Columbus Carnatic Music Association is a community based, not for profit, cultural association which arranges concerts and dance programs from South India. Carnatic Music Concerts form the mainstay of the offerings, along with Bharathanatyam and the other performing arts of South India. We have featured some of the most senior musicians and artists as well as up and coming stars of the younger generation.
We have featured artists from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. We strive to arrange a diverse set of programs each year with both vocal and instrumental concerts by artists from a variety of regions. We like to spot new talent as well as recognize those who uphold the grand traditions of yesteryear. CCMA has made a special effort to promote instrumental concerts. We had concerts on the flute, the veena, the violin, the nadaswaram and the chitraveena . We will continue to promote the tradition of instruments in Carnatic music.
A dedicated executive committee and the support of the members and the community have helped us maintain a strong cultural presence in Central Ohio. We have reached out and collaborated with several local colleges and universities. We are entirely a volunteer run organization. Our mission is to arrange concerts and dance programs of South India. Enrich the community with such events as well as cultural and educational opportunities for students of the performing arts.
We have conducted very successful children’s music competitions. Children from as far as Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. have come to participate in these competitions. The children’s music competition is now called the S. Tyagaraja Rao Memorial Children’s Carnatic Music Competition to honor the memory and contributions of our late founding executive committee member, Sri. S.T. Rao October 12, 1937 – February 1, 2011. Rao Mama’s energy, vision, advice, support and love for Carnatic Music cannot be overstated. Both he and Lalitha Rao were an integral part of everything we did at CCMA from the founding until his passing in early 2011. He is greatly missed but we rededicate ourselves in his memory and continue the work of promoting Carnatic Music in our community.
