Experiencing the Arun Ramamurthy Trio Band
Through the Lens of MiAltar
By Shinu Singh, Co-founder of MiAltar
This week, I found myself in an intimate venue tucked into the heart of San Francisco to see the Arun Ramamurthy Trio (ART), a group I had heard described as boundary-breaking, bringing a fresh approach to age-old South Indian classical music and ‘The trio freely explores the spirit of Raga music and Jazz, resulting in a deeply invigorating and spiritual experience.’
As Co-founder of MiAltar, a digital platform born from the desire to honor memory, lineage, and cultural traditions in the modern age, I think about how tradition and innovation influence each other — how sacred practices can find new expressions in different mediums. Sitting in that room, listening to the fusion of Carnatic violin, jazz rhythms, and soulful improvisation, I felt that same harmony playing out in sound. And it was incredible.
ART’s music is rooted in the ancient — specifically South Indian classical music — yet it breathes with contemporary life. Drummer Sameer Gupta and bassist Damon Banks provide a grounding rhythm while Arun Ramamurthy’s violin floats, dives, and soars with the aching beauty of both tradition and experimentation. There’s something unmistakably spiritual about it — not in a formal or prescribed way, but in the way it reaches into the listener’s own identity and longings.
I read that Arun’s original work tells stories of migration and cultural connection. His newly commissioned work from CMA's New Jazz Works grant, "New Moon Suite" shines a light on the teachings and wisdom of our ancestors. I was intrigued as it beautifully aligns with the work at MiAltar. To hear classical music inspired by honoring the wisdom of ancestors, it spoke the very language that MiAltar is built on — one that says our roots don’t bind us; they carry us forward. His music didn’t just bridge genres; it bridged generations and geographies.
After the performance, I kept thinking about how cultural memory lives on in movement. ART reminded me that remembrance, lineage, memories and identity aren’t static. They evolve. They migrate. And they soar.
At MiAltar, we use digital tools to create sacred space. Arun Ramamurthy Trio uses sound. But at the core, we’re doing the same thing: honoring where we come from, while reaching for where we’re going.
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We invite you to create a digital altar on MiAltar at www.mialtarvirtual.com
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Also find us @mialtarvirtual on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
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Click here: Quick tutorial on how to build an altar
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Listen to Arun Ramamurthy Trio.
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About Shinu Singh
Shinu Singh is the co-founder of MiAltar Virtual, an online platform for honoring our deparated loved ones. When not working on MiAltar, she can be found taking walks along the riverfront and hiking on the coastline.
