Namratha Kasalanati

Namratha Kasalanati (she/her) draws from fantasy, history, and mythology to create cross-cultural narratives filled with wonder and exploration. Hailing from the Bay Area, her work aims to bring attention to the diverse musical traditions around the world, focusing on the intersections between Western and Indian classical music. Her current work, a piece for full orchestra titled The King, the Lute and the Elephant, takes inspiration from the Sanskrit play Swapnavasavadatta, incorporating both Indian classical and folk influences with the western orchestral genre. 

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 In her composition career, she has written for orchestral, chamber, and solo settings. Some of her notable composition teachers have been Dr. Veronika Krausas, Brian Head, and Camae Ayewa (Moor Mother). She has also studied conducting with Sharon Lavery and orchestration with Dr. Frank Ticheli. Beyond the classical sphere, she has composed for ten short films, one of which was screened at the Ojai Film Festival in November 2023. 

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Along with her B.M. in Composition, Namratha is also pursuing a B.A. in Economics at the University of Southern California. As an economics student, she loves to examine how economics can help push for social change and intersect with public policy. Outside of class, she is the treasurer and music coordinator for USC’s Musical Theatre Repertory, the premier independent student theatre company on campus, as well as the Director of Social Justice and Inclusion for the Residential Housing Association, a student government group. One may also find her triple jumping at the track or curled up with a good book. 

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