About
I am a violinist, composer, and educator with a unique musical story that crosses countries, cultures, and genres. Born in Memphis, TN, I started to play violin and piano at the tender age of 2 in a home filled with the sounds of music, from the likes of Michael Jackson, the Beatles, and Simon and Garfunkel to Indian devotional/classical music. I pursued Violin and Piano Performance studies at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, during which time I performed in renowned Classical festivals in the USA and in Europe. My desire to find a more creative form of expression led me closer to my cultural heritage, and I received a Fulbright Research grant to formally study South Indian Classical music (2006) in Chennai, India. This special opportunity opened up a whole new way of listening and improvising; it also seeded my aspiration to communicate across cultures and musical styles.
Drawn to London (2008) for the diverse musical experiences it could offer, I completed a Masters and a doctorate in Creative Learning at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama whilst developing my professional career. I have performed internationally with leading artists including Anoushka Shankar, Soumik Datta, Nitin Sawhney, Talvin Singh OBE, Kae Tempest, Oi Va Voi, Jocelyn Pook, Manu Delago, Bianca Gismonti, and London Contemporary Orchestra, amongst others. With a passion to grow, be challenged, and learn from others, I regularly collaborate across art forms (visual, theatre, and dance) and have been a part of productions at Shakespeare’s Globe. I was in the 2024 cast of a show called ‘Me Without You’ directed by Mella Faye, concept and composition by Emily Levy, alongside a stellar team featuring acting, dancing, sound, tech, lighting, and visuals.
I kickstarted my compositional career with 2 solo EPS (Rebirth & Bleeding Heart EP, 2021) and composed orchestral works through a commission for Sinfonia Viva’s 40th Anniversary in 2022. I have written music for dance, working with Sujata Banerjee Dance Company as well as Kadam Dance and Music. Some new and exciting projects have emerged in 2024: I am currently writing music for a new trio project with dear friends multi-instrumentalist Zac Gvi & oud maestro Saied Silbak plus performing Indian Classical inspired music with Giuliano Modarelli, guitar & Harkiret Singh, tabla. I have also kicked off a new concert and intimate concert series called ‘Traveling the Face of the Globe’ that celebrates diverse global musical traditions and their commonalities, growing out of my vast collaborative experiences and research.
I am co-founder of genre-defying string duo Balladeste with cellist Tara Franks ("...an extraordinary and beautiful listening experience" ~ Folk Radio UK) who write and perform original music. An ever evolving musical partnership and deep friendship forged over ten years, we have developed a unique way of writing, weaving in and out of each other’s voices as performer-composers. We have released three albums to great reception (SongLines 4 stars, Radio appearances on In Tune Radio 3, Radio 4 Women’s Hour, tracks featured on Spotify editorial playlists). With a shared ethos that affirms the power of the arts to transform lives and to empower everyone, regardless of background, age, culture, or ability, to find their creative voice, we - individually and together - lead creative workshops and teacher trainings for organisations including London Music Masters, SoundsCreative Projects, London Symphony Orchestra, Barbican Centre/Guildhall, and Aldeburgh Music. Through our socially-engaged practice, we have also forged international relationships in Mexico, Korea, Israel, Palestine, Southeast Asia, and India.
Alongside my thriving artistic life, I love sports and wellbeing. Yoga, like music, has been an anchor in my life, and I have a yoga teacher’s certification Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram, a renowned centre in Chennai specialised in ‘viniyoga’ and yoga therapy.
