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RAJAS: led by Rajna Swaminathan

The Vedantic term "rajas" refers to the inner human energy that compels us to act, to pursue our passions, to create, and to preserve ourselves. Spearheaded by mrudangam artist Rajna Swaminathan, the project provides a forum to collectively contemplate new possibilities for musical concepts and sensibilities stemming from the Indian classical idiom.

Rajna Swaminathan, mrudangam
Miles Okazaki, guitar
Stephan Crump, bass
Anjna Swaminathan, violin
Maria Grand, tenor saxophone

Music composed by Rajna Swaminathan

RAJNA SWAMINATHAN is an accomplished mrudangam (South Indian percussion) artist, a protégé of mrudangam legend Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman. She has performed with several renowned Indian classical musicians, most notably mentor and vocalist T.M. Krishna. Over the past few years, she has been studying and collaborating with eminent musicians in New York's jazz and creative music scene, including Vijay Iyer, Steve Coleman, Miles Okazaki, and Amir ElSaffar. Rajna leads the ensemble RAJAS, which collectively explores new textural and improvisational horizons at the nexus of Indian classical and creative music traditions. She is also a composer-performer for dance and theater works. She has toured widely with the acclaimed company Ragamala Dance, and has collaborated with playwright Anu Yadav. Rajna regularly teaches workshops on the South Indian rhythmic perspective, most prominently at the Banff International Workshop for Jazz and Creative Music, and the Percussive Arts Society International Convention. Rajna holds degrees in Anthropology and French from the University of Maryland, College Park. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Music at Harvard University. www.rajnaswaminathan.com