World Beats

Yes, we're the birthplace of rock 'n' roll, but from April 1 to 12, Cleveland becomes the biggest hub outside the Eastern Hemisphere for a far different kind of tune — classical Indian music.

In 1978, Ramnad V. Raghavan, a percussionist from a legendary line of traditional Carnatic musicians who taught at Oberlin College and Cleveland State University, co-founded the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival as a celebration of Carnatic music. Unlike the controlled structure of Western classical music, the Carnatic style hinges on spontaneity akin to jazz.

"We go by the mood of that evening," says widely revered musician Sudha Ragunathan, who performs April 11. "Even when we sit onstage with accompanying artists, they don't even know what they're going to present sometimes."

Held at Cleveland State University's Waetjen Auditorium, the festival brings sounds, colors and tastes of Chennai, India, to Northeast Ohio with dancing, south Indian food and performances by notable artists such as Ragunathan.

Ragunathan's stage presence as well as her ability to sing in multiple octaves has led to a career decorated with awards and fans who deeply connect with her music. One fan even used her popular song "Brahmamokate" to soothe her difficult child.

"The woman came up to me with tears in her eyes and a choked voice and said, 'You are like God to me. You have become such a companion and controlling figure to me,' " Ragunathan recalls.

Those moments are why Ragunathan and other Carnatic artists like performing at Thyagaraja — to share music that communicates across cultures.