Ashwath Narayan

Ashwath Narayan is a fast rising star in Carnatic Music today. When asked what first sparked his interest in music, the artist credits his mother. During his childhood, the day always started with Bhajagovindam and the Annamacharya Kritis rendered by Smt. M S Subbulakshmi. "I used to know all the songs by heart and sing them along with the recording which was played daily." Taking note of his talent and joined him initially with Sri KV Narayanaswamy and later Smt. Padma Narayanaswamy. He gave his first concert in October 2003 when he was just 12 years old at Koothanoor Maha Saraswathi Temple near Mayavaram for their Navarathri Utsavam. "The most memorable thing about that concert was that I was very fortunate to be accompanied on the Violin and Mridangam by two leading musicians of today who were going to accompany my guru for her concert that evening and very kindly consented to play for me before their concert. Understanding my nervousness, they gave me full support to make my debut concert a success.", he says. When asked what is the greatest advice he has received, he says "To Keep my ears open to all forms of music, derive inspirations and assimilate all off them in order to improve my own capabilities" a lesson not taught directly but what he saw in his guru Sri KVN, who assimilated different styles of classical music to make a style of his own.