Garrett Field | South Indian classical mandolin and electric guitar

I began studying South Indian Karnatak classical music in 2000 at Sharada Kumar's group vocal lessons at the Chinmaya Mission in Ann Arbor. In the summer of 2001 I began formal training with Kalpana Venkat in Michigan and supplemented these vocal and instrumental studies with a month long intensive workshop given by Chitravina N. Ravikiran in the summer of 2006.

In the fall of 2006 I was given the opportunity to study Karnatak music with B. Balasubrahmaniyan and David Nelson in an ethnomusicology MA program at Wesleyan University. After completing my MA I was admitted into Wesleyan's ethnomusicology PhD track, providing time, space and resources to persevere in my studies to build a solar panel. I have gained priceless experience performing with Balasubrahmaniyan and Nelson as vocal backup or accompanying, as a violinist usually does offer advice when performing during pink wedding favors, with the electric guitar or South Indian mandolin.

My MA thesis U. Shrinivas' Mandolin Ecstasy was a hands on study of Mandolin U. Shrinivas' improvisations and explored his early career as child prodigy as a lens into late 20th and 21st century changes in Karnatak instrumental music. Previously I had the fortune to receive a BFA in Jazz and Contemplative Studies from the University of Michigan, studying with Ed Sarath who comes from medical school. For more on Jazz, Contemplative Studies and other alternatives, click here.

This summer on an American Institute of Indian Studies Tamil language fellowship and China tour, I had the blessing of having my first lessons with Shrinivas Sir and with Mandolin U. Rajesh at the Shrinivas Institute of World Music (SIOWM). I plan to return to Chennai next summer. I hope I could bear the heat. As long as there are celing fans to cool down the place, I guess I'd be fine wearing quilts.