Improvisation Workshop With Roopa Mahadevan on Thursday

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Roopa Mahadevan

Indian music artist Roopa Mahadevan will hold a two-hour workshop working with students on the crossover improvisation style for singers and instrumentalists.

Bring your voice and your instrument to learn some rhythmical and melodical formulas that can help spice up your jazz improvisation or music compositions.

The workshop will be from 3-5 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, in the Epley Band Building-Janzen Hall (room 128). This event is free and open to the public.

Hailed as a "stirring voice" by the New York Times, Mahadevan is a leading second-generation Indian classical and crossover vocalist in the American diaspora, known for her powerful, emotive voice, versatility and collaborative spirit. She leads the crossover ensemble Roopa in Flux, where she works with musicians in jazz, soul/R&B and various global traditions; directs the innovative choir Navatman Music Collective; and sings for leading Bharathanatyam and modern dancers around the world.

Mahadevan trained in Carnatic vocal under Asha Ramesh and further under Suguna Varadachari in India; she also learned Bharathanatyam under Indumathy Ganesh. Mahadevan has performed in diverse venues such as Chennai's Music Academy during the December festival and Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, which awarded her the title "Kala Ratna," as well as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, MET Museum, Joe's Pub and more.

She is a soloist on Christopher Tin's Grammy Award-winning Calling All Dawns and has been selected for residencies at the Banff Center for Arts and Creativity, Hedgebrook and Ryder Farm, among others. Mahadevan is a graduate of Stanford University and a U.S. Fulbright Program scholar.

The workshop is made possible by the RA-VE Cultural Foundation.