,whichislife?Krishnadoesaskhimselfthisquestion.

Andwhenhedoesthat,vistasopenthattakehisjourneyinmusictoshoresthatliebeyond.Onethinghehasfoundrepeatedlyisthatjustassocietycanfinditselfinart,somustartseeitselfinsociety.T.M.Krishnaseeshisplaceamongpeople,ininstitutions,inthefamilyofhumankind,asagiftgiventohimtosinghissong,speakhisthought,withoutstoppingforapplause.