Journal of Transnational American Studies

This interview with Amirtha Kidambi focuses on how Kidambi turns South Asian religio-philosophy toward her transnational activist aims through diasporic musical practice. Throughout the course of our conversation, Kidambi traces the development of her political consciousness in relation to both her experience as part of a transnational South Asian diaspora and her musical practice as an improviser. This development often exceeds the institutional norms that seek to keep research, composition, and improvisation as bounded, separate disciplines. By considering improvisation itself as a form of social practice, Kidambi brings into relation musical performance and activism in concrete ways. Furthermore, our conversation touches on the links between pedagogy and reception. Kidambi elaborates on this link by connecting the pedagogical principles she has developed through in-class teaching to the way she collaborates with her band Elder Ones and the way she performs on stage. Finally, we examine ideas about futurity in Kidambi's musical practice and how concepts of time from Hindu cosmology influence how Kidambi moves her musical and activist practices forward.