HOME |COMMUNITY |SIFAACOMMUNITY INITIATIVES| 2026 Youth Festival - Yuva Kalakara Mela
2026 Youth Festival - Yuva Kalakara Mela
Namaskarams from SIFAA team! SIFAA is planning to host a 2–day youth festival during President’s Day weekend in 2026 – Feb 14th and Feb 15th. The participants will be invited by SIFAA – primarily young adult (18-29) upcoming artistes who have roots in the triangle area. Our objective is to provide a platform for these young artistes who are seriously invested in learning and performing Carnatic music. SIFAA will provide professional stage, audio, and the needed infrastructure like any SIFAA premier concert. We will have recitals from senior youth, display booths from junior youth groups coordinated by local teachers, and a centerpiece conference style panel discussion, all centered around the theme of this year’s festival - Melakarta.
Youth Festival Details
SIFAA’s youth festival is scheduled for Feb 14th and 15th of 2026. Completing this form confirms that you are willing to participate in the same. Please make a note of the dates of the festival and make sure you are available on both days. In the spirit of supporting your peers, we expect all participants to stay throughout the festival. You will be notified with your slot timings closer to the date.
Participants Guidelines
- The participant must be between the age of 18 and 29 years as of December 31, 2025.
- The participant must have had prior experience performing a concert for 60 – 90 minutes. The festival concert will be a minimum of 60 minutes.
- Artists must adhere to standard concert paddathi (Alapna, neraval, kalpana swarams, main, sub-main, optional RTP)
- The theme of the music festival this year is ‘Melakarta’ – the performance must include one major presentation in a Melakarta raga.
- All participants should participate with youth attendees in a lec dem / conference to be held during the event.
- We request artists to utilize accompanists from our area, SIFAA will help facilitate.
- SIFAA will remunerate the artists based on the grants/funding allotment to these initiatives.
- While the applications are open to all qualifying members, SIFAA reserves the right to choose artistes based on best alignment to our objective stated above and prescribed guidelines.
- The completed application must be submitted by EOD January 22, 2026.
Accompanists Guideline
- The participant must be between the age of 16 and 29 years as of December 31, 2025.
- The participant must have had prior experience accompanying or performing at a concert for 60 – 90 minutes. The festival concert will be a minimum of 60 minutes. Please confer with your teachers to confirm.
- All participants should participate with youth attendees in a lec dem / conference to be held during the event.
- SIFAA will remunerate the artists based on the grants/funding allotment to these initiatives.
- While the applications are open to all qualifying members, SIFAA reserves the right to choose artistes based on best alignment to our objective stated above and prescribed guidelines.
- The completed application must be submitted by EOD January 22, 2026.