The Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival is the largest Indian classical music festival outside of India. It was first celebrated in 1978 and has now grown to be a 12-day festival with more than 10,000 attendees with 5,000 appearing for the opening weekend. The year 2025 is the Festival's 45th year.

Schedule:

7:00am: Puja and Worship
7:15am: Mangala Isai
8:00am - 8:45am: Bhajans by Children
9:00am - 10:45am: Pancharathna Krithis Group singing of Thyagaraja's five greatest compositions

11:15am - 12:15pm: The Sishyakulam Epic Choir
Conceptualized by Sangeetha Rathnakara Neyveli R. Santhanagopalan, this ensemble brings together musicians from across North America for the grandest stage event in Carnatic music

12:30pm - 1:30pm: Vivaadita Anunaadam Consonance in Dissonance
Concept and Presentation by Jay Shankar Balan of MI

1:45pm - 3:30pm: Sherthalai Dr K.N. Renganatha Sharma (Vocal)
B.V. Raghavendra Rao (violin)
Myan Sudharsanan of WA (mridangam)
G. Chandrasekara Sharma (ghatam)

4:00pm - 6:30pm: Sangeetha Rathnakara Ramnad V. Raghavan Memorial Concert
Sustaining Sampradaya Tribute to T.R. Subrahmanyam
A concert by the torch-bearers of the Cleveland Festival

6:45pm - 7:30pm: Book Release
Compositions of Spencer Venugopal
Matr Pitr Acharya Devo Bhava, by Acharya Rathnakara Dr Premeela Gurumurthy
Mahaperiyava Paamalai by Sugandhisri Krishnamoorthi
Biography of Palghat Rama Bhagavatar, by Sivapriya Krishnan

7:45pm - 9:30pm: Sangeetha Rathnakara D. Raghava Chary (Vocal)
Sangeetha Kala Sagaram V.V.S. Murari (violin)
Ethirajan Ramanujan of MN (mridangam)
Alathur T. Rajaganesh (ghatam)

Drinko Recital Hall

11:00am - 12:00pm: Veena Pusthaka Dharini
A presentation by disciples of Tiruvarur S. Girish

12:15pm - 1:15pm: Thyagaraja Gurum Aashraye
Directed & Presented by Bhargavi Balasubramanian

1:30pm - 2:30pm: Swararohanam
A thematic group presentation conducted by R. Suryaprakash

2:45pm - 3:45pm: Dikshitar's Vaara Krithis
Presented by students of Kalyanapuram S. Aravind S. Venkataraman (harmonium)
Soham Kaje of IL (mridangam)

Comfort Inn Ballroom

10:00pm - 11:00pm: Odhuvar M. Muthukumaran (Vocal)
Mithuran Manogaran of ON (violin)
M. Sivakumar (mridangam)

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