Vani Sateesh

Vani Sateesh was born in Bangalore, Karnataka. She hails from a family of Carnatic musicians going back many generations. Her great grandfather Mundarigi Narasimhachar (1855–1940) belonged to Haridasa Parampara of Vijaya Dasaru, a prominent Haridasa of Karnataka. Her grandfather Mundarigi Raghavendrachar (1896–1944) was a musician well versed in many disciplines of music and was a professor of music at Queen Mary college in Chennai (contemporary of Prof P. Sambamurthy). Her father, Sangeetha Kala Ratna (awarded by Bangalore Gayana Samaja) Bellary. M. Venkateshachar is a carnatic classical vocalist and her uncle Bellary M Sheshagiri Achar was a Vaggeyakara (composer of lyrics and music). Her uncle and father were known as 'Bellary Brothers' and performed in most parts of India during the 1950s and 1960s. The recent lineage of five generations popularly known as 'Vishesha Parampara' spans over 130 years. Every generation has been actively involved in teaching, performing, composing and spreading fine arts knowledge in many remote parts of Karnataka. Thousands of students have come in contact with this family and many of them have put themselves into the service of the fine arts in their own way.

Vani Sateesh's initial training was under the tutelage of her uncle Bellary M. Sheshagiri Achar. She later learnt from her father Bellary M. Venkateshachar and then from her brother Bellary M Raghavendra. She is currently under the tutelage of Padmabhushana Sri P.S.Narayanaswamy, direct disciple of Sangeetha Kalanidhi Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer.

Vani started performing at a young age. Her first concert was at the age of 10; since then she has gone on to give numerous concerts in reputed Sabhas both in India and abroad. As a performer, she concentrates on all aspects of performances including intonations, stage presence, building rapport with accompanying artists, and connecting with audiences. In her earlier days, she gave numerous tala vadya concerts. She has also performed many jugalbandi with known Hindustani classical musicians. Vani Sateesh is an "A" grade artist of All India Radio and a "B High" Graded Composer of All India Radio. She has completed her Master in Music from University of Mysore and also has received an Indian Government Scholarship for Young Artists.

Vani Sateesh's style of singing is rich with traditional Carnatic music with emphasis on bhakti rasa. Her performances have been reviewed by critics as 'Lively and Inspiring'; 'Filled with Bhava and Gambirya'; 'Ability to instantaneously transition from a Ghana raga to lighter rendition'; 'Music delivered effortlessly and flawlessly'; 'Sruti Shudha' etc.

• Concert Review April 2009
• Hindu Friday Review
• Concert Review June 2009

• Official website