The violin duo from India, internationally known as the Violin Sisters, consists of sisters Lalitha and Nandini Muthuswamy from the state of Tamil Nadu. Their music is rooted in the centuries-old traditions of Carnatic music from southern India. They come from a distinguished musical family: their grandfather and teacher was V. Lakshminarayana Iyer, while their uncles include the renowned violinists L. Vaidyanathan, L. Subramaniam, and L. Shankar. The latter two are also well known in the West for their collaborations with prominent musicians such as Peter Gabriel, George Harrison, and John McLaughlin.

Nandini and Lalitha have been performing as a duo since 1985 and have recorded dozens of albums together. In addition to their deep knowledge of Carnatic musical traditions—at the festival they will perform works by South Indian classical composers—they are also well acquainted with Western music and open to various forms of fusion. Their concerts often feature a rāga ālāpana, an improvisational section in which they explore the many sounds and colors of traditional rāgas while showcasing their creativity and virtuosity.

These distinguished ambassadors of Indian culture have performed at dozens of festivals around the world and have even played at the Vatican for Pope Francis on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth. They also regularly give lectures and conduct workshops on traditional Indian music at universities across Western Europe and the United States.

Although they have performed at WMFB before (in 2019 at the Mirror Hall of the Primate’s Palace), we believe their music will once again win over new listeners while delighting those who have long been their admirers.