Praveen D. Rao Explained
| Praveen D. Rao |
| Occupation: | Multi-instrumentalist, composer, lyricist |
Praveen D. Rao is an Indian musician, music director and a lyricist for Kannada language songs. He is based in Bangalore, India and plays the keyboard, tabla, and other instruments.
Early life
He was trained by R. V. Sheshadri Gawai of Aravinda Sangeetha Vidyalaya and tabla player Ravindra Yavagal. Rao has composed music for plays, ballets, films, television shows and commercials.
Music direction
Films
Original scores for dance and theatre
Midlands Art Centre, UK
- Princess Aubergine (1995)
Chitraleka Dance Company, UK
- Panchatantra (1994)
- Kaishiki (1995)
- Ramayana (1996)
- Conference of Birds (2002)
Indira Thiagarajah, London
Abhinava Dance Company, Bangalore
- Datta Mahima
- Dwadashatma (1994)
- Spirit of Dance (1995)
- Manini (1995)
- Samarpan Sweekar (1998)
- Saath Saat (2000)
- Shringar Raam (2001)
- Prem Shanthi (2002)
- Nigah (2003)
- Ta Dha (2004)
- Mushti (2005)
- Tad Bharatham (2019)
Monica, Belgium
- Patanjali Yoga Sutra (2000)
- Meera (2003)
Radha Sridhar, Bangalore
Prabhath International, Bangalore
- Srinivasa Kalyana (2000)
- Shila Baalika (2001)
- Flute Fantasy (2001)
- Piscean Passion (2002)
Prabhat Kalavidaru, Bangalore
- Cinderella
- Karunamaya Shiva
Nadam Academy of Performing Arts
Rasika Dance Academy
Piali Ray, UK
Sampad Yuva, UK
- A Breath of Life
- Inequality (1993)
M. P. Suma, Bangalore
- Omkaara
- Vijaya Kalyana
- Vachana Vybhava
STEM contemporary dance theatre, Bangalore
Gig Payne, UK
- ConversationsPerforming Abilities of the Multiple Disabled (1994)
Pampa Dance Academy, USA
Sandesha, Mangalore
- Life of Jesus (2002)
- Jyothirgamaya (2003)
Padmini Ravi, Bangalore
ISKCON, Bangalore
- Chaitanya Mahaprabhu (2004)
Supriya Desai, USA
- Mahishasura Mardini
- Sri Krishna Parijatha (2003)
Maya Rao, Natya Institute of Kathak and Choreography, Bangalore
- Yashodara (2004)
- The Dust of Brij (2003)
- Sare Jahan Se Accha (July 2005)
Pushpanjali, Manchester
- Snow White (2004)
- Ramayana (July 2005)
Ramakrishna Vidyashala, Mysore
- Nritya Sangeeth Bharathi (2004)
- Sarva Dharma Samanvayacharya Sri Ramakrishna (2004)
Guy Hutchins, Moby Duck Theatre Company, UK
- Maze Maker (March 2004)
- Bopoluchi (November 2004)
- Fire Girl (January 2005)
- Bloodhands (August 2005)
- Granny Vampire (August 2006)
Sampradaya Dance Creations, Toronto
- Vivarta (March 2005)
- Shoonya
- Pralaya
North West Dance Alliance, Manchester
Threeaksha, Philadelphia, USA
- Abhika (2005 - 2006)
- Prayog (2007)
- Natya Shastra (2018)
Performances
Rao has performed at national and international festivals including Pattadakal Festival, Navaraspur Festival, Lord Mayor's Cultural Event 1994 (Birmingham), World Veerashaiva Conference 1997 (USA), World Konkani Conference 2002 (Texas), Soorya Festival, and Nishagandhi Festival. He has toured India and abroad performing and conducting workshops.
Other activities
He is the founder of the event management organization Prakruthi, an NGO that works towards a more environmentally-friendly India by bringing people into parks. Prakruthi increases awareness about Kannada literature and the culture of Karnataka through music, and organizes musical programs all over the state.
Recognition
- Aryabhatta Award1998, 2000, and 2010
- Swaramandara Award (Hombale Films)1998 and 2000
- G. V. Athri Award (Upasana)2000
- Silicon Jaycees Award2003
- Best music director award for Guptagamini, an ETV Kannada serial
- Kalāvatamsa title by Gokulam2010
- Colors Kannada Best Music Director for "Chitte Hejje"2014
- Colors Kannada Best Music Director for "Love Lavike"2016
- Sangeetha Ratnakara title from Shivapriya School of Dance2019
- Natya Sangeetha Saraswathi title from Natyasaraswathi Kuchipudi Dance Centre, Vijayawada2019
- Ananya Nritya Puraskar from Ananya Cultural Academy, Bangalore2019
- Shree Kala Jyothi title from the Bangalore Gayana Samaja2021
- Kala Chakravarthi title from Shivapriya School of Dance2022
- Karnataka Kalashri state award and title from Sangeetha Nritya Academy2022
Other works
As a composer, Rao has created his own musical style. He has scored theatre, ballet, film and television productions. Rao scored the music to M. S. Sathyu's short film Namak Ki Kankari (1996). As an arranger, he is known for fusing Hindustani music and Carnatic music with Western techniques and arranging background scores for various films. He has worked with theatre personalities including A. S. Murthy, B. V. Karanth and B. Jayashree. Rao has been involved in theatre in various capabilities. He has also worked as an actor and director. He has acted in several soap operas including Asare, Tulasi, Manvantara and Muktha.
He was commissioned by SAMPAD, UK to compose music for Moving Earth, a dance and music production that was part of the 2012 London Olympics.
He toured as a part of Chakrafonics, a world music band that performs genres from Indian classical fusion to world music. The band toured the USA, UK and Australia from 2014 to 2015.
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