Shiva Bhakti Vilāsam – A thematic ensemble at Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, 2026

Delighted to announce registrations for the upcoming thematic ensemble presentation, “Shiva Bhakti Vilāsam” — a musical celebration of Lord Shiva through the timeless works of great Carnatic composers at the Cleveland Thyagaraja Aradhana, 2026.

This production will feature a curated blend of popular masterpieces and rare gems, highlighting the resonant spectrum of Shiva-bhakti expressed in the compositions of Sadguru Tyagaraja, Muttuswami Dikshitar, Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi, Gopalakrishna Bharati, Papanasam Sivan and several others.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• Learn and present iconic compositions on Lord Shiva through an engaging experience
• Learn these masterpieces through video resources of master classes taught by Vid. Bhargavi Balasubramanian, along with notations
• Explore the melodic and rhythmic intricacies of these creations
• Be part of a presentation celebrating devotion and musical heritage

Eligibility:

Students with a training of at least 3 years and a repertoire of a minimum of 12-15 Varnams/Krtis are welcome to register for this ensemble.

Rehearsals:

Online rehearsals: Every Sunday night (IST) from Feb 8 to March 29, focusing on learning, internalising, and refining the ensemble pieces. The weekly rehearsals will be conducted by Vid. Bhargavi & Vid. Dharini and the timings, details will be announced as soon the registration process is completed.

Live Rehearsals at Cleveland:
Wednesday, April 1 – 9 30 AM – 12 30 PM & 3 PM – 8 PM
Thursday, April 2 (morning) – 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM (final run-through and refinements)

Attendance for rehearsals (online and in-person) will be very important to ensure a cohesive and high-quality presentation.
All participants are requested to plan their travel so as to arrive in Cleveland by March 31, enabling full participation in the live rehearsals.