Lalitha and Nandini have scored INTERNATIONAL VIOLINISTS music for French and Norwegian Theatre DR. M. LALITHA AND M. NANDINI productions. They have also composed music exclusively for Dance Ballets. Dr. M. LALITHA and M. NANDINI have been widely acclaimed as ‘VIOLIN VIRTUOSOS and QUEEN’S OF MUSIC DIRECTORS INDIAN MUSIC’ of the present generation. They are The versatile Violin sisters are also applauded as the only violin duo sisters to perform the Indian Music Directors having done the Music Classical, World music, Fusion, and Western Classical music Direction for ‘KAAICHA MARAM’ a in ASIA. LALITHA and NANDINI have been the short film directed by the famous Actress ambassadors of Music taking our music to the nooks and cum Director Mrs. Suhasini Maniratnam corners of the Globe. They have performed extensively in produced by the famous Madras Talkies. Major Music Festivals in India and in other countries including The sisters have scored the music for USA, Singapore, Malaysia, Norway, Australia, Europe, Nepal, another documentary film based on a United Kingdom etc. true life story. The sisters scored the background music for the documentary LALITHA and on Mrs. Y. G. Parthasarathy as part of NANDINI are worthy scions of an illustrious her 80th birthday celebrations. family of musicians, who have been deeply rooted in the South Indian Classical Music Tradition. They ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENTS belong to the fourth generation of a family of Dr. M. LALITHA and M. NANDINI have distinguished themselves academically also. musicians and started learning music from their LALITHA has been awarded the degree of DOCTOR of PHILOSOPHY (Ph. D) in beloved grand father and guru Shri V. Indian Music, from the University of Madras for her thesis ‘A Comparative Study of the Lakshminarayana from a very early age. They have Violin Techniques in Western and South Indian Classical Music. This has been published learnt from their mother Smt. Subhalakshmi as a book. Lalitha holds an M. A and M. Phil in Indian Music. Muthuswamy who is a reputed Vocalist, Violinist, NANDINI holds a double Masters degree one in Information science and the other in teacher and musicologist. They were also inspired India music. She also holds a double Bachelor’s Degree one in English literature and the by their uncles Shri. L. Vaidyanathan, Dr. L. other in Indian Music. Subramaniam and Dr. L. Shankar, who are NANDINI is working towards her Masters in Ethnomusicology from the School of internationally reputed for their musical genius and Oriental and African Studies, University of London and is working for her Ph. D from the have also been taught by them. University of Madras. Dr. M. LALITHA and M. NANDINI are Address regarded as highly imaginative virtuoso Violinists. S-4, A Block, Vasanth Apts, 140, VM Street, They have been applauded by both connoisseurs and laymen alike for their original and Royapettah, Chennai-600 014. unique style of violin playing. The music that cascades from the Duo’s Violin’s is known Telephone No. In India : (044) 2813-3034 to be sublime, brilliant and traditional. Their Violin playing is known to be replete with Mobile in India : 94442 24313 ragabhava. They have specialized in playing varnam-s in 5 grades of tempo and in playing Mobile in London : 07944149145 Kalpana Svara-s in 3 grades of speed, which is a prominent and unique feature of their E-mail : [email protected] style of Violin playing. They enrapture their audience with imaginative improvisations [email protected] and intricate rhythmic patterns fused with melodic sweetness. AWARDS AND HONOURS: Shri. V. Lakshminarayana. They also learnt from their mother Mrs. Subhalakshmi LALITHA AND NANDINI have Muthuswamy and have also undergone advanced vocal training from the doyen of carnatic been the recipients of many awards and music ‘Padma Vibhushan’ Dr. Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer. They have a specialized training titles too numerous to enumerate - in the compositions of Muthuswamy Diksitar from Mrs. Ramani. They have been honoured and WORLD MUSIC AND ETHNOMUSICOLOGY awarded with the prestigious title of ‘KALAIMAMANI’ (Gems of Art) the Lalitha and Nandini have studied the world music, ethnomusicology and fusion music Highest Honour in Music and Performing from the University of Pittsburgh, USA and School of Oriental and African Studies, Arts conferred by the State Government University of London from experts in that field. They have specialized in the different of Tamil Nadu. Conferred with the title music styles of the world like the Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian music (Gamelan), African of ‘BHARATHA VIOLIN VADHYA music and drumming, Middle Eastern including the Turkish, Iranian, Persian, Egyptian, THILAKANGAL’ by His Holiness Sadguru Srimad Shantananda Swamigal. Jazz, Latin American, Brazilian, Spanish, Blues, Folk traditions to name a few. Lalitha and Nandini have also learnt to play the Chinese instrument Ehru, the Indonesian Gamelan Other Awards include Gold Medal from Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Sai Ganamani, and African Drums like the Jambe, Ugandan drums, bass drum, bells and rhythmic pads. Yuva Kala Bharati, Innisai Jana Kalamanigal, Bhuvana Sangeetha Pravahini and Asthana Vidwan of Sri Bhuvaneswari Peetam, Pudukottai and Om Sri Skandasramam, Salem. TRANS GLOBAL FUSION CONCERTS They were awarded the Maduram Narayanan Memorial Award for the BEST SENIOR Dr. M. LALITHA and M. NANDINI widely VIOLINIST from the Madras Music Academy, 2004-2005 and also the BEST SENIOR acclaimed as outstanding Violinists of the present VIOLINIST AWARD from the Indian Fine Arts Society Chennai, 2004-2005. generation and popularly known as the ‘VIOLIN Dr. M. Lalitha and M. Nandini have been awarded with the US and UK Governments SISTERS’, have been presenting Trans Global fusion highest award and have been selected as CULTURAL AMBASSADORS & dignitaries. concerts combining elements from World music in Dr. M. Lalitha has been awarded the ‘FULBRIGHT FELLOWSHIP IN India and in abroad, which has been receiving rave PERFORMING ARTS’ while M. Nandini has been awarded with the ‘CHARLES reviews. WALLACE TRUST FELLOWSHIP IN PERFORMING ARTS’ which are highly competitive and prestigious awards. Both the sisters collaborate on World music, ALBUMS IN THE TOP 10 RATING ethnomusicology and fusion. The Violin Duo of Dr. M. LALITHA and M. WESTERN CLASSICAL MUSIC NANDINI have released many cassettes, VCD and CD’s through well-known labels. Their Trans Global LALITHA and NANDINI have learnt Western fusion album ‘LALITHA, NANDINI’S Classical Music and have passed the final grade (8th REVELATION’ through the Dreams Audio is in grade) examinations conducted by the Trinity the ‘Top 10’ Rating. college of Music, London in Western Classical Music in Violin apart from the Theory of Western Lalitha and Nandini’s latest fusion album Classical Music. They are acclaimed as the ONLY ‘THINKING OF U’ has been released recently and has already hit the chart in the ‘Number FEMALE VIOLIN DUO in INDIA to know both 1’ position for many weeks. the systems of music - the Western Classical and SOUTH INDIAN CLASSICAL ALBUM – VIOLIN VIRTUOSOS has been in the the South Indian Classical Music. TOP 3 position for many months.

SOUTH INDIAN CLASSICAL MUSIC AS COMPOSERS (VOCAL) Dr. M. LALITHA and M. NANDINI have also forayed into the realms of composition. LALITHA and NANDINI were initially trained Their Trans Global Fusion concerts consist of their compositions, which portray global in vocal under their grand father styles and colours of music.