documentary films
COLONIAL INTERLUDE: An award winning 37 minute documentary film on the Indo-Colonial Music of composer Muthuswami Dikshitar (1775-1835). Based on the author's research and music recording in 2008. Seeded with Grant support from the Ohio Arts Council.
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COLONIAL INTERLUDE: Explore the story of this fascinating encounter between two diverse musical traditions in Colonial India when composer Dikshitar wrote sanskrit lyrics to tunes that came in with the East India Company.
Featuring footage from temples, festivals, and interviews with folk music performers from the Cincinnati area, the film offers a breathtaking view of eighteenth-century European tunes that traveled across the world and took on varied forms in India and in the United States..
*Best Documentary Film Award at the Cincinnati Indian Film Festival 2023.
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*Best Documentary Film Award at the Boston Indian Film Festival 2023.
“...an extraordinary story that I knew nothing about. It has really changed my view about music making and the power of music to bring people together.”.
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Maestro John Morris Russell—Director of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra
“The work that Dr. Kannikeswaran is doing is invaluable in that by the capacity of forging these fusions, by allowing the richness of our musical tradition to engage with the richness of Western musical traditions we have brought the wealth of our knowledge and our traditions to audiences around the world.”
Ms Sripriya Ranganathan
Deputy Chief of Mission
Embassy of India, Washington DC
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Musical Documentary on the History of Yoga backed by a research publication. Featuring an original music score performed by over 20 emerging stars in Indian music. (June 2021)
".. Words are inadequare to describe the aesthetic joy. A simply beautiful creative program. There is no doubt that the fruits of real yogi could be experienced..."
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Padma Bhushan Dr. R. Nagaswamy
on Yog Darshan
talks
'Building Communities through Choral Music', presented at TedX University of Cincinnati in 2015.
An intro to 'The Malhaar Concerto' at the International Water Conference, Singapore, 2009.
"Ancient Chants for World Peace" Concluding Talk/Performance at INK Talks Mumbai, India with a choir peopled by children from underprivileged backgrounds in Dharavi, Mumbai.
Panel discussion on Chennai Times (Times of India) with Leading Singer Kaushiki Chakraborty, Sai Shravanam on the making of the video 'Rivers of India'.
Intro to 'The Rising Sun' concert highlighting ASIA's role in the emerging world, presented at the Asian Pacific American Forum, General Electric in 2016.
An interview on the History of Yoga.
ARTICLES
Interview featured in a compendium of thoughts penned by a curated set of 75 people of Indian origin all over the world, on the occasion of the 75th year of India's independence.
Choir Quarantined - Beyond Music, Technology and Community Building The Quarantine silences us; but a bright world awaits us. (2020)
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Music, Media and Storytelling, In conjunction with the Media Rise Festival, Huffington Post (2013)
Tirumular and the Tamil Yoga Connection , published in the Journal of Dharma Studies, Springer Nature.
'Music and Dance' chapter in 'Modern India' published by ABC-CLIO. (2019) ""Useful for both undergraduates and general readers interested in learning more about modern India."—Library Journal, March 1, 2020
BLOGS
Tradition, Classicism and Innovation in Karnatic Music (2015) (Reposted)
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The Chaturdandi Prakasika and the Chatur Pandit. (2013)
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The Nightingale will sing no more - On Lakshmi Shankar (2013)
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Music in a post pandemic world. (2020)
The Rivers of India - A Musical tribute to the magical Life-Sustaining Divinities.
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Remembering Tirumular and the Tamil Yoga Connection on World Yoga Day.
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The Meaning of Bahubali (2017)
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Navaratri Reflections on 2000 year old Tamil verses in praise of Durga.