Abinav Sridharan
Ethnomusicologist
Vocal Pedagogue
Performer
Recipient of the first British Council UK Alumni Award for Culture & Creativity and a King’s College London scholar, Abinav works at the intersection of voice, culture and performance across global traditions.
Phone:
+91 97910 74999
Email:
LOCATION:
Bengaluru
Auroville
• British Council UK Alumni Award – Culture & Creativity
• King’s India Masters Scholarship – King's College London
• A.R. Rahman Foundation Scholarship – Middlesex University
• Founder – Opera India: A pioneering initiative uniting Indian classical music and Western classical opera on a shared stage.
• Founder – VoiceLab: Cross-tradition vocal practice
RecognitionS
Voice, Culture and Practice
Abinav’s work brings together voice training, performance and ethnomusicology to explore the voice as a cultural instrument.
His practice integrates Indian, Western and operatic traditions, combining cultural insight, embodied technique and technology-assisted vocal analysis. Through academic study, collaborations and performance engagements in the UK and internationally, his work contributes to new cross-cultural approaches to voice training and performance.
Voice Training & Pedagogy
Advanced voice training integrating cultural tradition, embodied technique and technology-assisted vocal analysis across Indian, Western and operatic traditions.
PROGRAMS INCLUDE:
• Individual voice training
• Advanced vocal technique sessions
• Genre-specific training
• Vocal tune-ups and intensives
• Professional voice development
Research and Cultural Work
Specialised work in the documentation and preservation of living and endangered cultural traditions through audio-visual archives. Experienced in developing archival systems and collections for cultural institutions and research initiatives.
Abinav’s research explores the voice as a cultural instrument shaped by language, listening traditions and musical practice across societies. His work draws on ethnomusicology, archival study and vocal pedagogy to understand how vocal traditions are transmitted, documented and adapted across contexts.
He previously headed the Audio-Visual Laboratory at the Archives and Research Centre for Ethnomusicology (ARCE), where he worked extensively with historical recordings, archival preservation and sound documentation. At the Indian Music Experience Museum in Bengaluru, he also led the development of the institution’s audio-visual archive, contributing to the organisation and preservation of legacy recordings and musical materials.
Through this work, Abinav bridges research, archives and performance practice, connecting academic inquiry with contemporary approaches to voice training and cultural transmission.
Performance
Abinav’s performance practice spans Indian classical music, Western classical opera and cross-cultural repertoire. Through Opera India and collaborative projects, he develops ensemble works that bring diverse musical traditions into new artistic dialogue.
PAST COLLABORATIONS & FEATURED IN
- BBC News Network, UK
- BBC South Asian Network, UK
- Magdla Opera Company, Nottingham
- British Council, Chennai, India
- Goethe Institut, Chennai, India
- TEDx, New Delhi, India
- Babelsberg Orchestra, Berlin, Germany
- Global Rainbow Foundation, Mauritius
- Global Sufi Festival, Dubai
- Oprah Winfrey Show, USA
Playing Harlequin in Mostly Mozart, London
Lead Singer of KM Sufi Ensemble, Oprah Winfrey Show
Ranjhan Rawal Mange - Music Video
Kathmandu Earthquake Relief Fund Concert by Opera India, Goethe Institut, Chennai
Collaborations and Engagements
Abinav’s work continues to expand through collaborations with artists, actors, instrumentalists, dancers, and cultural organisations across performance, research, and voice training. His collaborations include vocal pedagogy programs, performance development, archival initiatives and cross-cultural music projects.