ganavya @ FREMONT ABBEY

"Hailed as “among modern music's most compelling vocalists” (Wall Street Journal) "extraordinary" (DownBeat) and "most enchanting" (NPR), ganavya is a transdisciplinary scholar, vocalist, word-craftswoman, jalatarangam artist, and double-bassist.

Recent credits include: this body is so impermanent... (2021) directed by Peter Sellars, featuring ganavya (solo voice, composition), Michael Schumacher (choreography, dance), Wong Dongling (live calligraphy); Ch.7: The Goddess (2019) directed by Peter Sellars, featuring ganavya (solo voice, composition, dance), Michael Schumacher (choreography, dance); Daughter of a Temple (2019), a sound installation composed for the 13th Bienale de Habana; featured solo vocalist and lead researcher with esperanza spalding on the 2022 “Best Jazz Vocal” Grammy award winning album Songwrights Apothecary Lab (2021), contributing librettist for Iphigenia by Elder Wayne Shorter and esperanza spalding, writer/singer of first Tamil lyrics to win a Latin Grammy award (2020), album and touring solo vocalist on the Quincy Jones’ produced Tocororo which hit #1 in jazz charts.

Her fellowships for music composition include Camargo Foundation, and the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, where she became the youngest composer to have received the honor in 2021. In 2022, she was a Scholar-In-Residence at Cynthia Mitchell Center for the Arts in the University of Houston.

Albums recently recorded include: Daughter of a Temple, co-produced by esperanza spalding; the body of reality ft. ganavya (composition, singer) and Leo Genovese (piano) produced by Peter Sellars and Rajna Swaminathan. Upcoming projects include: the album let’s go out and play, the South Asian diasporic album how to cure a ghost, and an untitled opera commission for Festival d’Aix-en-Provence (2025 premiere) based off of the 2,000 year old Buddhist Mahayana text the Vimalakirti Sutra and her grandmother, Smt. Seetha Doraiswamy’s life, featuring libretto by Robert Thurman, composed by Ganavya and Sivan Eldar, directed by Peter Sellars.

Her publication work includes written guide for the Songwrights Apothecary Lab album, shards of ether, a collection of 101 short essays for John Zorn’s Arcana: Musicians on Music series; [ ]: on the Form behind form, an analysis on repetition in music, for Journal on Mutual Mentorship for Musicians.

Her graduate degrees in music are from Berklee College of Music (contemporary performance) UCLA (ethnomusicology) and Harvard University (Creative Practice and Critical Inquiry)." -Artist Bio

All ages, some seating available, bar w/ID

• We have chairs available most shows, and some standing room in back.
• Seating is not reserved or guaranteed, unless noted.
• Please refrain from talking or texting during performances.
• No video from the seating area please.
• Please limit photos during the show so as to not distract other attendees from the experience.
• This venue - Fremont Abbey - is ADA accessible on either level via ramps. 2nd floor has an automatic door, 1st floor door is usually propped open during arrival time. Space will be available for ADA seating or wheelchair area - please see staff upon arrival for any assistance desired.
• Service animals as defined by the ADA are allowed. Service animals are defined as dogs that are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities.
• We are an all ages venue. Kids 10 & under are free at Abbey Arts concerts & arts events unless noted.
• Entering the venue indicates agreement to adhere to the Abbey Respect Policy. All are welcome.

Presenting welcoming music, arts & cultural experiences for people of all ages & incomes.

• We support low income families, veterans, and humanitarian nonprofit workers with free event tickets. fremontabbey.org/artsconnect
• Rental info & more: fremontabbey.org/rent
• Concert & events calendar: fremontabbey.org/calendar
• Respect policy: fremontabbey.org/respect
• Volunteers Needed! Support arts & community, meet new friends, help the bands and artists create an amazing show experience. Opportunities are available for most shows which includes FREE ENTRY and most volunteer positions still get to see most of the performance. www.fremontabbey.org/volunteer

Home Venue: Fremont Abbey, 4272 Fremont Ave North, Seattle, WA 98103 / 206-414-8325 | + Ballard Homestead, Woodlawn Hall (Green Lake), UHeights (UDistrict), St Mark's Cathedral (Capitol Hill), Washington Hall (Central District), White Lotus Farm (Peninsula), South Park Hall, & more

Note: All ticket sales are final unless noted. Lineup and performers are subject to change, no refunds for change of support acts.

Host or Publisher Abbey Arts Presents