PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Praveen D. Rao
Praveen D. Rao
Occupation(s)	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

Serials

Sanghatane – directed by Sri Bhargava
67 Harris Road
Vasantha Gaana
Nighuda Jagatthu – directed by Sri Amardev
Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa – directed by Praveen Nayak
Chandamama Chakkulimama
Chandrabimba
Sahana
Beladingalagi Baa
Laali – directed by A. G. Sheshadri
Asare
Antharagange
Sanje Mallige
Muktha (telefilm) – directed by Srinivas Prabhu
Ardhasathya
Godhuli
Tulasi – directed by Sunil Kumar Singh
Kapinipati
Venkata Ramana Govinda
Baduku – for Nagendra Shah
Seete – directed by Ashok Kashyap^[1]
Guptagaamini – directed by Ramesh Kumar
Red Box
Maatagaathi
Santheli Mane
Aadimanassillada Marga
Kacheri Kanda
Tunturu
Ankura
Shikara
Shiva Leelaamrutha
Shiva Charithaamrutha
Gangotri
Lakumi
Gaalipata
Kalyana Rekhe
Bombeyaatavayya
Chitte Heeje
Yashode
Mithuna Raashi
Kulavadhu
Lakshmi Baaramma
Kannadathi

Films

Z – for Praveen Nayak^[2]
Sumangali – A. G. Seshadri
Nanage Neenu Ninage Naanu – for Anitha Subramanya
Stumble – for Prakash Belawadi (won the National Award for Best English Feature Film of the year 2002)
Kanakambari – for Dinesh Babu
Chitra Vichitra – for Sushma, Akanksha Combines
Dildaara – directed by Amar
Manthana – by Srinath Vasistha
Mana Manthana – by Suresh Heblikar
Hondisi Bareyiri – directed by Ramenahalli Jagannatha

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

Bimba Pratibimba (1993)

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

Meghadootha (1999)

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

Antardhwani

Rasika Dance Academy

Yatra
Devanga Mahima

Piali Ray, UK

Shyama (1993) – Rabindranath Tagore's Musical

Sampad Yuva, UK

A Breath of Life
Inequality (1993)

M. P. Suma, Bangalore

Omkaara
Vijaya Kalyana
Vachana Vybhava

STEM contemporary dance theatre, Bangalore

Crows – Caws – Facades (1995)

Gig Payne, UK

Conversations – Performing Abilities of the Multiple Disabled (1994)

Pampa Dance Academy, USA

Prakriti (2004)

Sandesha, Mangalore

Life of Jesus (2002)
Jyothirgamaya (2003)

Padmini Ravi, Bangalore

Tamtana (2004)

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

Devi Diva (July 2005)

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.

Canada – with Maya Rao (1992)
Janapada (1993)
Panchatantra (1994)
Kaishiki (1995)
USA – with Beena Badami (1997) and Puttur Narasimha Nayak (2002)
Story of 'C' (2003–2004)
Moby Duck Theatre company: Maze Maker (March 2004)
Bopoluchi (November 2004)
Toronto – with Sampradaya Dance Creations (2005)
Fire Girl (January 2005)
Bloodhands (August 2005)
Tears of Fire (2006)
Granny Vampire (August 2006)
United Kingdom – with Chitraleka Dance Company

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 Award – 1998, 2000, and 2010
Swaramandara Award (Hombale Films) – 1998 and 2000
G. V. Athri Award (Upasana) – 2000
Silicon Jaycees Award – 2003
Best music director award for Guptagamini, an ETV Kannada serial
Kalāvatamsa title by Gokulam – 2010
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 Dance – 2019
Natya Sangeetha Saraswathi title from Natyasaraswathi Kuchipudi Dance Centre, Vijayawada – 2019
Ananya Nritya Puraskar from Ananya Cultural Academy, Bangalore – 2019
Shree Kala Jyothi title from the Bangalore Gayana Samaja – 2021
Kala Chakravarthi title from Shivapriya School of Dance – 2022
Karnataka Kalashri state award and title from Sangeetha Nritya Academy – 2022

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.