Hemmige Srivatsan, Keshavan Srivatsan and Hari Srivatsan shared the stage with mridangam artiste Pranav Tirumalai at KKSF’s NextGen Music Program in Milpitas.
Three violinists occupied the centre of the stage, with a mridangam player seated alongside them. The arrangement brought together Hemmige Srivatsan, Keshavan Srivatsan and Hari Srivatsan for a Carnatic violin presentation in Milpitas on September 20. Pranav Tirumalai accompanied the trio on the mridangam.
The concert was part of the NextGen Music Program organised by the Kanchi Kamakoti Seva Foundation, USA. Held over two days on September 19 and 20, the programme brought Bay Area musicians, teachers, students and cultural organisations together under the theme “Nurturing Talent, Preserving Tradition, Building the Future.”
Three violins on a shared stage
The concert placed the three violinists in an ensemble, each musician took part in the unfolding of the presentation, while the mridangam provided its rhythmic framework. The format required the artistes to listen and respond to one another as the musical phrases moved between the three violins. For younger musicians, such a setting offers an experience different from a lesson, rehearsal or individual recital. Sharing a concert platform requires attention not only to one’s own playing but also to the direction of the ensemble.
The presence of an experienced musician within the group also made the process of transmission visible. What is usually developed through years of private instruction and practice could be seen on a public stage, as musical ideas were introduced, followed and carried forward.
A two-day community programme
The violin concert was one among several presentations included in the NextGen programme.
Saturday’s schedule opened with Vasantha Krishnan and Sriram Krishnan of nAdAlayA, San Jose. This was followed by a Sri KVN Parampara presentation featuring Subhapriya Srivatsan and Hemmige Srivatsan.
The Global Organization for Divinity presented two afternoon programmes. The day concluded with a presentation by the International Academy of Indian Music, represented by Shivkumar Bhat and Kasthuri Shivakumar of Fremont.
Sunday began with SwaraRaaga, presented by Sowmya Subramanian, followed by Triveni Raga Sangamam. Sri Hari Devanath’s Sri Paduka Academy took the noon slot, while Vikram Ragukumar and the Rasikapriya School of Arts performed in the afternoon.
The Carnatic violin trio followed at 3 p.m. The two-day event concluded with CarnatiCalifornia, represented by Surabhi Vijay of San Jose.
Together, the programmes offered a view of the network through which Carnatic music is taught and practised in the Bay Area. Music schools, independent teachers, families and community organisations each form part of that network.
Learning beyond the classroom
Much of a young musician’s development takes place away from public view. Lessons are followed by practice at home, rehearsals are fitted around school and work, and families often take responsibility for transportation, scheduling and concert preparation.
Community programmes bring this work before a wider audience. They also allow students from different schools and teaching traditions to hear one another and become part of a musical community beyond their immediate classrooms.
Performing with senior artistes adds another dimension to that experience. It allows younger musicians to observe how an ensemble communicates during a live presentation and how individual contributions become part of a collective performance.
For the audience, the format provides a view of tradition as an active process rather than something preserved only through memory. The music continues through teaching, listening and repeated opportunities to perform.
As the mridangam marked the rhythmic cycle and the musical line passed among the three violins, the event’s theme found a practical expression: a tradition remains alive when successive generations are given the opportunity to learn, participate and share the stage.
Event details
Event: NextGen Music Program
Organiser: Kanchi Kamakoti Seva Foundation, USA
Dates: September 19 and 20, 2026
Venue: 1521 California Circle, Milpitas, California
Featured concert: Hemmige Srivatsan, Keshavan Srivatsan and Hari Srivatsan on violin, accompanied by Pranav Tirumalai on mridangam