Priya G.Hariharan, a Carnatic Violinist and Vocalist, is a student of the legendary violinist Padmabhushan late Shri Lalgudi G Jayaraman the founder of the melodious Lalgudi Baani (tradition or Gharana)

 

Priya’s music journey started at a tender age of six learning from her mother Smt Lakshmi Narayanan, who belongs to the Muthuswamy Dikshitar sishya paramapara (Student lineage)  She began her violin training in Mumbai, India, from late Shri Ramakrishna Sharma, a student of Lalgudi Shri Jayaraman.  While being actively involved in the Chinmaya Mission Yuva Kendra she underwent vocal  training in Bhajans and Abhangs from Smt Savithi Mani and  Smt Susheela Acharya of Bombay.  She also learnt some advanced varnams and kritis under Palghat Shri Ananthraman Bhagavathar of Naada Brahmam in Chembur. Priya continues to learn famous and rare musical repertoires from her mother Smt Lakshmi Narayanan (Dikshitar Sishya Paramapara), in Chennai India.

 

Priya is an accomplished musician with the distinction of being an All India Radio artist in both Carnatic Violin and Vocal music. Priya has accompanied many famous artists such  Chitraveena Ravikiran, Shri Delhi P Sunderajan, Shri Sankaran Namboodri, Shri Ajith Namboodri, Smt Jayalakshmi Santhanam, Singing Priest Father Paul Poovathingal, Smt Manda Sudha Rani, Hyderabad Brothers Shri Raghavachary  to name a few. Priya has been for performing in the prestigious Chennai December Music Season in places like the Music Academy, Narada gana Sabha, and many other prestigious institutions and also performed violin duets with here sister Padma Shankar another sishya of the Lalgudi tradition.

 

Priya established the Bhairavi School of Music in 2001 and is the founder and director of the school. In 2008, to further solidify Carnatic music in the Denver community she formed the Rocky Mountain Thyagaraja Utsavam which grew in leaps and bounds and in 2011 ran the event under the auspices of the then nascent organization Colorado Fine Arts Association or CFAA as we have come to know it. Priya has been propagating Carnatic music through lecture demonstrations on Carnatic Music at various universities in Colorado such as the Lamont School of Music in Denver University, the Kent School, University of Colorado, Metro State University etc .Priya also is well versed in other genres of music and has done several shows with many musicians in the Denver metro area and in recognition of this unique skill and perspective she got invited to perform with the grammy nominated band ‘The Devotchkas’.

 

Priya has been featured in the Asian Avenue magazine in recognition of her work in the Carnatic music. In 2014 NetIP Denver awarded Priya the Community Leadership Award in Music.