About Artistic Director
Ampili Pillai is a Carnatic vocalist and a music educator. As a vocalist, she enthralls the stage with the vocal clarity of lyrics, unique range, and reach with articulated emphasis on voice and virtuosity. She specializes in doting the exquisite timbre of stylization to captivate her audience to the fullest. As a music educator, Ampili's teaching focuses on the technical aspects of music, including Sruthi (Pitch), Swaras (music notes), Raga ( Scale), and Taala ( Time measure). This approach of engaging her students in the foundational aspects of Carnatic music has prepared them to imbibe the subtle nuances of Indian classical music. Ampili's students thus excel in both the theoretical and practical aspects of music, ultimately immersing themselves in the captivating power of music through its rendition, appreciation, and dissemination.
Ampili has accompanied many well-known Bharathanatyam dancers as the lead vocalist. Her rich, vivid, and expressive singing complements the emotive aspects of the dancer's performance. She understands the apt 'bhava' or expression in bringing out the nuances, a prerequisite in both art forms. Ampili was a lead vocalist in many cross-cultural works, and the power of her music was encapsulated in these musical productions. She envisions Indian classical music as a pivotal path for generations to come in their quest for music.
Education and training:
- Bachelors, Masters and M.Phil. in Music
- Foundation with her mother and notable Gurus: Mrs Pankajam, Pattam Saraswathi, Mr. Haripad Gopinath
- University Gurus: Dr. Omana Kutty, Dr. Sujatha Gopalan, Mrs. Janaki Ammal, Dr. Latha Varma and Cherthala Dr.R Rangantha Sharma
Experience:
- Member of the Masterclass Teaching Fraternity of Nrityalaya since 2003
- Resident Vocalist at Bhaskar's Arts Academy since 2003
- Visiting Instructor at Global Indian International School since 2018
- Visiting Instructor at the National University of Singapore Centre for the Arts since 2018
Accomplishments:
- All India Radio Graded Artiste
- Master Class Vocalist versatile in accompaniment of Indian Dances such as Bharatanatyam, Mohini Attam, Kathakali and Kuchipudi
- Composed tunes for Kathakali songs in various languages, including Malay and Chinese
- Taught the 8-beat rhythm (Tala, similar to the Western Metre) and conducted workshops in Singapore Junior Colleges for the Overseas Exchange Programme.
- Held Nrityalaya's first Vocal Arangetram (2006)
- Released a music album called "Poonkuyil" (2014)
- Conferred the title "Sangitha Kala Nipuna" by Bhaskar's Arts Academy (2017)
Performances:
- Solo performance Taiwan Music Festival (2004)
- World Folk Song Festival in Beijing, China (2008)
- Vinayaka collaboration with Balinese musicians and dancers in Bali, Indonesia (2010)
- Chakra tour for 19th International Yoga Conference in Bangalore, India (2011)
- Lead vocalist for Suvarna Fine Arts' Krishnamayam in Johore, Malaysia (2014)
- Ramayana Mela in India (New Delhi, Patna & Kolkata) (2015)
- ASEAN Plus Ramayana Festival in Bangkok, Thailand (2016)
- 50th Anniversary of Dai Co Viet State in Ninh Binh Province, Vietnam (2018)
A Photo Journey
