Notes on View: Smitha K. Prasad

Live music in the galleries inspired by art—Notes on View is a pop-up music series at the NCMA featuring 40-minute live performances that respond to and resonate with works on display. Ranging from contemporary sounds to classical compositions, performances invite you to experience the galleries in a new way: through sound, space, and shared creativity.

Smitha K. Prasad is a US-based Carnatic classical vocalist. A senior disciple of renowned Indian musicians, Prasad regularly performs in concerts in the US and India. She has been named a Regional Artist by the United Arts Council in North Carolina—the first Carnatic musician to have achieved this distinction. Her concerts celebrate the core of Carnatic music, blending tradition with a modern, aesthetically captivating presentation.

Apart from Carnatic concerts, Prasad has presented demonstrations on various aspects of Carnatic music and collaborates with and performs concerts alongside classical musicians from other musical genres. She provides vocal support for dance concerts and has composed music for several dance productions. Prasad has authored a series of articles on Carnatic music for a leading South Asian publication and also freelances as a writer on subjects related to classical arts. She has served on the boards of various nonprofit organizations dedicated to promoting the arts.