Amirtha Kidambi is committed to the exploration, performance and investigation of new and creative musics. This includes Carnatic vocal, free-improvisation, experimental rock, and new music. Amirtha is a bandleader for Elder Ones as well as a soloist, collaborator, and ensemble member in groups like the early Renaissance-inspired dark folk band Seaven Teares. She also performed with the Ashcan Orchestra’s homemade analog percussion, visuals and vocal group Ashcan Orchestra. Amirtha has performed at a wide range of venues, including DIY spaces and concert halls such as Carnegie Hall, Silent Barn and The Kitchen. The debut album Power Ballads was released by the band Seaven Teares in 2013, which was recorded with Charlie Looker. The recent projects include Apollo’s Accidental Answer, a chamber opera performed with Pat Spadine’s Ashcan Orchestra. The premiere of Muhal Richard Abrams, founder of AACM, and legendary composer/pianist, Muhal Richard Abrams’ Dialogue Social by Darius Jones was followed by a Carnegie Hall debut. In October 2014, Aum Fidelity released an album. Recently, she premiered Ben Vida’s Slipping Control for voice u0026 electronics with Tyondai Braxton at Athens’ Borderline Festival. Amirtha was fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Robert Ashley, the late composer. They co-created WWW III (Just the Highlights) and Amirtha was a part of that group. Amirtha and Varispeed also premiered Robert Ashley’s final opera, CRASH, in the 2014 Whitney Biennial. The Varispeed ensemble performed the piece at Roulette for a Spring 2015 performance. Amirtha is thankful to have been selected as one of the 2014-2015 beneficiaries of The Jerome Foundation’s Roulette Emerging Artist Commission. Amirtha, with the support of the commission, will record and release a new album with Elder Ones in Spring 2016. The Silent Barn’s curatorial efforts focus on building community through interaction between groups that don’t often cross paths but share ideas musically as well as philosophically. These ideas are reflected in the series TONGUES, Traditional Indian and Experimental Music. This series features traditional Indian performances, both Hindustani-Carnatic, as well as contemporary musicians who experiment in electronic, free improvisation, composition, and other areas. Tongues featured Robbie Lee and Brian Chase as well as Shubhangi Sakhalkar and Che Chen. Amirtha is an activist and supporter for the Black Lives Matters Movement. She collaborated with Matana Roberts at Public Meetings, and with Peter Evans to put on an awareness concert and fundraiser in spring 2015 at The Silent Barn. Amirtha is a passionate anti-racist. This view is reflected in her activism as well as the music and collaborations she chooses. Amirtha holds a B.F.A. Loyola Marymount University awarded Amirtha a B.F.A. in Voice (Western Classical), and an M.M. She received her M.M. in Voice from CUNY Brooklyn College. Amirtha was appointed Director of Operations at ISSUE Project Room in Brooklyn in 2012. from www.amirthakidambi.com
