I recently had the wonderful opportunity of performing in Sree Neelakanta Sivan Sangeetha Sabha (SNSSS) in July 2017 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. This was my first concert outside Singapore, and it provided greater insight into the professional world of Carnatic musicians. SNSSS is a Sabha (music academy) that was founded in memory of Sree Neelakanta Sivan, a Carnatic music composer. He has composed many songs, including the highly popular Ananda Natamaduvar Tillai. This Sabha conducts an Aradhana festival (in memory of Sree Neelakanta Sivan), every year, and many different artistes, from upcoming talents to world-renowned maestros, take part in this festival every year. Having previously only been an audience member when I attended concerts in the Music Academy in Chennai, I was unsure of what to expect as a performer. I barely knew my accompanying artistes, as compared to Singapore, where many in the Carnatic music scene know each other well. The concert went well, in part due to the great skill of my accompanying artistes, and I was happy to share my music with many more people.

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 - Sabapathy Ramana (co-founder)