NALINI VINAYAK - ARTIST PROFILE

Nalini Vinayak, a well-known professional Sitarist and Tabla player from India hails from a family of composers and musicians dating back to early 1900. Blessed by her grandmother Sri. Andavan Pichai, a saint and composer, www.andavanpichai.com , Nalini has carved a niche for herself in the field of music, as a performer, composer, Ensemble Director and teacher. Nalini received her training in Carnatic classical music at a very young age from her her mother and Guru Vidushi Smt. Kamakshi Kuppuswamy, a renowned Carnatic music vocalist who has performed worldwide.

Nalini spent several years learning Hindustani Classical Music on the Sitar in the Indian tradition of the Guru Shishya Parampara under the tutelage of Pandit Janardan Mitta (disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar) of the Maihar Gharana.  Her passion and love for rhythm drew her towards the Tabla and she received intense training under Sri. Srinivasa Rao of the Delhi Gharana. The combined knowledge of the Carnatic tradition from her mother and Hindustani tradition from her sitar Guru gave her an added edge compared to others in fusing the two styles. Nalini’s artistry and command over melody and rhythm have rendered her style and compositions unique.

Nalini was the only female Sitar player to have been invited to perform Saint Thyagaraja’s Kritis at the Thyagaraja Aradhanai at Thiruvaiyaru in 1987.  She has performed in premiere music platforms in India and the US.

Nalini was a frequent performer for the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Government of India.  She was commissioned specially to perform for Ms. Pupul Jayakar, Cultural Advisor to the Prime Minister of India, Government of India in 1988. 

 She has released with Magnasound recording company (now owned by Sony) a full Carnatic music on sitar album “Samarpana” and a jugalbandhi album “Nada Sangama” with Veena player B. Kannan in 1989.

 Nalini feels very fortunate to have performed several genres of music.  From Beatles to classical music, she has enjoyed playing every note.  One of the foremost pioneers of fusion music, Nalini formed a band in India with extremely talented musicians and in 1992 released an album called ‘Omkar’ – The Life Cycle of Man with HMV/RPG (now Saregama).  The proceeds from the live concert of this album at the Narada Gana Sabha Auditorium in 1991 and the royalties from this album have been donated by her to The Spastics Society of India.

 Nalini moved to the USA in 1993 and served at the College of Music, Florida State University as the Director of the Indian Classical Music Ensemble.   During this period, Nalini formed her second fusion band with talented musicians called ‘Agni’ that drew record crowds in Florida State University, School of Music an at the Southeastern Chapter of ethnomusicology at Loyola University College of Music, New Orleans.  She went on to release her second fusion album “Soothing Embers” (aka Maya) with her band released by Tribal Records Recording Company.

Nalini was a graded artist of All India Radio and the Doordarshan (Indian Television).  Her performances include solo concerts, Jugalbandies (duets) with the Violin, Veena, Guitar and Guzheng, fusion music and lecture demonstrations.

A passionate teacher, Nalini has taught Hindustani classical music and Carnatic music to musicians from diverse tradition, many of them successfully reproduce Hindustani Classical music on their respective instruments. Several students on the sitar, Guzheng, violin, flute, guitar are now active performers in the Indian classical music field. Nalini teaches her disciples the importance of the tradition of Maihar Gharana, intricacies of Ragas, Rhythm and Melody, constantly drawing parallels between the Hindustani and Carnatic music and rhythms and composing. Nalini has taught many aspiring students on the Tabla. Several disciples of Nalini are currently in the performing field.

Nalini collaborated with Dr. Haiqiong Deng, master Guzheng player and released a jugalbandhi album “Stringing Echoes”. This album featuring four of Nalini’s original compositions with Zheng layers composed by Dr. Deng . This album was recorded and released by the famous Trumpet artist Dr. Longineu Parsons from Tribal Records. For the first time in the history of music, the Sitar and the Zheng presented a unique blend of Indian Classical music.  This album was nominated for the Independent Music Awards (IMA) in 2013.

Nalini Vinayak’s new singles release “Ragamalika Based on Raag Kirwani (live)”, from her live concert skillfully blends ragas Kirwani, PlasKafi, Darbari Kanada and Misra Pilu.

Nalini lives in Tallahassee. Florida with her husband.  Her daughter Preeti Vinayak a well-known Bharatanatyam dancer and Carnatic music vocalist runs her academy in Atlanta “Natyam Arts Academy” https://www.natyam.com/ .  Her younger daughter Arathi Vinayak is a Veterinary Oncological Surgeon practicing in California.