ARUN RAMAMURTHY is an exciting violinist who is making his mark in Indian Classical and World music in the United States. Arun, born and trained in the U.S, had his very first violin lessons in western classical music under distinguished violinist Jim Mate. It was that initial training in western music that gave Arun a foundation in violin playing. Influenced by his family surroundings, Arun developed an interest in the classical style of South India. His first guru, Sri ANANTHAKRISHNAN, a highly respected performer and teacher, taught Arun from age 11 not only Carnatic music but instilled in him a sense of tradition and a musical culture based on rigorous discipline.
Later Arun, while still in his teens, got the good fortune to be taken as a pupil by the celebrated violinist brothers, Sri MYSORE NAGARAJ & DR. MYSORE MANJUNATH. Nagaraj & Manjunath, generally acknowledged as the foremost violinists in Carnatic music today, made a profound impression. In 2003, Arun spent 1 year in Mysore learning in the “Gurukula” style, living in his gurus’ home and studying in daily intensive sessions. Arun progressed quickly under the Mysore Brothers and started playing solo concerts as well as performing with major artists such as Padma Vibhushan Dr. M. Balamuralikrishna, Madurai T.N. Seshagopalan, TV. Gopalakrishnan, Tiravarur Bhaktavatsalam, Mannargudi Eswaran, Srimushnam Raja Rao, Shashank, Sri Vidyabushana, Trichur Ramachandran, Sikkil Gurucharan, Ghatam Giridhar Udupa, Arjun Kumar, Carnatica Brothers, Flute Raman, and many others.
In 2005, Arun joined his guru Dr. Mysore Manjunath on a US concert tour playing in Universities and prestigious halls around the country. He continues to study and perform with Dr. Manjunath in the US and India.
Arun has dedicated his career to promoting and performing Carnatic music to audiences in the US. In 2010, Arun taught as part of a Carnegie Hall cultural exchange program, Global Encounters. Here, he taught over 1500 students in 30 schools about the structures, musical concepts and improvising nature of Indian Classical music. The program culminated in 2 live concerts at Carnegie Hall for the schools involved. Arun is also curating a monthly Carnatic concert series, “Carnatic Sundays” at Cornelia Street Café, one of New York City’s respected Jazz venues. Arun has collaborated with various artists such as jazz pianist Marc Cary, singer-songwriter April Smith, percussionist Sameer Gupta, Ragamala Dance Company, Cudamani Gamelan, choreographer Parijat Desai, bharatanatyam dancer Mythili Prakash, amongst others.
Arun also performs with Hindustani musicians, including vocalist Parameswar Hegde, sitarist Subrata Roy-Chowdhury, sarangi artist Ramesh Misra, tabla player Samir Chatterjee, vocalists Mitali Bhawmik, tabla player Nitin Mitta, sitarist Indrajit Roy Chowdhury. harmonium artist Kedar Naphade, and more. Arun’s musical projects have led him to perform at prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Juilliard School of Music, Kennedy Center, Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC, Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Gracie Mansion and others. He released his debut Carnatic Classical CD in 2010, titled “Geethanjali” with percussion stalwarts Tiravarur Bhaktavatsalam and Ghatam Giridhar Udupa.
