INDIKA Festival 2025: Milap’s Carnatic Quartet- A Review

From left to right, Praveen Sparsh (Mridangam), Shreya Devnath (Violin), Mylai M Karthikeyan (Nadhaswaram) and Adyar G Silambarasan (Thavil).

On Wednesday the 29th of October, I went to watch Milap’s Carnatic Quartet at the Liverpool Philharmonic. In honour of Indika week, this was one of the many celebrations across Liverpool that celebrates Indian culture and heritage.

Made up of four very talented artists, their performance unified traditional South Indian instruments that don’t typically share the stage. Rather than an ensemble, the instruments worked together in a conversation- bridging the differences between them. Individually, each instrument made a completely unique sound but together they worked harmoniously to collaboratively celebrate traditional Carnatic music.

The interplay between these instruments was conceptualised by Shreya Devnath (the violinist). Who throughout the performance, informed the audience of the history behind the instruments and the contexts of the songs.

Whilst we got snippets from pieces that traditionally lasted five hours at certain South Indian celebrations, we also listened to their interpretations of certain Carnatic performances, which they had modified and reinvented.

Although these instruments are traditional, the group experimented with electronic beats and rhythms which gave the performance a modern twist.

The performance was thoroughly unique to me, from the seated structure of the night, to the instruments and dynamics of the artists.

I was especially amazed by the conversational elements of the show. Particularly between the instruments and the unspoken connections shared by the artists, Praveen Sparsh and Adyar G Silambarasan.

At concerts I have previously attended, I hadn’t thought about the ways in which the harmonies and instruments work together to create sound. However, at the Carnatic Quartet the intense eye contact between Praveen and Adyar drew me to the connection their instruments shared. Whilst I was aware of how unconventional it was for their instruments to perform together, they worked antiphonally in a call and response to one another.

Lasting two hours and a half hours, I was very impressed by the breath control of Mylai M Karthikeyan who was playing the Nadhaswaram (pictured in white). Who had such a command over the double reed wind instrument and played magnificently.

Thank you to the incredible artists and to Milap for an amazing night!

To read the rest of our coverage of the INDIKA Festival, please click here:

https://www.liverpoolguildstudentmedia.co.uk/category/reviews