Graduate Research Colloquium: Karnatic violinist Sumanth Manjunath in conversation with Dr Alice Barron

Trained by his father and renowned guru Dr Mysore Manjunath, Sumanth Manjunath is forging an international career as a Karnatic (South Indian) classical violinist. Discussions will focus on Sumanth's musical training in South India: learning an oral tradition from his father as well as the institutional education of a degree and Masters at the University of Mysore. We will delve into the intriguing relationship between tradition and innovation as a performer of 21st century Karnatic classical music.

The Colloquium will include a performance demonstration typical of a Karnatic concert.

Dr Alice Barron is a violinist-composer based in London, with a distinctive international career in contemporary and intercultural musics. Alice has performed as principal second violin for Nigel Kennedy’s Orchestra of Life in Paris and Vienna; in Measure For Measure at Shakespeare’s Globe (violin and voice); regularly with London Sinfonietta including at the BBC Proms and Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival; at WOMAD Australia and New Zealand with Sam Lee; with Rambert, Quincy Jones, Talvin Singh and L. Subramaniam. Current interdisciplinary and intercultural composition projects include ‘SHE’ with storyteller Vayu Naidu (Women in the Arts Festival 2022); a forthcoming album release for violin/viola, prepared sarods and electronics with Ole André Farstad; music for Himali Singh Soin's ‘Third Pole’ exhibition in Madrid (2022); and UK performances with Kathak dance, sitar and tabla (Sanju Sahai). With an individual style that sits at the intersections of classical, folk and experimental musics, Alice uses improvisation as a means of composition.