Quality Carnatic music in the Netherlands and nearby Europe — for every kind of listener, and a community that grows with the music.
I’m Prudhvi Gali, 26. I grew up in Hyderabad, India, moved to the Netherlands for studies, and am settled here now. By profession I’m a mechanical engineer; by passion I’m a vocalist. I believe there is no end to any art form — learning is perennial — and I also love teaching.
I started Sound Of Carnatic to host quality music events for listeners of every level — beginner to advanced — in the Netherlands and neighbouring EU countries.
The idea is not only high-level concerts. We also want evenings that feel beginner-friendly and audience-focused. Music is more enjoyable with a trained ear, so helping audiences listen better is an important goal for us.
Sound Of Carnatic is more than an events organiser. It is a welcoming community of musicians at different stages of their journey — and a circle of friends who collaborate when we meet. Alongside music, we often play with small technical–creative projects: math or science meeting music, usually informal and for the joy of it rather than as standing products.
We are also building a network of teachers. Meet them on our teachers page.
Since 2023 we have hosted Dikshitar Jayanthi every year around April, and we intend to keep that tradition going.
Carnatic music is the classical music tradition of South India. It is built on melody, rhythm, and improvisation — with deep attention to voice, composition, and the relationship between artist and listener.
Think of colour in a room: change the light, and the mood shifts. A raga is like that for music — a melodic pattern or outline that carries a feeling. For someone used to Western music, it is related to a scale, but not quite the same: a raga also guides which notes to emphasise, how phrases move, and what mood the piece leans toward.
In short: rhythm. Laya is the sense of pulse — walking pace versus a run. Talam (or tala) is the repeating cycle you can count and clap, like bars in a song, but often longer and more patterned. Together they keep melody grounded so improvisation can soar without losing the beat.
Within tradition, artists expand ragas and rhythms in the moment — imagination guided by training, listening, and years of practice.
If you’d like to support Sound Of Carnatic and the concerts, tributes, and community evenings we put on, you can contribute below.
Teachers and students: explore MySwara, our private portal for curriculum, practice, and feedback. Or visit our teachers page to discover mentors.