We have hit 80% of our fundraising goal, thanks to all the donors! At this point, we need just 14 more donations. If you haven't already, please lend your support for a good cause.

A quick reminder about the next concert coming up this weekend. Its generating quite a buzz as it features the winner of Carnatic Music Idol 2012, Hariharan Ravi, accompanied by Shiva Ramamurthi on the violin and Vignesh Venkataraman on the mridangam. Don't miss it! Stop by the usual venue on Sunday between 1-4 pm.

As we admire and revel in the talent, sometimes it helps to step back and acknowledge the people who make it possible. Check out our blog honoring the wonderful moms who sacrificed so much of their lives and keep on giving. These beautiful ladies deserve a big round of applause and appreciation!

Help us reach our goal. Make a donation today. And don't forget to join us this weekend for an afternoon of soulful music!

Give yourself a pat in the back. Over the past week, our fundraising campaign blazed past the 50% milestone, thanks to you! We have now reached 70% of our goal. If you've been thinking about contributing but have been putting it off, now is the time to step in and show your support!

Many young and talented musicians who performed at Hamsadhwani have gone on to win accolades and appreciation elsewhere. All of us should be incredibly proud of their accomplishments, having played a small but significant part in their respective musical journeys. What if we brought the best of these young musicians together under one roof again? For one day?

Hamsadhwani is proud to announce the 25th program in our concert series - the 2014 Youth Festival - to be held in June 2014. Look up the schedule here. Mark your calendars. Prepare yourself to be spellbound by sublime music performed by artistes aspiring to touch the peak of their craft.

Of course, this is only made possible by contributions from you. Please consider making a donation today if you haven't already.

Our fundraising is chugging along, thanks to the families that have mailed a check or donated online. Did you know that families that donate $100 or more will be able download and listen to 'high-quality' audio recordings from each concert? 

"During the initial days of Hamsadhwani, though the audio quality in the hall was acceptable, recording the live performances was a bit of a challenge," says Naga, our resident sound engineer / President. "We had tried the audio recorders used in the classes to record, but the recording quality was not acceptable. There were all sorts of noises from static to a baby crying during a niraval. Great performances like Delhi Sunderrajan-sir's Sobillu, Nishant Chandran's Madyamavathi, Ramakrishnan Murthi's RTP went without any recording. I could mention them just from my memory, such was the impact," he rues.

Read his blog post to see how we tried various alternatives until we finally solved the problem. All this to make sure you and your children can listen to quality music. After all, the sound of music captures the integrity of the musician. And maybe touches your soul.

The fundraising needle is moving slowly but surely. If you haven't already, please take a few minutes to do your part to support the community and musicians.

Our 2014 Fundraising Campaign is well under way and a trickle of donations has started coming in. Many thanks to those of you who acted promptly.

Do you ever wonder why live concerts are important, in particular, for your children? We approached and posed the question to two very eminent musicians that we know. 

"What we attain by listening to music is unparalleled," says Sri. Delhi P Sunderrajan. "The guru teaches you the principles of a raaga and how it can be presented. Only when you listen to a concert do you get to know how these principles are implemented practically on stage."

Mridangam maestro Sri. Neyveli R Narayanan concurs. He believes that "techniques like fingering, posture, rare strokes, are all visible only in a live concert. Accompanying any artist is a challenge by itself, and listening to a variety of live concerts is key to understanding the dimensions and depth of music."

They were kind enough to record and share their thoughts in these videos posted on our blog. Many artistes who performed at HCMA also performed in India during the music season, winning recognition and accolades from the public. Hamsadhwani proudly makes such high-quality live concerts accessible to you.

Here's your chance to promote the local music community and encourage young artistes. For your convenience, donations can be made online or via mail, if not in person.

Wish you all a very Happy New Year! 

Hamsadhwani Carnatic Music Academy (HCMA) is what it is today because of supporters like yourself. What started as a small group's initiative has become a community movement. The concerts have provided a great platform for young musicians and an opportunity for the community to have immersive musical experiences.

Since our humble beginnings, Hamsadhwani has been funded by donations from the community. During 2013, some donors recommended that the fundraising be limited to a short 'campaign window' with a funding goal and regular updates to track progress. This idea has been implemented in 2014.

Yes. The 2014 Fundraising Campaign is here!

• The campaign begins today, Friday, Jan 10th.
• Over the next 8 weeks, weekly emails, facebook posts, and blogs will keep you updated on the progress.
• The goal is to raise at least $6000, our budget for 2014.
• The budget covers the 7 concerts that have already been scheduled.
• It accommodates one additional 'floating' concert that will be scheduled during the year.
• Please note that 100% of the funds raised are used to pay for actual expenses like hall rental and artiste compensation only. HCMA's organizers and volunteers make sure that we have near-zero overhead costs.
• There is no minimum, but the suggested donation is $100 per family.
• All donations will be tax exempt, pending HCMA's 501-3(c) application approval (expected in early 2014).

Please support your music community and young musicians. Donate online or mail a check today!