During the year 2012, Duke Sangeet and UNC Sangeet (Sangeet means music in the Sanskrit language) had an enthusiastic beginning and made good progress to introduce the Duke and UNC communities to the exquisite South Asian classical arts. Our accomplishments included two formal Carnatic concerts performed by artists from India, and two interactive workshops about Hindustani music and classical Indi
an dance. The above events have shown significant impact toward educating the Duke and UNC community about these exquisite arts, and also to entertain them with the outstanding but unreachable South Asian arts. We have established effective collaboration with the Duke Center of South Asian Studies, UNC Department of Music, Duke Student Government, UNC Sangam, North Carolina Youth Classical Arts for Charity, and the community members. We have advanced the mission of Duke and UNC Sangeet by effectively using the 2012 Kenan Biddle Grant, and supplementing the grant with fundraising from external sources and community donors. As we strive to establish our fundraising as well as programming protocols, we are excited that the Kenan Biddle Partnership Committee will be financially supporting the Duke UNC South Asian Classical Music Partnership for another year. The Duke-UNC South Asian Classical Music Partnership was formed in the year 2012 by Sudarshan Mohan, Abhishek Balakrishnan, and Deepti Shroff, all of whom have undergone many years of voice and instrumental training from professional music educators and artists from the Indian subcontinent. These student musicians from Duke and UNC campuses, who are now the officers of Duke Sangeet and UNC Sangeet, are supported by faculty members who have a track record of successful collaborative activity in the fields of ethnomusicology and exotic art forms. The Duke-UNC South Asian Classical Music Partnership is a cooperative initiative between Duke and UNC music students, faculty, and student groups. This partnership seeks to nurture South Asian classical music, which consists of the Carnatic and Hindustani art forms, and to present an immersion experience to the university communities. Through this mission, we work toward enhancing the campus diversity and foster cultural awareness among students and faculty in both universities. The Duke-UNC South Asian Classical Music Partnership also collaborates with local classical music and South Asian awareness groups, such as the North Carolina Consortium for South Asian Studies and the North Carolina Youth Classical Arts for Charity. Through these partnerships, we believe that we can provide a wholesome perspective of South Asian Classical Music to our campus communities. In addition to supporting this primary goal, the Kenan-Biddle Partnership will also strengthen the Duke Sangeet and UNC Sangeet organizations, which are devoted to conducting Indian Classical Music concerts and interactive workshops in both Duke and UNC campuses.
