Live Orchestra

The Ensemble Behind The Arangetram

A world-class live orchestra brings the Margam to life.

An arangetram of this scale is not only a student milestone. It is a full classical production, shaped in real time by guru, voice, nattuvangam, percussion, violin, flute, and rhythm. For Shreya and Shriya, an extraordinary ensemble comes together to make the dance breathe.

Guru · Voice · Nattuvangam · Mridangam · Violin · Flute · Rhythm

International concert stages

Artists in this ensemble have performed across major halls, festivals, and cultural platforms.

Classical dance fluency

The team understands Bharatanatyam as a live conversation, not simply a musical recital.

Lineage and range

Carnatic training, percussion depth, melodic refinement, and contemporary versatility come together.

Smt. Jaynti Seshan

Guru / Nattuvangam

Smt. Jaynti Seshan

Founder of Apsaras Dance Company and the artistic guide for this arangetram.

Jaynti Akka shapes the evening from within the tradition: as guru, choreographer, conductor, and the steady rhythmic presence of nattuvangam. Her teaching is the foundation on which Shreya and Shriya step onto the stage.

Shri Nandakumar Unnikrishnan

Vocalist

Shri Nandakumar Unnikrishnan

A sought-after Carnatic vocalist for Bharatanatyam, with extensive arangetram and dance-performance experience worldwide.

In a Bharatanatyam Margam, the vocalist carries the inner voice of the dance: devotion, longing, playfulness, prayer, and dramatic turning points. His singing gives the dancers both musical structure and emotional atmosphere.

Shri Karthik Vydhatri

Mridangam / Percussion

Shri Karthik Vydhatri

A versatile Carnatic percussionist trained in mridangam and multi-percussion traditions.

For dance, percussion is not background rhythm. It is dialogue. The mridangam listens to the dancers’ feet, answers the nattuvangam, and gives the performance its muscular lift, precision, and drive.

Smt. Sushmitha Ravikumar

Violin

Smt. Sushmitha Ravikumar

Carnatic vocalist and violinist, featured in IndianRaga productions reaching millions of viewers.

The violin threads melody through the performance, holding continuity between lyric, gesture, and emotion. In expressive passages, it can soften the room; in rhythmic passages, it can sharpen the energy of the ensemble.

Shri Ravichandra Kulur

Flute

Shri Ravichandra Kulur

Internationally acclaimed flautist with 1,200+ concerts across 34 countries and major global stages.

His flute brings breath, color, and lyricism to the sound world of the evening. It is especially powerful in moments of devotion, nature imagery, and stillness, where a single phrase can open the story outward.

Shri B. S. Arun Kumar

Rhythm Pads / Drums / Percussion

Shri B. S. Arun Kumar

A percussionist whose work spans Carnatic rhythm, jazz drumming, folk percussion, and contemporary ensemble sound.

His rhythmic vocabulary expands the ensemble’s texture while staying rooted in classical timing. For an arangetram shaped by Samanvaya, that range matters: tradition remains the core, but the sound can breathe with modern energy.

For Guests New To The Form

How The Orchestra Works

Vocal

Carries the lyrics, melody, and emotional arc of the composition.

Nattuvangam

Conducts rhythm with cymbals and spoken syllables, guiding dancer and orchestra.

Mridangam / Percussion

Anchors tala and converses with the dancers’ footwork.

Violin and Flute

Add melodic color, breath, and continuity between song and movement.