Praveen D Rao

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

Films

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 CrowsCawsFacades (1995)

Gig Payne, UK ConversationsPerforming 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.

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 Award1998, 2000, and 2010 Swaramandara Award (Hombale Films)1998 and 2000 G. V. Athri Award (Upasana)2000 Silicon Jaycees Award2003 Best music director award for Guptagamini, an ETV Kannada serial Kalāvatamsa title by Gokulam2010 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 Dance2019 Natya Sangeetha Saraswathi title from Natyasaraswathi Kuchipudi Dance Centre, Vijayawada2019 Ananya Nritya Puraskar from Ananya Cultural Academy, Bangalore2019 Shree Kala Jyothi title from the Bangalore Gayana Samaja2021 Kala Chakravarthi title from Shivapriya School of Dance2022 Karnataka Kalashri state award and title from Sangeetha Nritya Academy2022

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.