Tune in to Afternoon New Music at 3:00 PM on Wednesday, June 15 to hear an exclusive interview with Amirtha Kidambi, organizer of the TONGUES series at ISSUE Project Room. Kidambi will talk about the upcoming edition of this concert series, which will take place on Saturday, June 18 at ISSUE Project Room, along with topics ranging from the influences of John and Alice Coltrane to her personal approach to curating concerts, South Indian music, and the philosophy of impovisation.

Saturday's TONGUES series will feature a solo set by Mat Maneri on viola followed by a trio performance from Carnatic vocalist Ashvin Bhogendra, Carnatic violinist, improviser and theater artist Anjna Swaminathan, and Mrudangam composer and improviser Rajna Swaminathan. The music will be followed by a discussion with the performers and special guest saxophonist, composer and former ISSUE Artist-In-Residence Matana Roberts about approaches to improvisation. Scheduled to lead up to the concert series is an educational workshop called "TONGUES: A Carnatic Music Primer for Young Musicians," which will begin at 3:00 PM at ISSUE Project Room.

Amirtha Kidambi is a vocalist, composer and curator invested in the performance and creation of exploratory music. Amirtha has performed at Carnegie Hall, Roulette, ISSUE Project Room, Silent Barn, Whitney Museum, and The Kitchen. As an improviser, she has played with innovators from the New York scene like Matana Roberts, Daniel Carter, Darius Jones, Peter Evans, Trevor Dunn. Amirtha is also a 2016-2017 Asian Cultural Council Fellow and will be traveling to India for intensive study in Carnatic vocal music. Amirtha’s work as a curator is centered on diversity, inclusivity, and anti-racist practices. In addition to the TONGUES series, she has partnered with Matana Roberts and Peter Evans on concerts and panel discussions surrounding issues of police brutality and state violence.