Event: Nirmala Rajasekar - Carnatic Music: The Classical Music of South India

Venue: Arrowhead Center for the Arts (51 W 5 th Street, Grand Marais, MN)

Date/Time: September 23 at 7:00 pm

Tickets: General admission, $20 adults, $10 youth 18 and under. For sale in advance at

northshoremusicassociation.com and at the door starting at 6:00 pm.

Nirmala Rajasekar is one of the premier Saraswathi veena players in the world today. A dynamic and vibrant musician, she has performed in many leading venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall and the United Nations. An established vocalist and well-known composer, Nirmala is seen internationally as a "Carnatic Ambassador"; and leader in forging new paths on the Saraswathi veena.

Born in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Nirmala began performing at age 13. A celebrated composer, Nirmala has written traditional and collaborative music for orchestras, choruses, theater, and chamber ensembles in Indian and Western classical music. She has been awarded the highest civilian award for the arts by the Government of Tamil Nadu, India, the prestigious Kalaimamani Award. She is the first Indian musician to receive the Bush Fellowship and the McKnight Fellowship.

In addition to performing, Nirmala is a leader in initiatives of research in music, social causes, and

service. She currently serves as Vice President of the Global Carnatic Musicians' Association, GCMA. In 2020, she was elected as a Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the American Composers Forum. She is the first woman born in India to serve in this position.

Nirmala’s Grand Marais performance will be accompanied by her daughter, Carnatic vocalist

Shruthi Rajasekar. Named by The Guardian as a composer "who will enrich your life," Shruthi Rajasekar is an Indian-American musician exploring identity, community, and joy. A 2023 Jerome Hill Artist Fellow, Shruthi draws from her unique dual background in the Carnatic (South Indian classical) and Western classical traditions to create intersectional music. Percussionist Marcus Wise will also accompany on the tabla drum (North India).

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.